Calèche, the beauty of tradition. Founded in 1837 by Thierry Hermès, the shop was that of a harness maker and saddler who made accessories for horses. It was in 1880 that the Hermès shop moved to rue du Faubourg St Honoré.
Hermès's Calèche was born in 1961 thanks to perfumer Guy Robert. If this fragrance is so famous today, it is because it is considered the fragrance that propelled Hermès to the forefront of the perfumery scene. Moreover, Calèche is also the first women's perfume ever created by Hermès. It is therefore much more than a simple perfume. It is a powerful symbol of its history. At the time of its release, Calèche was available in two different versions: a Parfum and an Eau de Toilette. It is precisely the latter that will be the focus here. Here is a review on the subject.
Olfastory’s review
Calèche, the choice of a symbol that is not incidental
As should be clear, Calèche Eau de Toilette is a historic fragrance that traces part of Hermès's history and heritage. Furthermore, its name clearly evokes the Hermès family's attachment to the equestrian world. Indeed, since its beginnings, Hermès has crafted objects connected to travel and horseback riding. Calèche Eau de Toilette therefore does not escape this tradition. Combining elegance and modernity, it evokes one of the most iconic carriages of nineteenth-century France. At the time, the calèche was an indispensable accessory for riding around the city, displaying one's wealth, and parading in front of the world. Hermès quickly decided to draw on it to create both its logo and this fragrance.
The olfactory richness of Calèche Eau de Toilette
Beyond its rich history, Calèche Eau de Toilette is also a perfume that is very interesting from an olfactory standpoint. Indeed, its composition is very rich. Calèche Eau de Toilette contains multiple ingredients and owes its existence to one of the most renowned perfumers of the last century. At first, its opening feels very fresh and energizing. Calèche Eau de Toilette combines orange blossom, mandarin, bergamot, and lemon. The whole is further freshened with cypress, neroli, and aldehyde. Then, the heart of Calèche Eau de Toilette unfolds an infinitely floral breath of iris, jasmine, lily of the valley, rose, and gardenia. Gradually, its base becomes woodier and more comforting. Sandalwood, tonka bean, oakmoss, vetiver, cedar, and musk finish asserting its persistence and its personality. Calèche Eau de Toilette nevertheless remains slightly airier than its Eau de Parfum edition.
Hermès chooses an understated, timeless bottle
Finally, unlike its scented composition, Calèche Eau de Toilette relies on restraint when it comes to its bottle. This feminine fragrance comes in a timeless Hermès bottle, a sort of elongated rectangle whose edges have been slightly softened. For its Eau de Toilette edition, Calèche has a paler yellow coloring than in its Eau de Parfum version. The whole is topped with a half-sphere cap. Its front face, meanwhile, features a rectangular, embossed label in a bright yellow coloring.