Empreinte

Empreinte, the very first perfume from the house of Courrèges, embodies its chypre signature and its hippy spirit, the scent of freedom and absolute femininity of an entire era. A great perfume emblematic of the 1970s that, despite the years, has not lost an ounce of its power to enchant!

A chic and hippy Empreinte for a great Courrèges perfume

Few perfumes can withstand the test of time and that of a reinterpretation, especially some forty years after a first, resounding release in perfumery. Yet this is the case of Empreinte by Courrèges, the very first fragrance from the celebrated fashion house.

Empreinte was thus born in 1971, at a time when Courrèges haute couture was at the height of its glory. Mini-skirts, black and white trapeze dresses and vinyl jackets thrilled the women of the 1960s in search of a futuristic, thoroughly avant-garde and therefore thoroughly libertarian fashion. It was only logical that the very first perfume from this now widely recognized brand should match this new spirit of the “liberated” woman of the 1970s. A freedom asserted loud and clear, not least through the choice of the name Empreinte, which refers to Armstrong's first steps on the Moon.

Almost worn like a banner, Empreinte was the third best-selling perfume in France, according to Robin Schlang, of Lorience, the small business that acquired the Courrèges licenses. Naturally, when the question arose of relaunching the great house of Courrèges around 2011, reformulating this fragrant symbol of the 1970s became an obvious choice. Empreinte was thus born twice, forty years apart!

Patchouli and animalic notes for a refined chypre rose

Far more than lunar footsteps, what left a real imprint on the world of perfume was of course the overdosed fragrance of a radiant patchouli. As for the bottle, it is in perfect harmony with the Courrèges spirit: curved, sensual lines drawn in a glass cylinder, a moon-shaped cabochon matching the Moon Girl collection, and gold and metallic colors echoing the shades of the artist's lunar dresses.

Robert Gonnon, working for Firmenich and therefore for Courrèges, crafted Empreinte as the very essence of what Courrèges brought to the women of 1971. Elegance and chic sit alongside, to our great delight, patchouli sensuality and floral depth. However, the original formula had to be modified to reappear in 2012, notably because of new regulations concerning animal-derived raw materials.

Empreinte thus opens on tonic, fresh bergamot and mandarin notes, forcefully underscored by a few aldehydes. At the heart, rose and jasmine exhale the floral warmth of the Courrèges woman, free yet always elegant. Finally, the base notes unfold with absolutely divine strength of sandalwood, vetiver, patchouli and cedarwood. The breadth of these woody nuances is magnified by a crossing of leathery notes.

In the beginning was Empreinte, a stunning vision, the imprint of a woman's sillage, Courrèges for Empreinte. This woman of the 1970s remains the woman of the 2000s, and Empreinte thus remains one of the great perfumes of the last century, and of this new one as well.