Insolence, boldness and more boldness. A giant of French luxury and elegance, the house of Guerlain has more than 300 perfumes to its name. Guerlain was founded in 1928 by Pierre-François-Pascal Guerlain, who sold personalized perfumes to each customer.
The house of Guerlain is one of the greatest names in French perfumery. Since its creation in 1828 by Pierre-François Pascal Guerlain, it has stood as a mark of refinement and elegance. Most of the time, Guerlain works within a very chic register, sometimes seductive and suave, without ever overdoing it. Yet in 2006, it seems the house departed from tradition by composing a bolder and more exuberant fragrance than usual. As proof, its feminine fragrance is called Insolence. So what does insolence mean according to Guerlain? Is this fragrance as surprising as it claims to be? Here is the review.
Olfastory’s review
Fearless insolence in Guerlain's eye
The Insolence perfume offers a new way of perceiving femininity according to Guerlain. Thanks to it, Guerlain's woman imagines herself with a fearless smile on her face and a mischievous sparkle in her eye. Fearing neither anything nor anyone, she holds her head high, displaying a certain offhandedness along the way. In reality, through this fragrance, Guerlain lets us glimpse the share of insolence that has always been present within it. After all, since 1828, Guerlain has been reinventing the history of perfumery, not without boldness and avant-gardism. Is that not, in itself, a certain mark of insolence? Nevertheless, rest assured, Guerlain manages to find here the right balance, delivering the image of a spontaneous and authentic woman, insolent without ever overdoing it, unafraid of being unreasonable while remaining perfectly magnificent.
Guerlain dares to put violet in the spotlight
With such a name, this perfume had to display a scent unique of its kind. It must be said that the house brilliantly rose to the challenge, placing violet at the center of everything. Usually, it is a powdery flower that stays rather in the background. Here, violet appears in overdose, navigating between authenticity and modernity. To achieve this, it first pairs with sparkling red fruit notes, while lighting up with orange blossom. Rose makes it more voluptuous and more intense, as does iris. Finally, at its base, violet is paired with a creamier tonka bean, releasing in its sillage a unique and memorable powdery sensuality.
A bold bottle reinvented by Guerlain
Currently, Guerlain's Insolence perfume comes in a reinterpretation of Guerlain's timeless Flacon aux Abeilles, created in 1853 by Pierre-François Pascal Guerlain for Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III. Adorned with a violet hue, it echoes its main ingredient. However, Insolence has not always had this appearance. Initially, it was presented in a bottle signed Serge Mansau. Very original, it consisted of three half-spheres, stacked one upon the other, while being decorated with a platinum ring. Balanced on itself, this bottle had what it took to turn many heads, much like the woman wearing this perfume.