Madame Rochas: When the muse becomes the queen... Upon the death of the great designer Marcel Rochas in the 1950s, it was his wife Hélène Rochas who took the reins of the perfume house, a rarity in the trade.
Released in 1960, Madame Rochas is the first perfume after the death of Marcel Rochas, the founder of the brand. It was therefore his wife, Hélène Rochas, who took the reins of the house of Rochas. She who had once been Marcel Rochas's muse then became the symbol of a company led by a woman. While the takeover of the brand by Hélène Rochas marked a real turning point, it was nonetheless an opportunity, as Hélène Rochas would modernize the brand and open it up internationally. Madame Rochas is therefore the perfume that resembles her. At once soft yet full of character, Madame Rochas is the perfume of women who assert themselves.
Madame Rochas, a character signed by perfumer Guy Robert
Guy Robert was born into a family of perfumers and was introduced to scents at a very young age. Passionate and in love with his craft, Guy Robert often took part in conferences and enjoyed discussing his profession at universities. Guy Robert worked with the greatest noses of the postwar period as well as for numerous brands. Guy Robert is responsible for beautiful perfumes such as the famous Calèche by Hermès, but also Dioressence by Dior and Monsieur Rochas by Rochas.
Madame Rochas, notes between tenderness and strength
Madame Rochas is defined as an aldehydic floral of great modernity. Madame Rochas opens with a very lively and fresh combination of aldehydic notes along with honeysuckle and bergamot. Aldehydes are synthetic molecules, molecules that occur naturally in citrus zest. More precisely, an aldehyde is known to be a double bond between an oxygen atom and a carbon atom. Aldehydes were discovered in 1835 by a German chemist. They became famous thanks to the legendary N°5 by Chanel. In perfumery, aldehydes give off tonalities that are at once metallic, fresh, zesty and slightly orange-like. Then, the heart of Madame Rochas is floral, and it is there that the full femininity of Madame Rochas emerges. The heart notes are composed of Bulgarian rose, jasmine and lily of the valley. Also known as Rose Damanesca, Bulgarian rose grows in the Valley of the Roses, where it was introduced in the 17th century.
Here, the Damanesca rose is celebrated every year for three weeks during the harvest period. Bulgarian rose water has been used since ancient times for baths or for linens. The roses are picked by hand, and in perfumery, rose essence is obtained through the distillation of freshly cut flowers. Finally, the base of Madame Rochas reveals a heightened sensuality and is composed of iris, patchouli, white musks, sandalwood and cedar, leaving behind an unforgettable sillage. The bottle is inspired by a 17th-century cut-crystal case with eight facets. On the front of the bottle, a white label notes the name of the perfume in English lettering, for maximum elegance.