Monsieur Balmain

This emblematic juice has stood the test of time. This longevity is undoubtedly the result of its highly refined composition, at once structured and classic yet also endowed with tremendous creative genius.

The history of Monsieur Balmain

Although Monsieur Balmain officially came into being in 1964, its history goes back further. Indeed, it began in 1947 when Pierre Balmain decided to create a fragrance inspired by classic Eaux de Cologne. He simply replaced the flavor of the citrus typical of this juice with the softness of verbena, greener, more aromatic and citrusy. Pierre Balmain initially decided to name his juice “Verveine Citronelle”. It quickly won over the hearts of men of that era. Moreover, they seemed to particularly appreciate its elegance and dynamism. Indeed, the story goes that even Marcel Rochas was a fervent admirer of this fragrance. It was not until 1964 that this fragrance was renamed Monsieur Balmain, echoing for the occasion its feminine counterpart named Jolie Madame. A true benchmark of perfumery, this juice is celebrated for its elegant casualness and its lively, fresh naturalness. The harmony of its notes has, over the years, made it an emblematic juice, woven through with authenticity and discretion.

The cult scent of the house of Balmain

To create this essence, the house of Balmain collaborated with perfumer Germaine Cellier. She chose to open the juice with the freshness of verbena. This green, aromatic plant softens the vigor of the citrus notes. Indeed, many of them are present in the top notes of this fragrance. Monsieur Balmain contains citronella, bitter orange, lemon, bergamot, petitgrain and orange. What is more, as if this freshness were not enough, the whole is further rounded out by a mint accord. Then, a romantic rose reveals itself at the heart. This flower, emblematic of perfumery, is here accompanied by thyme, rosemary and sage. Likewise, spices give Monsieur Balmain even more character. These are notably dominated by pepper, ginger and nutmeg. The whole then gradually warms until reaching a woodier, muskier sillage based on sandalwood, vetiver and oakmoss. Since 2012, it should be noted that Monsieur Balmain is no longer presented in its original bottle. It now takes on a more cubic and modern style, with sharp edges and clean angles. However, even though it has been very recently redesigned, it echoes the house of Balmain's first bottle from the 1940s.