11/18/2020

Serenissima
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Serenissima
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Dedicated to Her Imperial Highness
Empress Eugénie of France, née Eugénie de Montijo, is known as one of the most beautiful women of her time and Europe.
She only had to share this honorary title with Elisabeth, Empress of Austria and legendary "Sisi".
So it is easy to imagine what was going on at the station of Salzburg in 1861:
The emperor of the French Napoleon III and Franz Joseph I of Austria met there; both accompanied by their wives.
For, woman remains woman, whether empress or not: each wanted to see and silently compare for herself whether the other was really so beautiful! - "Mirror, mirror on the wall..." How good that both Imperial Highnesses got along at first go, because Emperor Napoléon III broke any protocol and certainly also violated custom and decency:
Several times he circled around Elisabeth of Austria and announced: "What beauty! What beauty!" (I had already told these stories elsewhere.)
Whether the French Empress liked it especially when her husband circled the other woman like a rooster, history is silent about that.
Let's assume that..: She knew him and she let him go - A woman not only beautiful, but smart as well!
Pierre-Francois Guerlain had settled in Paris after graduating in chemistry to work in what was then a completely new field: the world of beauty and perfume! Thus, in a catalogue of his still young company, lotions and cosmetics for softening, cleansing and beautifying the skin appear on.
Thus, having gained prestige and an illustrious clientele (which included Balzac), Guerlain was able to open a new store at 15 rue de la Paix after the Paris redesign.
This street will soon be the epitome of luxury and sophistication.
And, of course, Empress Eugénie is now also interested in his activities.
Pierre-Francois-Pascal, the more creative son of the company's founder, thus embarks on a truly masterful composition, "L'Eau de Cologne Imperiale".
This creation earned him and the company the coveted title of "Perfumer Appointed by His Majesty".
Which naturally helps the still young company to its first upswing.
In "L'Eau de Cologne Imperiale", bergamot and lemon enter into a subtle combination with rosemary, lavender and orange blossom.
Also a touch of the classic Neroli should not be missing.
Here you can still find the feeling of absolute purity and harmony.
No wonder that "L'Eau de Cologne Imperiale" was already a remarkable success back then.
Even today, it is still a very exclusive "scented water", with of course only a short shelf life; but with a lot of freshness and extraordinary elegance.
If the House of Guerlain is certainly based here on the successful formula of the famous "Acqua Minerabilis" by Giovanni Maria Farina (known in Cologne as Johann Maria Farina), I am quite sure that there is still a "magic of its own fragrance" in this imperial creation.
With a "normal cologne" Guerlain certainly didn't do that even then!
The glass flacon, which has not changed since its introduction, also speaks for this: gilded and covered with bees: bees as an allusion to the coat of arms of the imperial family.
By the way, the story tells that Emperor Napoléon, in search of his own coat of arms "appropriate to his social standing", simply turned the well-known "Borbon lily" upside down and thus this "bee" coat of arms was born.
But enough of history and stories:
Even when bottled in a simple glass atomizer, "L'Eau de Cologne Imperiale" unfolds its extraordinary magic.
Fresh and yet elegant, this scent tissue spreads over skin and hair and floats around nobly; not for very long, but the hair as a carrier considerably extends the durability.
A fragrance, filled with noblesse, touches the heart and senses in a very extraordinary way.
But it's "the Empress' scent"!
She only had to share this honorary title with Elisabeth, Empress of Austria and legendary "Sisi".
So it is easy to imagine what was going on at the station of Salzburg in 1861:
The emperor of the French Napoleon III and Franz Joseph I of Austria met there; both accompanied by their wives.
For, woman remains woman, whether empress or not: each wanted to see and silently compare for herself whether the other was really so beautiful! - "Mirror, mirror on the wall..." How good that both Imperial Highnesses got along at first go, because Emperor Napoléon III broke any protocol and certainly also violated custom and decency:
Several times he circled around Elisabeth of Austria and announced: "What beauty! What beauty!" (I had already told these stories elsewhere.)
Whether the French Empress liked it especially when her husband circled the other woman like a rooster, history is silent about that.
Let's assume that..: She knew him and she let him go - A woman not only beautiful, but smart as well!
Pierre-Francois Guerlain had settled in Paris after graduating in chemistry to work in what was then a completely new field: the world of beauty and perfume! Thus, in a catalogue of his still young company, lotions and cosmetics for softening, cleansing and beautifying the skin appear on.
Thus, having gained prestige and an illustrious clientele (which included Balzac), Guerlain was able to open a new store at 15 rue de la Paix after the Paris redesign.
This street will soon be the epitome of luxury and sophistication.
And, of course, Empress Eugénie is now also interested in his activities.
Pierre-Francois-Pascal, the more creative son of the company's founder, thus embarks on a truly masterful composition, "L'Eau de Cologne Imperiale".
This creation earned him and the company the coveted title of "Perfumer Appointed by His Majesty".
Which naturally helps the still young company to its first upswing.
In "L'Eau de Cologne Imperiale", bergamot and lemon enter into a subtle combination with rosemary, lavender and orange blossom.
Also a touch of the classic Neroli should not be missing.
Here you can still find the feeling of absolute purity and harmony.
No wonder that "L'Eau de Cologne Imperiale" was already a remarkable success back then.
Even today, it is still a very exclusive "scented water", with of course only a short shelf life; but with a lot of freshness and extraordinary elegance.
If the House of Guerlain is certainly based here on the successful formula of the famous "Acqua Minerabilis" by Giovanni Maria Farina (known in Cologne as Johann Maria Farina), I am quite sure that there is still a "magic of its own fragrance" in this imperial creation.
With a "normal cologne" Guerlain certainly didn't do that even then!
The glass flacon, which has not changed since its introduction, also speaks for this: gilded and covered with bees: bees as an allusion to the coat of arms of the imperial family.
By the way, the story tells that Emperor Napoléon, in search of his own coat of arms "appropriate to his social standing", simply turned the well-known "Borbon lily" upside down and thus this "bee" coat of arms was born.
But enough of history and stories:
Even when bottled in a simple glass atomizer, "L'Eau de Cologne Imperiale" unfolds its extraordinary magic.
Fresh and yet elegant, this scent tissue spreads over skin and hair and floats around nobly; not for very long, but the hair as a carrier considerably extends the durability.
A fragrance, filled with noblesse, touches the heart and senses in a very extraordinary way.
But it's "the Empress' scent"!
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