In 1969 Jean Paul Guerlain inspired by the popular novel “La Chamade” by Francoise Sagan composed a symphony of scents and emotions called Chamade.
Evoking the deepest senses and the scent of the Spring, the creator combined penetrating tones as hyacinth and bergamot with enchanting floral ones as ylang ylang, jasmine and black currant buds.
Guerlaine-ish signature scents as rose, tonka bean and vanilla are all embedded in the designers olfactory fantasy. The name as it suggests refers to the special drumbeat used during the domination of Napoleon.
Chamade as it was known, was one of the warning signs, with an extremely quick pace to order the soldiers to retreat.
Jean-Paul Guerlain succeeded in creating a metaphor with Chamade. In fact he claimed that this drumbeat resembles the fastest beating of a loving heart.
The novel “La Chamade” in fact portrays the destiny of a young woman who hopelessly falls in love at a fragile age. The endless pursuit of happiness inspired the famous perfume creator. The French rising star of the movie, Catherine Deneuve became the quintessential muse during the creation of the great sensory masterpiece.
The complete surrender to love is symbolized with the heart-shaped bottle turned upside down and pierced by an arrow. The image might seem a bit too kitschy however at the same time it is extremely suggestive of jadedness and unconditioned love.
Chamade, was designed for the woman who wants to radiate independence, confidence and on a profound level sensuality. Guerlain conceived memorable and absorbing fragrances through the decades.
Femininity and delicacy are all basic fortes of his creations. This way could Chamade, become one of the most craved-for scents in the industry.
As it was introduced in France it is “parfum qui se rit du temps qui passe” (the perfume which doesn’t care about the passing of time). Its classy still it can revive different emotions over and over again. Similarly to Habit Rouge, the creator was inspired by intricacies and caprice.
Chamade can’t be labeled as a sweet and innocence-radiating perfume, it is intriguing and provocative at the same time.
In 1999, Jean Paul Guerlain conceived the masculine version of this vintage fragrance the Chamade pour Homme, preserving many of the basic ingredients to make it unforgettable by his fans.
Diana Jone
A SoCal resident, FIDM graduate, savvy shopper who is passionate about sharing my ideas.
