Jacques Guerlain
The guerlinade — a signature base of vanilla, iris, rose, and tonka bean that became the house's olfactory DNA. Jacques composed with the richness of a Romantic-era poet, layering precious materials into compositions of extraordinary warmth and sensuality.
“When I created Shalimar, I was thinking of the great love stories — of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal.”
Jacques Guerlain is one of the greatest perfumers who ever lived — the man who gave the world Shalimar, Mitsouko, L'Heure Bleue, and Vol de Nuit. As the third-generation perfumer of the House of Guerlain, he elevated the family craft into high art. Working in the legendary Guerlain laboratory on the Champs-Élysées, he drew inspiration from love, literature, and travel to create fragrances of unprecedented emotional depth. Shalimar, inspired by the gardens of the Taj Mahal and his love affair with a woman whose identity remains mysterious, is perhaps the most celebrated perfume in history.
Approach
The guerlinade — a signature base of vanilla, iris, rose, and tonka bean that became the house's olfactory DNA. Jacques composed with the richness of a Romantic-era poet, layering precious materials into compositions of extraordinary warmth and sensuality.
Distinctive Notes
Signature Accords
- Aldehydic87%
- Mossy85%
- Citrus81%
Derived from 34 compositions in the Scentsation catalog.
Houses Shaped
Brands Jacques has created for
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