The surname Rocha is known to fashionistas mainly due to designer clothes. This house was founded back in 1925. The young couturier Marcel Roche at that time was only twenty-two years old. To be precise, at first he was a practicing lawyer, passionately in love with his wife. And to hit the world of haute couture he was prompted by a simple desire to dress his spouse so that everyone gasped. The perfect flair of form and color along with the breadth of design thought helped Marcel Roche to become famous. It was he who gave the world skirts with patch pockets, tennis dresses and coats with sleeves in three quarters. But this article is not about haute couture clothing. We will test the perfume of "Madame Roche." What do the reviews say about them? Are they “the scent of a bygone era” or are they still relevant?
Women's perfume of the Roche Empire
In 1935, the couturier, already famous at that time, decided to try his hand at perfumery. The first fragrance was Avenue Matignon - it was on this street that a fashion house from Fabour Saint-Honoré moved. The second, released a year later, was the legendary Audace. When the Second World War broke out, everyone was not up to the spirits. But after 1945, these perfumes were reprinted and became bestsellers. An unsurpassed masterpiece, the peak of couturier’s creativity, is called his perfume “Famm” (“Woman”). It is said that Marcel Rocha presented these perfumes to his young wife Helene as a wedding present. In the field of perfumery, things went much better than in the field of clothing. Therefore, after the war ended, the couturier decided to close the fashion house and focus exclusively on fragrances for women and men. Fans of his perfumes were Marlene Dietrich, Joan Crawford and other celebrities.
In 1955, Marcel Rocha died of a brain hemorrhage. At the helm of the perfume house stood a young widow, Helen. She managed not only to keep the ship afloat, but also to increase profits. In 1960, she presented her perfume Madame Roche.
Creative ambition
In the name of the perfume, the young widow (who was much younger than her husband) decided to perpetuate her name. But Helene had the tact not to meddle in the area that was unknown to her. She hired the famous perfumer Guy Robert to invent the formula of perfumes for her. She just ordered a theme: femininity, sophistication and Parisian elegance. And this perfumer managed to do.
A bottle with a box was also given close attention. The bubble has a shape resembling the silhouette of the dresses of the famous couturier, who for the first time decided to dress women in dresses with false shoulders and a narrowed hem. The sharp edges of the bottle make it look like a crystal, and the golden liquid inside clearly indicates that the perfumes of “Madame Roche” are something special, not for every day. It is refinement that shines through in every detail. A snow-white label with vignettes and a golden cap give the appearance of the bottle a charming femininity.
"Madame Roche" (perfume): a composition of aromas
Specialists attribute this fragrance to the aldehyde flower family. What is hidden behind this professional characteristic? Breathe in a bouquet of aromas! Feel every note! Perfumes of the mid-twentieth century are striking in their complexity and versatility. Therefore, we prepare for the fact that the list of components will be long. Overture begins with the sound of aldehydes. What it is? Let's not bore chemistry lessons. We will only say that these synthetic substances do not smell very pleasant - with a just extinguished candle or rancid butter. But diluted with other substances, aldehydes give the aromas a captivating freshness and languid humidity. “Madame Roche” is a perfume where orange blossom, honeysuckle, hyacinth, lemon, bergamot, neroli and green notes take part in the overture. Thanks to aldehydes, all of these components sound simply divine. In the heart of the perfumery composition is a lush floral bouquet. Here daffodil, lily of the valley, Bulgarian rose, ylang-ylang, jasmine, violet, iris and her majesty - tuberose. In the base of perfumes, notes of white cedar, vetiver, oak moss, musk, ambergris, tonka bean and sandalwood merge in a soft warm embrace.
How users characterize the pyramid of smells
All of the above information is obtained directly from the manufacturer. And what do ordinary users say about Madame Roche women’s perfume? Perfume reviews get the most enthusiastic. Ladies call the fragrance magnificent, perfumes fall in love with themselves from the very first notes. Aldehydes have another remarkable property: they "adapt" to the type of skin. Therefore, the spirits of this family will suit everyone. Complex synthetic compounds make other ingredients of the composition sound more powerful. In this case, a rich bouquet of flowers seems like a refreshing summer rain. It is as if we see droplets of cool moisture that quiver on the petals of tuberose, making a dull violet. A special energy is given to the composition by the interweaving of exotic ylang-ylang and languid neroli. This fragrance also has sexy notes, which are added to it by a spicy sandalwood and tart cedar, sensual vetiver and spicy musk.
Who is the fragrance made for?
What did the Beauty Queen look like in the early sixties? It was for her, the bold conqueror of life’s peaks, that the spirits of “Madame Roche” were created. Bold, complex nature, she is capable of unexpected actions. The goddess who walks through life with a flying gait is enveloped by a special energy - at the same time cheerful and purposeful. She works as if she is playing, but everything she touches turns into gold. Intense fragrance for bright and successful women will give a sense of self-confidence. The perfume is so gentle and airy that I want to enjoy it again and again. Do not forget the role aldehydes play. They adjust the aroma to the smell of their mistress. Therefore, every woman in the halo of these spirits reveals her secrets ...
Vintages
Given that the release of the first fragrance took place more than half a century ago, the only thing that can convey to us how the original perfumes of “Madame Roche” looked like is a photo. True, some sites of online stores promise to send rarities, the remains of the very legendary collection of 1960. But with what to compare, to discover the truth ... or a fake? Perfumes under the same name were reprinted later. For example, a rather voluminous series was released for the twentieth anniversary of the first collection. The bottle was changed in it, which became rectangular instead of the pyramidal. In different series, a different box design was used. In the original collection, it was snowy white with gold embossed lace. Later used a case in the style of "flower wallpaper". And in recent years, a white box-book with an atlas inside is used for packaging perfumes.
Concentrations and prices
The fragrance now continues to be released as "Pur Perfume." These perfumes "Madame Roche" (France) 1980 release cost about $ 75 per 5 ml. But you can also buy perfumed water. Its cost is about 8,000 rubles per 13 ml. These sophisticated luxury items are made strictly according to the original formula of 1960. Eau de toilette and cologne for women differ from the original sample not only in weaker concentration. They are “modernized” according to the current fashion. But the price of a remake remains high. 120 ml of cologne cost 7800 rubles, and a miniature bottle of toilet water - 38 US dollars.
Reviews
The French perfume Madame Roche was and remains an eternally living classic. There is a real hunt for rarities. They are bought and resold, like the canvases of the masters. It is much easier to buy a sample of the fragrance of 1980, because it is made exactly according to the formula, and therefore does not differ from its older brother. Aldehydes continue to perform miracles even in the concentration of cologne and eau de toilette.