A photo never does a natural phenomenon justice, but a fragrance does. After a particularly impactful walk across Paris’ Pont Neuf bridge during the blue hour, French perfumer Jacques Guerlain created a scent inspired by the magical fleeting moment between day and night he experienced on his stroll. While perfumery has evolved by leaps and bounds since Guerlain released the fragrance in 1912, the anticipation waiting for the night to unfold remains. So Delphine Jelk, Guerlain master perfumer and creative director of fragrance has created L’Heure Bleue Eau de Parfum, a new take on Guerlain’s classic scent.
“I thought the fragrance’s story should be continued. I wanted to pay tribute to L’Heure Bleue more than modernizing it or more than creating a reinterpretation, Delk tells TZR over Zoom from her office in Paris, where she’s seated in front of her mood board of fashion editorials, blurred, impressionist-like artwork, and images of Paris. “So I kept what I think is the soul of L’Heure Bleue 1912 in respect to Jacques Guerlain’s work and his original idea, but I wanted to make it women today.”
The star of the new L’Heure Bleue is a ozonic accord that Delk likes to call “blue sky accord.” This blend of airy notes add a freshness to the scent that mimics the chill one feels as night falls. “In 1912 it was just the beginning of synthetic molecules, so Guerlain didn’t have the notes to express this fresh, almost chilly, effect you have when the sun goes down and the night is coming,” she shares.
Guerlain
Delk’s “blue sky accord” is joined by a powdery iris tincture developed specifically for the fragrance, along with iris butter, and vanilla. “I think it matches who we are as women, and as a woman, I wanted to create for us women,” Delk says of the final scent. “I love this idea of being a woman creating for women, not being in a fantasy of who women are.” She points out that creating with the female gaze in mind is why she wrote “blue for girls” on her mood board and included images of both light, romantic clothes and oversized boyfriend shirts in shades of blue.
Of course, the fragrance is housed in a jeweled blue bottle with a gradient that references the blue hour sky. As a nod to the original, the cap is the same inverted heart shape.
As for when to wear it, Delk says it starts clean, which is perfect for morning, but it gets more sensual as it dries down, thanks to its sillage and projection. Not unlike the vibe shift that occurs as day turns into night.
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