Guerlilas by Guerlain c1930

Guerlilas, launched in 1930 by Jean-Jacques Guerlain, takes its name from the lilac flower—lilas in French—blended seamlessly with the Guerlain signature, evoking both floral beauty and the house’s heritage. Pronounced "Gair-lee-lah", the name suggests elegance, delicacy, and the ephemeral charm of early spring blooms. It conjures images of softly shaded lilac gardens, their violet and lavender petals unfurling in gentle sunlight, and evokes emotions of nostalgia, romance, and quiet sophistication.

The perfume emerged during a transformative period in the early 1930s, as the elegance of the late Art Deco era met the economic challenges of the Great Depression. Women’s fashions were becoming more streamlined, with softer silhouettes replacing the extreme flapper styles of the 1920s, while accessories and perfumes retained a sense of luxury and refinement. Perfumery itself was exploring new blends, layering floral compositions with subtle spices, woods, and aldehydes, creating fragrances that balanced classic beauty with modern sensibilities. In this context, Guerlilas’ lilac-centered composition offered a fresh and distinctive choice, simultaneously delicate, powdery, and unmistakably Guerlain in character.

For women of the period, a fragrance named Guerlilas would have represented both the familiarity of a beloved floral and the sophistication of the house’s signature style. Lilac, with its soft, slightly powdery aroma, was associated with youth, innocence, and refined femininity—qualities that resonated strongly in a time of social and cultural transition. Interpreted in scent, Guerlilas would have felt airy, gentle, and luminous at the top, with the lilac accord blooming over the familiar warmth of the Guerlinade—the blend of tonka, vanilla, and soft musks that underpins many Guerlain classics.

Among other fragrances on the market, Guerlilas was distinctive in its focus on lilac, a note less commonly isolated in perfumery at the time. While floral perfumes were widespread, the combination of lilac’s delicate greenness with Guerlain’s rich, powdery base accord created a nuanced, elegant fragrance that stood apart from both heavier roses and more linear florals. Guerlilas was thus a testament to Guerlain’s artistry: a fragrance that celebrated a singular flower while enveloping it in the luxurious, unmistakable signature of the house.

 

Fragrance Composition:

What does it smell like? Guerlilas by Guerlain is classified as a floral fragrance for women featuring beautiful lilac notes over the Guerlinade accord.

• Top notes: lilac, aldehydes, bergamot, orange blossom
• Middle notes: almond, lilac, rose, jasmine, heliotrope, lily of the valley, violet and Tonkin musk
• Base notes: ambergris, orris, vanilla, vetiver, civet, jasmine and musk

Recently, I was fortunate enough to obtain a sample of Guerlilas from my good friend, Alexandra Star, who curates an impressive collection of rare antique Guerlain treasures in her Etsy shop, Parfums de Paris. For those who would like to experience the well-blended floral sweetness of this long-discontinued gem, Alexandra’s shop is a wonderful place to explore—each piece offered there is a testament to her eye for beauty and passion for perfume history.

Scent Profile:

Guerlilas opens with the soft, ephemeral beauty of lilac, the star of the composition. The lilac note immediately suggests a sun-dappled spring garden, petals unfurling in delicate clusters, their aroma both powdery and slightly green. Lilac is notoriously difficult to extract naturally, so its presence often relies on a combination of natural absolutes and subtle synthetic enhancers that capture the flower’s fresh, lightly honeyed facets. The lilac is lifted by sparkling bergamot and aldehydes, which add a bright, luminous quality—bergamot providing a sunny, zesty citrus top note while aldehydes impart a crisp, slightly metallic shimmer that enhances the florals and gives the fragrance a modern, airy opening. Orange blossom softens this brightness, contributing a creamy, floral sweetness, balancing the citrus and highlighting lilac’s delicate charm.

At the heart, Guerlilas deepens into a layered floral bouquet. The lilac note returns, now fuller and intertwined with rose and jasmine, each bringing distinct qualities: the rose lends soft, velvety romance, while jasmine adds a creamy, indolic warmth. Violet contributes powdery nuance, while heliotrope adds a lightly almonded sweetness that tempers the florals and gives a comforting, almost gourmand lift. Lily of the valley brings a dewy, green freshness, mimicking springtime mornings, and almond introduces a nutty, slightly marzipan-like richness that enhances the heliotrope. The midsection is rounded by Tonkin musk, a soft, animalic musk that subtly supports the florals without overwhelming their airy quality. Together, these notes form a heart that is both nuanced and enveloping, floral yet powdery, sweet yet restrained.

The base of Guerlilas is rich and long-lasting, built on Guerlain’s signature Guerlinade accord. Ambergris lends an elusive marine-animalic warmth that is at once sensual and sophisticated, while civet adds a deeper, slightly animalic layer to anchor the fragrance. Vanilla and orris root contribute powdery, balsamic sweetness, enhancing the mid-floral softness and lending longevity. Vetiver introduces a smoky, earthy counterpoint, grounding the composition and giving it depth and structure. The base is further enriched by musk, which enhances the warmth and diffusive qualities, and a touch of jasmine that ties the heart and base seamlessly together, ensuring the lilac remains luminous even as the perfume settles.

What makes Guerlilas exceptional is the interplay of natural and synthetic elements. The synthetics—aldehydes, heliotrope enhancers, and musk—allow the delicate lilac and violet to shine in a way natural extracts alone might not achieve, giving the fragrance clarity, lift, and projection. The natural ingredients—jasmine, rose, orris, vetiver—provide authenticity, complexity, and richness, forming a lush foundation for the ethereal florals. Smelling Guerlilas is like walking through a spring garden where lilac dominates, yet each flower and soft woody note is perfectly in balance—a powdery, sophisticated, and distinctly Guerlain experience.

Scribner's Magazine, 1930:

"Guerlilas (lilac) and Guerlarose (rose), make most timely gifts. For what more in keeping with the present style than the discreet elegance of perfumes distilled from the flower itself? The purity of the scent remains absolutely unchanged."

Advertising & Selling, 1931:

"Guerlain has adapted a graceful silver fountain motif to both the flat bottle and the carton of L'Heure Bleue. In the category of cylinders, Guerlilas is encased in a magnificent pillar of black and silver in alternate horizontal bands which might be the work of Brancusi himself." 

 

Combat, 1955:

"Lilac - its green scent reeks of love and the suburbs. Guerlain has fixed its springtime message in 'Guerlilas' but, more often, it is asked to mask its ingenuity with perfidious extracts."

 

Bottles:

Presented in four different size ‘Guerlilas’ bottles (parfum) as well as the quadrilobe flacon (parfum) and was also offered in the Goutte flacon (eau de toilette).

Fate of the Fragrance:

Guerlilas was launched by Guerlain in 1930, joining the house’s celebrated line of floral fragrances. While the exact date of its discontinuation remains uncertain, records indicate that it was still being sold as late as 1961, suggesting a sustained appeal among fragrance enthusiasts. Interestingly, a 1934 advertisement in the Pittsburgh Press reported that both Guerlilas and Guerlarose had been discontinued, which may indicate regional or market-specific availability rather than a complete withdrawal from production.

This ambiguity reflects the way Guerlain managed its portfolio of scents in the early 20th century. Fragrances could be phased out gradually, limited to certain markets, or continue quietly in select boutiques even after formal “discontinuation.” Guerlilas’ longevity, however, attests to the enduring elegance of its lilac-centered floral composition and the timeless appeal of the Guerlinade accord, making it a noteworthy example of Guerlain’s craftsmanship during the transitional years of the 1930s.