The perfume itself is a tender floral oriental, showcasing mimosa’s distinctive softness alongside a supporting blend of resins and subtle balsamic notes. In 1848, France was on the cusp of political and social change, yet the world of haute perfumery remained a haven of refinement and artistry. During this period, known as the late Romantic era, fashions emphasized elegance, ornamentation, and a cultivated taste for luxury. Women of the time would have embraced a perfume called Mimosa Fragrans as a statement of refinement and personal distinction, a scent that conveyed both sophistication and the gentle power of nature’s blossoms.
Mimosa Fragrans stands out in the context of 19th-century fragrances for its dedication to a single floral note, blended with subtle oriental elements to enhance its depth without overwhelming its delicate character. Unlike the heavier amber, musk, and spice-laden perfumes that were also popular at the time, this creation presented mimosa as the focal point, allowing its airy, powdery charm to shine. The fragrance’s name and its scent work in tandem: the Latinized elegance of “Fragrans” mirrors the soft, enduring aroma of mimosa, translating visual and emotional sophistication into an olfactory experience that would have been both recognizable and aspirational to the women of Guerlain’s era.
Jardin d’Hiver Collection:
Guerlain’s Jardin d’Hiver Collection, launched in 1848, represents a remarkable celebration of botanical singularity and refined artistry. Each fragrance within the collection is devoted to a single floral or plant note, captured with painstaking care to highlight its unique character and essence. The collection’s Latin-styled names—Tilia microphylla, Lathyrus odorans, Mimosa fragrans, Cyperus ruber, and the most recent addition (1853), Mimosa Esterhazya—lend an air of classical sophistication, evoking the scholarly prestige and aristocratic refinement associated with the study of plants and natural sciences. These names, both precise and exotic, signal the high level of craft and attention devoted to each fragrance, appealing to a clientele who valued knowledge, taste, and exclusivity.
At the 1851 Universal Exposition, these perfumes competed not merely as products of luxury, but as demonstrations of technical mastery and artistic innovation. Each extrait is a distillation of a single botanical note, conveying the essence of the plant in a way that is at once vivid, nuanced, and enduring. Tilia microphylla, for instance, would have unfolded with the delicate, honeyed softness of its linden blossoms, while Mimosa fragrans exudes a sunlit, powdery warmth, evocative of early spring mornings. Cyperus ruber, with its earthy, subtly green facets, contrasts with the intensely floral sweetness of Lathyrus odorans, creating a spectrum of olfactory experiences within a unified concept.
The collection was designed for the highest echelons of society, intended for women who were not merely consumers of fragrance but arbiters of taste and refinement. These perfumes were not relegated to the dressing table as casual adornments; they were worn as statements of identity and prestige, perfuming the air with subtlety and elegance. In essence, the Jardin d’Hiver Collection embodies the aristocratic ethos of mid-19th century Paris—a union of botanical scholarship, artistic sophistication, and the cultivated elegance expected of the queens of fashion and fortune. Each fragrance is an intimate portrait of a singular flower, captured with the utmost care, and presented as a jewel of olfactory refinement.
Fragrance Composition:
So what does it smell like? It is classified as a floral oriental fragrance for women.
- Top notes: cassie, mimosa, hydroxycitronellal, geranium
- Middle notes: rose centifolia, jasmine, ylang ylang, cinnamic alcohol, orris
- Base notes: Peru balsam, terpineol, methyl acetophenone, tolu balsam, mastic, ambrette, musk, benzoin
Scent Profile:
Mimosa Fragrans opens with a luminous, airy top that immediately evokes a sun-dappled garden in full bloom. The first note that caresses the senses is cassie, or mimosa absolute, whose origin in the warm climates of South America imparts a soft, powdery sweetness, interlaced with the delicate green facets of fresh foliage. This is accompanied by mimosa, reinforcing the floral heart with its subtly honeyed nuances. Hydroxycitronellal, a synthetic ingredient, adds a sparkling freshness reminiscent of dew on early-morning blossoms, amplifying the natural sweetness while providing a luminous clarity that makes the top notes vibrant and airy. Geranium, sourced traditionally from regions like Egypt and Morocco, introduces a soft rosy-green facet, slightly minty and invigorating, providing contrast and depth to the initial effervescence.
As the perfume settles into its heart, the middle notes unfold with voluptuous richness. Rose centifolia, harvested from the famed fields of Grasse in southern France, offers a rounded, opulent aroma with a honeyed, slightly fruity undertone. Its scent is distinguished from other roses by its velvety depth and lingering warmth. Paired with jasmine, whose indolic richness from India or Egypt carries an almost creamy, sensual sweetness, the bouquet becomes more layered. Ylang ylang, native to the islands of the South Pacific, brings a lush, floral-aural tropicality, while cinnamic alcohol contributes a subtle spicy sweetness reminiscent of soft cinnamon, harmonizing the florals. Orris, derived from the Italian iris root, imparts an earthy, powdery, violet-like nuance, grounding the floral accord with its luxurious, buttery softness. Together, these heart notes evoke the opulent complexity of a stately 19th-century boudoir, a living tapestry of color, fragrance, and elegance.
The base notes provide warmth and resonance, deepening the composition into a true floral oriental. Peru balsam, native to Central America, exudes a rich, sweet resinous aroma with vanillic undertones, while tolu balsam, sourced from South America, contributes a smooth, balsamic warmth. Mastic, a resin from the Mediterranean, adds a slightly piney, clean resinous facet, enhancing the natural earthiness of the base. Ambrette seeds, harvested from India, lend a musky, slightly nutty character, blending seamlessly with traditional musk and benzoin, which deepen the perfume with soft powdery, ambered sweetness. Terpineol and methyl acetophenone, synthetic aromachemicals, enrich the base by emphasizing floral brightness and adding a gentle diffusive longevity that allows the resins and musks to resonate without overwhelming the senses.
Altogether, Mimosa Fragrans is a masterclass in 19th-century floral oriental artistry: the top notes sparkle with fresh, green, and powdery hues, the heart swells with voluptuous florals and soft spices, and the base anchors the fragrance in warm, resinous, musky comfort. Each ingredient—natural or synthetic—interweaves to create a harmonious, enduring bouquet, a perfume that would have epitomized refinement and elegance in its era while still delighting modern sensibilities with its luminous, timeless complexity.
Bottle:
Presented in the carre flacon.
Petit courrier des dames: Journal des modes, 1848:
"By creating the Château des Fleurs, inventing the Jardin d’Hiver, and making flowers fashionable in all the salons of Paris, the trend of perfumery simultaneously returned—after having been somewhat neglected due to the overuse of amber, musk, and vetiver. Yet the perfumes that reappear today bear no resemblance to those bourgeois emanations of old-fashioned coquetry. At Guerlain, 11 Rue de la Paix, however, belongs the right to this thoroughly modern renewal, offering compositions more delicate, more suave, more gentle on the nerves, and more voluptuous to the sense of smell than any other.Ladies of good society are recognized by these perfumes, just as the high lineage of noble families is recognized by their coats of arms; and when a lock of hair flutters near you, when a magnificent handkerchief falls beside you, or when a fresh, coquettish glove happens to brush near your lips, you can judge by the fragrance emanating from that hair, that handkerchief, or those gloves whether the woman to whom they belong has received at Guerlain the mark of good taste, fashion, and refinement.New odors composed by Guerlain:
- Extrait de Lolium agriphyllum
- Extrait de Phlomis asplenia,
- Extrait d'Azalea melaleuca
- Extrait de Cyparisse Elaidon
- Extrait d'Hyemalis anthelia
- Extrait de Cytise sylvaria
- Extrait d'Anthemia nobilis
- Extrait de Cyperus ruber
- Extrait de Tilia micropluilla
- Extrait d'Hymenaea nitida
- Extrait de Mimosa fragrans
- Extrait de Caryophilus album
- Extrait d'Amyris Polyolens
- Extrait de Polyanthe suaveolens
- Extrait de Lathyrus odorans
- Extrait d'Ocymum dulce
By bringing to light these entirely new perfumes, Guerlain points out that they can only be found at home, and recommends to be on guard against the imitations that one will try to make."
Fate of the Fragrance:
Discontinued, date unknown. Still being sold in 1872.
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