The fragrance was created by Jacques Guerlain during a period of social and cultural transition in Europe, just at the onset of World War I. Fashion at the time emphasized soft femininity, with flowing dresses, delicate laces, and pastel colors, echoing the gentle, green freshness of the season. Women of the era would likely have related to Mi-Mai as an olfactive reflection of their own aspirations for grace, beauty, and serenity amidst an increasingly uncertain world.
Classified as a green, feminine fragrance, Mi-Mai captures the essence of young leaves, dewy grass, and early floral notes, resonating with the early 20th-century trend for naturalistic scents that celebrated the outdoors. While other perfumeries of the period also explored green and floral compositions, Jacques Guerlain’s approach combined refined elegance with subtle complexity, creating a scent that was both familiar and distinct. The fragrance stands as a testament to Guerlain’s ability to translate seasonal and emotional nuances into olfactory art, offering a sophisticated and lively tribute to the month of May.
Fragrance Composition:
So what does it smell like? Mi-Mai is classified as a green floral fragrance for women.
- Top notes: jasmine, lily of the valley, rose, violet
- Middle notes: rose, lilac, jasmine, lily of the valley, ylang ylang and musk
- Base notes: suede and vanilla
Scent Profile:
Mi-Mai unfolds as a luminous green floral fragrance that gently celebrates the freshness and vitality of early spring. From the very first spritz, the top notes open with the delicate radiance of jasmine, its warm, honeyed facets instantly lifting the senses with a soft, floral sweetness. This is complemented by the subtly green, dewy aroma of lily of the valley, evoking a meadow in mid-May with its crisp, watery green nuances. Rose introduces its classic elegance, providing a romantic, velvety heart, while violet adds a soft powdery touch, imparting an airy, slightly sweet greenness that is both youthful and refined. Together, these top notes create a verdant bouquet that is at once sparkling, soft, and invigorating.
As the fragrance evolves, the heart reveals a more layered floral composition. Rose deepens with a richer, more textured presence, drawing on both its Damask and Bulgarian qualities for a full-bodied, honeyed floral warmth. Lilac offers its airy, slightly green aroma, reminiscent of spring gardens just awakening, while jasmine resurfaces, enhancing the creamy, narcotic floralcy with its indolic depth. Lily of the valley continues to add a crisp brightness, lifting the heart with subtle watery freshness. Ylang-ylang introduces an exotic, slightly creamy, and narcotic dimension, infusing the bouquet with a warm, sultry sweetness that contrasts and complements the lighter florals. A gentle musk undercurrent weaves through the heart, imparting a soft, skin-like warmth and adding longevity to the delicate florals.
In the base, the fragrance settles into a tender, comforting embrace. Suede provides a smooth, slightly powdery, leathery richness that grounds the lighter florals, evoking elegance and understated sophistication. Vanilla adds a soft, sweet warmth that lingers on the skin, rounding out the composition with a comforting, creamy finish. Together, the base notes anchor the ethereal top and heart notes, leaving a lingering trail of subtle warmth, refined sweetness, and green floral elegance.
Overall, Mi-Mai is a harmonious orchestration of fresh green florals and gentle musky-vanilla undertones, capturing the very spirit of a mild mid-May day in a sophisticated and timeless scent. It reflects Guerlain’s mastery in balancing light, airy florals with a delicate depth, creating a fragrance that is both immediately appealing and quietly enduring.
As the fragrance evolves, the heart reveals a more layered floral composition. Rose deepens with a richer, more textured presence, drawing on both its Damask and Bulgarian qualities for a full-bodied, honeyed floral warmth. Lilac offers its airy, slightly green aroma, reminiscent of spring gardens just awakening, while jasmine resurfaces, enhancing the creamy, narcotic floralcy with its indolic depth. Lily of the valley continues to add a crisp brightness, lifting the heart with subtle watery freshness. Ylang-ylang introduces an exotic, slightly creamy, and narcotic dimension, infusing the bouquet with a warm, sultry sweetness that contrasts and complements the lighter florals. A gentle musk undercurrent weaves through the heart, imparting a soft, skin-like warmth and adding longevity to the delicate florals.
In the base, the fragrance settles into a tender, comforting embrace. Suede provides a smooth, slightly powdery, leathery richness that grounds the lighter florals, evoking elegance and understated sophistication. Vanilla adds a soft, sweet warmth that lingers on the skin, rounding out the composition with a comforting, creamy finish. Together, the base notes anchor the ethereal top and heart notes, leaving a lingering trail of subtle warmth, refined sweetness, and green floral elegance.
Overall, Mi-Mai is a harmonious orchestration of fresh green florals and gentle musky-vanilla undertones, capturing the very spirit of a mild mid-May day in a sophisticated and timeless scent. It reflects Guerlain’s mastery in balancing light, airy florals with a delicate depth, creating a fragrance that is both immediately appealing and quietly enduring.
Bottles:
Presented in a ‘Bouchon Fleurs’ bottle (parfum) with a frosted stopper molded with flowers.
Parfum came in three sizes, prices quoted below were for c1941:
Discontinued by 1951.
Parfum came in three sizes, prices quoted below were for c1941:
- 2 oz, $14.00
- 4 oz, $20.00
- 8 oz, $40.00
early bottle for Mi-Mai, photo from ebay stopper is broken off.
Fate of the Fragrance:
Discontinued by 1951.
