In 1914, Henri Rigaud became the sole proprietor of the French perfumery Veuve (widow) Rigaud, renaming the house simply “Rigaud.” To mark this pivotal moment, he launched the iconic fragrance “Un Air Embaumé” — a name that evokes a sense of poetic beauty and escapism.
The phrase “Un Air Embaumé” is French, pronounced roughly as "uhn air ahm-boh-MAY". Translated, it means “A Perfumed Breeze” or “A Scented Air.” The words stir imagery of a soft, fragrant wind carrying the delicate aromas of blooming flowers and sun-warmed earth — a gentle, enveloping sensation both comforting and alluring. The phrase conjures feelings of serenity and romance, as though one were transported to an idyllic garden, infused with the sweet, heady scent of blossoms on a warm, tranquil afternoon.
The year 1914 was a time of profound transition. Europe was on the cusp of World War I, and the era leading up to this moment was known as the Belle Époque — the “Beautiful Era.” This period, spanning from the 1870s to 1914, was characterized by a flourishing of the arts, culture, and luxury. Paris, the heart of fashion and perfumery, embodied a spirit of elegance, optimism, and indulgence. Women’s fashion embraced fluid, softer silhouettes inspired by Paul Poiret, freeing them from restrictive corsets. Delicate silks, oriental embroidery, and pastel palettes reigned, while elaborate hats and art nouveau jewelry completed the look. Society reveled in the romanticism of theater, opera, and café culture, all against the backdrop of Parisian grandeur.
In this setting, a perfume named “Un Air Embaumé” would have resonated deeply with women of the time. It wasn’t merely a fragrance — it was an invitation to dream, to escape the burdens of daily life and immerse oneself in a world of beauty and refinement. The imagery of a perfumed breeze was symbolic of freedom and lightness, qualities that women increasingly desired as they began to embrace modernity. The name suggested a whisper of nature, a romantic sigh of a distant paradise, perfectly complementing the ethereal, feminine styles of the day.
The scent itself, created by Marius Reboul, was classified as a floral woody oriental — an intriguing blend that defied simple categorization. It boasted a dry, woody ambergris-chypre base, lending it a rich, sophisticated depth. This composition was notable for its balance of delicate florals with warm, sensual woods — a nod to the growing Oriental fragrance trend inspired by the opulence of the Far East. At a time when many perfumes still leaned heavily on light florals or simple cologne structures, Un Air Embaumé stood out as a more complex, layered creation, embodying both the elegance of the Belle Époque and the exoticism that perfumers increasingly sought to capture.
Reboul, a skilled perfumer at Givaudan, worked with an innovative proprietary fragrance base known as "Sophora." This base was a carefully crafted blend of vetiver acetate, coumarin, and bergamot — each component contributing unique olfactory dimensions, making it a versatile and richly layered foundation for perfumery.
Vetiver acetate is a derivative of vetiver oil, modified through acetylation to soften the raw earthiness of natural vetiver. This process enhances the material’s smoother, sweeter, and creamier qualities while retaining the original’s woody, dry, and slightly smoky character. In the context of a chypre fragrance, this ingredient added a modern, fresh-yet-sophisticated dimension, lending both warmth and depth without the more rugged, rooty edges of traditional vetiver. It gave the chypre accord an airy, polished feel — a bridge between the woody and citrus elements.
Coumarin, derived from tonka beans, brought a soft, sweet, and aromatic facet to the blend. Its warm, slightly vanilla-like scent carried hints of hay and almond, contributing a creamy smoothness that mellowed the sharper edges of the composition. By the early 20th century, coumarin had become a staple in perfumery, often appearing in fougères and chypres for its ability to add a soft, inviting sweetness without being overpoweringly sugary. In "Sophora," coumarin likely added a comforting, velvety layer, enriching the fragrance’s heart and enhancing the interplay between the woody and citrus notes.
The third key component, bergamot, introduced a bright, sparkling top note. Known for its fruity, citrusy aroma with floral undertones and a subtle spiciness, bergamot is perhaps most famously recognized as the distinctive scent of Earl Grey tea. In "Sophora," bergamot’s lively, sunlit quality would have offered an uplifting opening, counterbalancing the sweetness of coumarin and the creamy woodiness of vetiver acetate. It also provided that crisp, green freshness essential to traditional chypre fragrances — a nod to the classic structure while allowing the base to feel more modern and approachable.
Together, these three ingredients created a harmonious balance — a chypre accord that felt rich, yet light; creamy, yet dry; sweet, yet fresh. Reboul’s work with "Sophora" showcases the era's evolving approach to perfumery, where technical advancements in ingredient processing allowed perfumers to reimagine traditional fragrance structures with smoother, more refined facets. This innovative base was a testament to both Givaudan’s expertise in material development and Reboul’s artistic vision, blending science with creativity to craft a scent profile that was at once timeless and ahead of its time.
Un Air Embaumé's enduring popularity — with loyal users still devoted to it 30 years later — speaks to its timelessness. While other scents faded with changing fashions, “Un Air Embaumé” maintained its appeal, perhaps because it wasn’t tied to a fleeting trend. Instead, it represented an ideal: a breath of fragrant air, timeless, romantic, and eternally evocative of the beautiful era from which it emerged.
Fragrance Composition:
So what does it smell like? Un Air Embaume by Rigaud is classified as a floral woody oriental fragrance for women with a dry woody amber chypre base. The perfume has a bitter green beginning with galbanum and sharp bergamot, which reveals a floral heart of heliotrope which is reminiscent of powdered almonds or cherries. A fiery entrance of tangy carnation and balsamic notes of benzoin and velvety facets of vanilla help round out the persistent sweet note. The rich, animalic fusion of warm ambergris and sensual musk is accented with dusty powdered orris root layered over an earthy, dry, wooded base of vetiver, patchouli, sandalwood and cedar.
- Top notes: Argentinian lemon verbena, Moroccan almond, Calabrian bergamot and Persian galbanum
- Middle notes: Grasse jasmine, Bulgarian rose, Florentine iris, Danish heliotrope and French carnation
- Base notes: "Sophora" base by Givaudan, Siamese benzoin, Madagascar vanilla, Indonesian patchouli, Mysore sandalwood, Tonkin musk, Venezuelan tonka bean, South Seas ambergris, Virginia cedar, Tuscan orris, Haitian vetiver
In a 1950 issue of L’Amour de l’Art, Un Air Embaumé by Rigaud is described with poetic reverence: “It is a spring villanelle with fair and clear notes which ends in a perfect accord.” The comparison to a villanelle, a form of lyrical poetry marked by its repetition and musicality, paints the perfume as a delicate, melodic composition — one that echoes softly yet persistently, much like the repeating lines of the poetic form. The fragrance, first created in 1914 (though mistakenly cited as 1912), is celebrated for retaining its charm even decades later, described as still “suitable for modern young girls” — a testament to its timeless elegance and enduring appeal.
The imagery of a spring villanelle conjures visions of fresh, sunlit meadows and delicate breezes, hinting at the perfume’s light, airy nature. The phrase “fair and clear notes” evokes transparency and purity, suggesting a fragrance that feels bright and uplifting, yet graceful and soft — not overpowering. This aligns perfectly with Un Air Embaumé’s bitter green top notes of galbanum and bergamot, which feel like the first breath of spring air, cutting through winter’s heaviness.
The description’s focus on the perfume’s “perfect accord” hints at the masterful balance between the floral heart and the warm, sensual base. The heliotrope’s almond-cherry sweetness and carnation’s smoldering spice would have felt both feminine and modern to a mid-century audience, blending into the rich, woody warmth of ambergris, sandalwood, and musk — a foundation that grounds the lightness, much like the final refrain of a villanelle brings closure to its looping verses.
Calling it suitable for modern young girls reflects not only the fragrance’s soft, fresh qualities, but also its perceived innocence and charm. In a time when post-war youth embraced new beginnings, optimism, and natural beauty, Un Air Embaumé — with its freshness, sweetness, and gentle sensuality — would have embodied that spirit perfectly. It wasn’t cloying or heavy, like the bold, heady fragrances of the 1920s or 1930s. Instead, it was effortlessly elegant, speaking to a youthful grace that transcended generations.
This 1950 reflection captures something essential about the perfume’s legacy: it wasn’t just a scent, but an emotional portrait — a memory of springtime innocence, a song that lingers softly, and a timeless embrace of femininity that never went out of style.
Scent Profile:
Un Air Embaumé by Rigaud unfurls like a delicate, perfumed sonata — each note a brushstroke on a canvas of olfactory luxury. It opens with a bitter-green vibrancy, where Argentinian lemon verbena bursts forth, sun-drenched and sparkling, its citrus brightness tempered by an herbaceous, almost hay-like quality, reminiscent of the sprawling Pampas fields. This fresh sharpness intertwines with the subtle sweetness of Moroccan almond, evoking the sun-warmed groves of Fez, where almonds are prized for their soft, creamy aroma — less marzipan, more a whisper of nutty warmth carried on a desert breeze.
Calabrian bergamot slices through, bright and piquant, its effervescent citrus softened by the warmth of the Mediterranean sun, lending the composition an Italianate sparkle — lively yet elegant. Soon after, Persian galbanum emerges, a green, resinous bite that smells like crushed stems and untamed wilderness. This galbanum, with its origins in the rugged mountains of Iran, brings a bitter, raw intensity — an arresting contrast that keeps the opening resolutely sophisticated.
As the fragrance settles, the heart reveals a lush, floral opulence. Grasse jasmine — the queen of flowers, cultivated in the sun-drenched fields of Provence — unfurls with a honeyed, indolic richness, lending depth and an almost animalic sensuality. Bulgarian rose, famed for its soft, velvety sweetness, follows — a tender, dewy bloom, like freshly plucked petals at dawn from the Valley of Roses. This rose’s damask quality carries a faint hint of fruity spiciness, deepened by the powdery, violet-like whispers of Florentine iris.
The iris — one of perfumery’s most treasured ingredients — is cultivated in Tuscany’s rolling hills, where the rhizomes are aged for years to release their coveted orris butter. It exudes a soft, suede-like elegance, its earthy, carroty nuances tempered by a faint sweetness, like the dusting of an antique powder puff. The heart’s warmth continues with Danish heliotrope, exuding a dreamy, almond-cherry sweetness, reminiscent of childhood confections and the faintest trace of vanilla. French carnation, fiery and clove-like, slices through the floral sweetness, adding a peppery vivacity — its spiced warmth evoking crimson petals in a sunlit Parisian market.
The base reveals Un Air Embaumé’s true, enduring character — a sumptuous, smoky, and animalic embrace. Siamese benzoin, harvested from the resinous trees of Thailand, brings a rich, balsamic warmth — like caramel and vanilla laced with an incense-like glow. Madagascar vanilla follows suit, but here, it’s less sugary dessert and more of a warm, buttery caress, with the exotic sweetness of vanilla pods ripened under the island’s humid, tropical skies.
Indonesian patchouli emerges, dark and earthy, carrying the scent of damp forest floors — rich and grounding, with a slightly sweet, camphorous edge that hums beneath the other notes. Mysore sandalwood, a treasure from India, lends its unparalleled creaminess — smooth, smoky, and laced with a buttery sweetness, far richer than other sandalwoods. It melds seamlessly into the smoky warmth of Tonkin musk, a rare, now-synthetic recreation of the once-coveted animalic musk from Tibet — sensual, warm, and faintly leathery, it enhances the fragrance’s skin-like intimacy.
Venezuelan tonka bean rounds out the sweetness, a gourmand whisper of vanilla, almond, and tobacco, balanced by South Seas ambergris — that rare, oceanic marvel known for its earthy, marine warmth and its ability to fix the perfume to the skin with a sensual, almost salty allure. Virginian cedar, from the Appalachian mountains, lends a pencil-shaving dryness, cool and slightly smoky, counterbalanced by the grassy, smoky, slightly nutty tones of Haitian vetiver, a hallmark of Haitian soil, which imparts an earthy sophistication. Tuscan orris dusts the final drydown with its powdery, violet-tinged elegance, leaving a soft, nostalgic echo of makeup compacts and sun-warmed skin.
Un Air Embaumé lingers as a warm, woody chypre hum — a scent that feels timeless yet alive, an ethereal breeze swirling through sun-drenched gardens and dimly lit boudoirs alike. It’s a fragrance that breathes — shimmering, smoldering, and endlessly beguiling.
Marketing:
Un Air Embaumé by Rigaud wasn’t merely a fragrance — it was an entire scented experience, carefully curated and presented to reflect luxury, exoticism, and social prestige. Distributed exclusively in the United States by George Borgfeldt & Co, a prominent New York importer, the fragrance was available in a complete line of indulgent products, including Extract (Parfum), Toilet Water (Eau de Toilette), Talcum Powder, Face Powder, Solid Face Powder, Rouge, Vanity Cases, and Sachets. This extensive range ensured that women could immerse themselves fully in the scent — from their pulse points to their powdered noses and even the linens in their boudoirs.
The advertisements for Un Air Embaumé were as evocative as the fragrance itself, designed to stir the imagination and awaken desire. The photographer Mady’s crafted a particularly striking image of Mademoiselle Fabrice, depicted kneeling reverently before a bottle of the perfume — a visual metaphor for the rapturous sensation the fragrance was meant to evoke. This imagery, both sensual and submissive, mirrored the cultural fascination of the time with Eastern mystique and voluptuous indulgence. Other advertisements leaned into this exotic fantasy, featuring alluring Egyptian beauties or sultry harem girls — tapping into the 1920s craze for Orientalism, inspired by archaeological discoveries like the tomb of Tutankhamun and the Hollywood epics that followed.
A 1926 advertisement speaks directly to the social elite, positioning Un Air Embaumé as a symbol of refinement and continental sophistication:
"To the woman of genuine social distinction, only a very few of perfumes are acceptable. Among them is Rigaud’s Un Air Embaumé, a truly continental fragrance of most intriguing personality… Parfum Un Air Embaumé and the various other aids to loveliness bearing this same scent are all created in Paris. Doubtless you know them. Of course, you know from the newspapers that this was the perfume selected to scent the Vanderbilt house at the time of the recent Consuelo Vanderbilt-Earl E.T. Smith wedding."
This reference to Consuelo Vanderbilt, a well-known figure in high society, subtly reinforced the fragrance’s prestige and exclusivity — suggesting that wearing Un Air Embaumé was an aspirational act, a way for any woman to capture a touch of aristocratic elegance.
Beyond the glamour and marketing, Un Air Embaumé stirred something deeper — inspiring even poets to put its intoxicating aura into words. Elie Brachet penned a tender tribute:
"(...Dans Un Air Embaumé qui grise, Les jours coulent si tendrement
Qu’on croit entendre dans la brise
L’amour chanter pieusement.)"
"(...With the heady redolence of Un Air Embaumé
Days pass with such tenderness,
That in the soft breeze one imagines one hears,
The voice of Amor devoutly singing.)"
Brachet’s verse captures the very soul of the perfume — a dreamlike intoxication, where time slows, and the world feels wrapped in a warm, fragrant haze. It wasn’t just a perfume; it was a sensory journey, blending romanticism, sensuality, and sophistication into a single, unforgettable breath.
Bottles:
The flacon for Un Air Embaumé is a masterpiece of early 20th-century glasswork, embodying the sensuality and luxury that defined Rigaud’s famed fragrance. Crafted from clear and frosted glass, the bottle’s sides are molded with a striking tableau of sensuous nudes, emerging like ethereal spirits from ornate perfume burners — an artistic evocation of the fragrance itself, rising in delicate, perfumed smoke. The bottle is further enhanced with sienna-colored patina, which accentuates the relief, lending an antique warmth and tactile depth to the design. This patina gives the flacon a smoky, sun-warmed appearance, evoking the hazy, amber glow of a decadent, perfumed boudoir.
The Blangy glassworks was founded in 1892 by Henri Scobart, with Camille Darras later taking full control of the factory in 1902, after Scobart expanded operations to Le Tréport. Under Darras’ leadership, the factory began transitioning from manual glass production to mechanized processes, balancing artistry with efficiency. By 1925, Darras specialized in perfume bottles, making it a natural partner for Rigaud's growing fragrance empire. The factory continued operations until 1968, marking nearly a century of glassmaking innovation.
Interestingly, La Parfumerie Moderne, a leading industry publication of the time, credited the bottle to Verrerie Lefebure et Cie, suggesting that Rigaud may have commissioned multiple glassmakers to meet demand. This speaks to the high popularity of the fragrance — requiring production on a scale beyond a single glassworks.
In addition to the lavish presentation bottles, Un Air Embaumé was also sold in a large, 8-ounce apothecary-style bottle during the 1910s and 1920s. This bulk size stood 6.5" tall and was intended for druggists and perfumeries to decant the fragrance into customers' personal bottles — a common practice at the time for high-end perfumes. The apothecary bottle embodied a more utilitarian aesthetic, standing in contrast to the ornate artistry of the molded flacon, yet still represented Rigaud’s commitment to accessibility without sacrificing quality.
The story of Un Air Embaumé’s bottle — mistakenly credited to Lalique, yet crafted with equal finesse by lesser-known but exceptionally skilled glassmakers — highlights the complex, interconnected world of early perfume manufacturing. It reminds us that behind every elegant bottle lies a network of artisans, craftsmen, and industrial pioneers, whose work ensured that the romance of perfume was matched by breathtaking visual presentation.
Fate of the Fragrance:
Un Air Embaumé, launched in 1914 by Rigaud, quickly became a sought-after fragrance — a delicate balance of floral, woody, and oriental notes, embodying the elegance of early 20th-century French perfumery. However, the perfume’s journey across the Atlantic to the United States was abruptly halted by the onset of World War II. The conflict, which engulfed Europe from 1939 to 1945, disrupted international trade routes, with French exports — particularly luxuries like perfume — becoming scarce or completely unavailable.
Several factors contributed to this halt. Germany's occupation of France beginning in 1940 imposed strict control over French industries, including perfumery, which was forced to ration materials like alcohol, glass, and essential oils. Additionally, blockades and naval warfare across the Atlantic Ocean made shipping dangerous and unpredictable, while U.S. import restrictions on non-essential goods during the war further prevented fragrance shipments. Even the perfume houses themselves faced destruction or takeover, leaving many brands in a state of dormancy until peace was restored.
When exports resumed in 1947, Un Air Embaumé re-emerged into a changing post-war world — a symbol of revived French glamour and sophistication. The perfume’s return coincided with a renewed appetite for luxury goods, as the U.S. economy flourished and European fashion and fragrance regained their status as emblems of refinement.
In 1956, Rigaud embraced the era’s modern sensibilities by introducing a spray mechanism to Un Air Embaumé’s bottles — a significant departure from the traditional dab-on application. This innovation reflected mid-century convenience and style, allowing wearers to mist the perfume in a fine, even veil, enhancing the fragrance experience with effortless elegance. The design update kept the fragrance relevant in a market increasingly drawn to ease of use and sleek, modern packaging — without losing its timeless charm.
Despite these adaptations, Un Air Embaumé was discontinued around 1971, marking the end of an era for this once-iconic scent. The fragrance’s legacy, however, lives on — particularly through its extraordinary bottles, crafted by Darras Glassworks in Blangy-sur-Bresle. Inspired by René Lalique’s famed artistic designs, these sensual, sienna-patinated flacons, adorned with nudes rising in smoke, remain coveted treasures among perfume bottle collectors today. Their mysterious allure, combined with the romantic history of Un Air Embaumé, ensures the perfume’s spirit endures — a whisper of Parisian luxury from a bygone age.
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