Henri Bendel Perfumes

Henri Bendel Inc. of New York City. Henri Bendel, originally  in the 19th century, opened his first store in 1895 in Manhattan. Like other fine department stores of the era, he introduced house perfumes starting in 1915, the spicy floral fragrance, Un Peau d’Elle  making its debut.

Henri Bendel went out of business in 2019.

Born in Louisiana in 1858, he worked as a milliner in  New Orleans. He then went to New York and  opened a luxury fashion house under his name at 10 West 57th Street, New York, USA in 1895. He was the first American Fashion House to launch fragrances, this field was previously dominated by the French. The posh Henri Bendel store was well known for its upscale clothing and accessories, but the firm also sold cosmetics and toiletries, packaged in the signature Bendel brown and white stripes. 

In 1927, Bendel launched a range of perfumes with French sounding names, most likely to compete with the ever present French products lining the shelves on other shops. These includes: No. 7; Folle Journee; Gout du Jour; Chute D'Un Ange; the sweet floral, Ma Violette; the elegant floral, Ma Rose; Chypre Antique; and the white floral Mon Jasmin.

Within a few years, more Frenchy sounding perfumes were introduced: Cinque Triple Cinque in 1928; Jasmin de Japan in 1929; Dites-Moi Oui in 1932; the exotic oriental, Zita in 1932; the aldehydic, Etoile Filante 1935; the classic chypre, Si Rare 1937; the leathery chypre, Suede in 1938, which was also popular with the gents; an oriental, Sans-Gene in 1939; Bendelilas with its incredibly lifelike lilacs in 1940; and  the floral scent, Checkmate in 1940.

Following the success of their Bendelilas perfume, Bendel offered a range of floral fragrances which were on par with other higher end brands of the period, starting with White Freezia in 1940; then a spicy floral named after their address, 10 West; Mes Gardenias in 1944; the singularly named Gardenia in 1946; and Jasmin in 1946.

Including parfum, Bendel also offered a toilet water they called, Eau de Sachet in 1941. The most popular Bendel fragrances were 10 West, Sans-Gene, and Bendelilas. 

Bendel ceased to make fragrances for a few decades but came back to the forefront with the herbal citrus, Mandarin Verbena, followed by a complete line of fragrances and accompanying bath and body products: body lotion, body wash, shower gel, body polish, body cream and scented soap. These included: Jasmine & Tuberose, a heady white floral with notes of rose, tuberose and sweet jasmine; Orange Flower; the powdery floral, Rare Mimosa; Rose Petals; Vanilla Flower; and Wild Fig. These were packaged in the signature Bendel brown and white stripes and polka dots. However, the line was discontinued at some point after 2012 or so. Of these scents, the ambery vanilla, Wild Fig seems to have been the most popular and remains a highly coveted fragrance today.

In 2009, the company announced it would stop selling clothing and instead focus on accessories and beauty products.  

The year 2010, brought out a new line of fragrances, inspired by niche scents: Henri Bendel Woman; the elegant floral, Rose & Oud, featuring strawberry leaf, violet, rose, pink jasmine and oud; Gardenia & Vanilla; Magnolia & Iris has notes of violet, rose, magnolia, iris, and vanilla; Persian Lime & Pepper with aromatic citrus notes of red grapefruit, black pepper and sweet basil.; Orange Blossom & Jasmine, featured fruity floral notes of clementines, tangerine and Sumatran lily.; Incense & Musk, which features notes of patchouli, lotus, incense and musk; and Pink Grapefruit & Vetiver with sharp, herbal and citrus notes of cypress, musk, pink grapefruit, lemon and orange.

A floral woody musk fragrance, Suite 712, was launched in 2015 and named after its landmark address. The latest scent to join the Henri Bendel lineup was Freesia, brought out in 2017.

 

The perfumes of Henri Bendel:

• 1915 Un Peau d’Elle (a spicy floral perfume)
• 1927 No. 7
• 1927 Folle Journee
• 1927 Gout du Jour
• 1927 Chute D'Un Ange
• 1927 Ma Violette (a violet perfume)
• 1927 Ma Rose (a rose perfume)
• 1927 Chypre Antique (a chypre perfume)
• 1927 Mon Jasmin (a jasmine perfume)
• 1928 Cinque Triple Cinque
• 1929 Jasmin de Japan (a jasmine perfume)
• 1932 Dites-Moi Oui
• 1932 Zita
• 1935 Etoile Filante (an aldehydic perfume)
• 1937 Si Rare (a chypre perfume)
• 1938 Suede (a leather chypre perfume)
• 1939 Sans-Gene (an oriental perfume)
• 1940 Bendelilas (a lilac perfume)
• 1940 Checkmate (a floral perfume)
• 1940 White Freezia (a freesia perfume)
• 1941 Eau de Sachet (toilet water)
• 1943 10 West ( a spicy floral perfume)
• 1944 Mes Gardenias (a gardenia perfume)
• 1946 Gardenia (a gardenia perfume)
• 1946 Jasmin (a jasmine perfume)
• 2000 Mandarin Verbena
• 2004 Orange Flower
• 2004 Jasmine & Tuberose
• 2004 Rare Mimosa
• 2004 Rose Petals
• 2004 Vanilla Flower
• 2004 Wild Fig
• Henri Bendel Woman
• 2010 Rose & Oud
• 2010 Gardenia & Vanilla
• 2010 Persian Lime & Pepper
• 2010 Orange Blossom & Jasmine
• 2010 Incense & Musk
• 2010 Pink Grapefruit & Vetiver
• 2010 Magnolia & Iris
• 2017 Freesia
• Suite 712

The New Yorker, 1938:

"Bendel: Suede is their all-things-to-all-women offering. Also, lovely gardenia face powders, sachets, and scents in general — all exclusive. "

The New Yorker, 1939:

"Bendel: Sans Gene, the newest perfume here, is mysterious and feminine. Jasmin or Gardenia pervades every perfume and bath specialty, among them, the famous Bendel floating soap. Little baskets filled with miniatures of bath luxuries; $2.50. Sets including toilet water, friction oil, body sachet, and a bath mitt; $18.50."