Parfums Paul Caret

Paul Caret, a designer active in the 1920s, was among the wave of couturiers who recognized the appeal of launching perfumes as extensions of their fashion houses. Much like his contemporaries, Caret sought to offer clients a complete experience of elegance, with fragrances that would complement and enhance his fashionable creations. Perfumes were increasingly seen as essential elements in a designer's portfolio, adding an aura of refinement that aligned with the chic attire of the era.

However, Caret’s venture into perfumery appears to have been brief, making his line one of the rarest among early fashion designers. Unlike the enduring perfume lines of some of his peers, Caret’s creations were only produced in limited quantities, likely due to the challenges of entering a competitive market dominated by established perfume houses. Today, these perfumes are elusive treasures for collectors and historians, with only a few surviving bottles known to exist. Their scarcity adds an air of mystique to Caret’s legacy, reflecting both the fleeting nature of his perfumed endeavors and their rarity as coveted artifacts from the era of early designer perfumes.

The perfumes of Paul Caret:

• 1927 - Les Eaux Douces
• 1927 - Mediterranean Bleu

The American Perfumer and Essential Oil Review, 1929:

"Les Eaux Douces is the name given to two new products produced by Paul Caret. The one, a perfume which, by virtue of its birth and association, belongs to the romantic regions of the Cote d'Asie, has proved a great success in Paris. The other bearing the same label is a toilet lotion put up in a similar bottle to that of the perfume."

 In 1927, Paul Caret introduced Les Eaux Douces, which translates to The Sweet Waters. This dual offering comprised a perfume and a toilet lotion, each packaged in matching bottles that enhanced their luxurious presentation. Caret seems to have crafted these fragrances with a spirit of romance and adventure, drawing inspiration from the exotic and captivating regions along the Côte d'Asie, a term likely referencing the Asian coastlines bordering the Mediterranean.

The perfume, hailed as a sensation in Paris, would likely have embraced soft, sweet notes, perhaps reminiscent of coastal florals mixed with aquatic or ozonic elements, evoking the serene and gentle nature of calm waters. Its popularity suggests a fragrance that appealed to the romantic spirit of Parisian women, with subtle hints of distant, warmer shores blending with a distinctly French elegance. The accompanying toilet lotion offered a lighter, refreshing interpretation, ideal for daily use and an embodiment of effortless sophistication.

That same year, Caret introduced Mediterranean Bleu, or Mediterranean Blue. This scent captured the essence of the Mediterranean's vibrant and sunlit shores, a fragrance that would have embodied the freshness of the sea with hints of sun-warmed citrus and perhaps a touch of aromatic herbs native to coastal landscapes. With the name inspired by his travels to Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul), Caret likely infused Mediterranean Bleu with an exotic twist, mingling the natural freshness of Mediterranean air with hints of far-flung lands. Its creation underscored Caret's appreciation for places rich in culture and history, crafting a perfume that offered Parisians a scent that was both refreshing and faintly mysterious.

Both perfumes, Les Eaux Douces and Mediterranean Bleu, exemplify Caret's ability to capture and transport wearers to faraway, romantic destinations. Each fragrance served as an olfactory escape, evoking timeless elegance and the allure of travel during an era that celebrated the spirit of exploration and discovery.