Saturday, August 28, 2021

Le Sien by Jean Patou c1928

Sporty types of perfume and colognes are very popular today, especially among the younger set and it seems as if they have always been around, however that is not the case. Sporty or clean fragrances are named for their freshness, a quality that roughly akin to the smell of a warm shower or a good soap. These fragrances are found most often in eau de colognes. Given their refreshing nature, women and men who are active or athletic may find sporty fragrances appealing. Some classic sporty fragrances are Estee Lauder Alliage, Lily Chic by Escada, Cashmere Mist by Donna Karan, Ralph Lauren Polo for Women and Tommy Girl.



However it was in the 1920's that the first unisex sport fragrance, called Le Sien came on the scene. Le Sien (His or Hers) created by Jean Patou, in conjunction with Henri Alméras, was launched in 1928 in France, it may have been introduced into the United States in 1929. Le Sien was subtitled “'femme sportive perfum masculine”.

Fragrance Composition:


This was the first of the fresh, clean, sporty type of perfumes and was promoted as a unisex fragrance for men and women. In 1929, Jean Patou advertised the chypre and leather fragrance, as “a masculine perfume for the outdoors woman” who “plays golf, smokes and drives a car at 120 kilometers an hour.” All of these activities were generally practiced by men prior to the 1920s. Previously, eau de cologne was THE preferred unisex fragrance.

So what does it smell like? It is classified as a citrus chypre fragrance for men and women.
  • Top notes: bergamot
  • Middle notes: lavender, fern
  • Base notes: leather, oakmoss, Bourbon vetiver, Mysore sandalwood, tonka, amber, musk, labdanum


Bottle:


The perfume flacon was designed by Louis Sue and Andre Mare.








Fate of the Fragrance:


Discontinued in 1937.

During the 1980s, Jean Patou re-released many of their original fragrances, unfortunately Le Sien didn't make the cut, hopefully the company will re-introduce the world to Le Sien.


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