Unlike other classical fragrances I was able to sniff over the years from my mother’s collection or in perfumeries, I had never had the pleasure to try Balmain Jolie Madame. However, after reading this is a leather chypre staple in several articles and reviews, I had to find a good bottle.
I was thrilled when I discovered after a few years of searching that Profumeria Cellurale, one of the oldest fragrance stores in Rieti, my hometown in Italy, carried several bottles of this beauty. I blindly reserved a 226 ml eau de toilette splash bottle with the bow and rounded shoulders (see picture below), which should be the version antecedent to the more modern version in the rectangular bottle.
Fun fact: this also happens to be the largest bottle in my collection, but in addition to looking great I also loved it at first sniff!
What’s intriguing about this fragrance is that it smells like leathery violets. Violet isn’t listed as a note in the olfactory pyramid but the orris probably imparts its typical cool and romantic scent.
The opening of this particular formulation is slightly sharp and scratchy with forest green shades, setting the stage for a floral heart where delicate, dusty violets unfold and embrace bold, supple leather. Animalic notes of civet, musk, and castoreum along with earthy notes of oak moss, patchouli, and vetiver donate a touch of opulence, while keeping the composition from becoming overpowering. The verdant notes and a soapy hint enliven the fragrance, which is pleasantly crisp for its entire duration on my skin.
This pretty lady is as graceful and sophisticated as she is tough and fearless, a perfect juxtaposition of dainty and dissident.
Created for the house of Balmain by perfumer Germain Cellier, who also designed the audacious Fracas Bandit, Jolie Madame is a fragrance that has defied gender rules ever since it was launched in 1953, through the use of contrasting raw materials and unconventional blends, considered to be highly innovative at the time. The result was a complex and timeless perfume that is still loved by many today.
I’ve read that Jolie Madame has been reformulated several times since its first launch, so I’d be very interested in trying the original parfum version, which has been described as darker and warmer with the animalic notes being more prominent.
Notes are listed as they appear in Barbara Herman’s book, Scent and Subversion:
Top: Gardenia, artemisia, bergamot, coriander, neroli
Heart: Jasmine, tuberose, rose, orris, jonquil
Base: Patchouli, oakmoss, vetiver, musk, castoreum, leather, civet
I reviewed Balmain Jolie Madame from my own bottle.
The picture is my own.
