E. Coudray Camélia Iris - A Vintage Comes Back to Life

by: Miguel Matos

This year, the house of E. Coudray is presenting some changes and novelties. While still very loyal to its roots and traditions, E. Coudray has been working on a new image soon to be unveiled, so the house is looking at the future. But at the same time, it pays homage to its own past with a re-edition of an old vintage scent calledCamélia Bleue. Renamed later as Camélia Iris and now back in the market, the perfume was presented last week at Pitti Fragranze.

Camélia Bleue was a formula from 1945 that knew a lot of success, but somehow fell into oblivion and was discontinued around 15 years ago. While looking at the Coudray heritage as part of the new life of Coudray, a vat was discovered containing the remains of a vintage with the name of Camélia Iris. Surprisingly, the smell of this perfume was just as fresh as the day it was produced at the turn of the century. So why not use the last liters and come out with a re-edition? Except that this is not really a true re-edition, it is the actual vintage juice rebottled and renamed. And really well macerated. An exquisite treat for vintage lovers.

Camélia Iris comes in the same bottle as the previous Coudray editions you can find on the market, designed by Thierry Lecoule. This time, the bottle comes with a golden hanger that ends with a pompon, symbol of femininity and a distinguishing element from the other fragrances, since this is a “heritage” edition. The box is also different from the usual, more luxurious, in pink and gold. This is a very limited edition – only 1000 bottles were produced.

Photos of E.Coudray booth at Pitti Fragranze 2015 by Sandra Raicevic Petrovic

During the Pitti Fragranze Expo, the presence of this new perfume in the Coudray booth was very discreet. But I had the chance to smell it and was one of the very first people to bring a sample with me; a very exclusive privilege. I am wearing it right now and I can tell you it really fits the collection of very feminine fragrances of this brand. It starts with an aldehyde feeling, even though aldehydes are not in the official composition. The first seconds are a blast of frozen notes, like flowers in the freezer. Yes, I am almost sure there is a strong aldehyde complex here.

The vintage feeling is clear, but there is also a romantic feeling. This scent announces its femininity in an explosion of love promises in a spring garden. A youthful woman in a light pink dress running through the roses. Uhm... that could be a little too romantic for my taste (which was my first thought), but it soon develops and the aldehydes (or what seems like it) subside, giving way to a powdery floral, with the rosiness of camellias casting light into the strong iris tones.

The classic combination of powdery sensations with violet and iris doesn't mean that the perfume smells like vintage lipstick or makeup. No, this is a fresh and soft springtime fragrance. The top note of lily of the valley comes through the heart and keeps it light and green, with hints of jasmine. Yes, this perfume tells off innocent flowers of youth. Nothing of a sex bomb or a femme fatale. This is just simple and carefree. A comfortable, creamy scent for light hearts.

When finally all the pink frills give way to the base notes, the presence of carnation gives it a twist. I love the smell of carnation and it is a typical vintage perfume flower. It injects an interesting plot change in the scent, and gives it a pinch of spice. This is when it gets a bit unisex, but you have to get through the all-woman development. The ylang-ylang used here is a fresh kind, not the heavy type with banana hues. It clearly is not a contemporary fragrance, but I can't say it's a dated one either. It's stuck in between and it can be interesting to see how it behaves in both hot and cold weather. I have to confess that the base notes are my favorite part of this perfume, but if you like fresh florals (with an old-fashioned vibe) that are miles away from today's mainstream launches, please try this.

E.Coudray Camélia Iris

Top notes: Green Notes, Lily of the Valley
Heart notes: Rose, Lavender, Iris, Violet
Base notes: Carnation, Ylang Ylang

Camélia Iris comes out at the end of September in a 100ml bottle for the price of 100 EUR.