1925 (1925)

1925 by Les Parfums de Rosine was launched to coincide with a pivotal moment in design history: the opening day of the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris. This world’s fair was more than a showcase—it marked the formal birth of the Art Deco movement. By choosing to name the fragrance 1925, Paul Poiret was anchoring his perfume not just in a year, but in a cultural event, a style, and an idea of modern luxury. Pronounced simply as dix-neuf cent vingt-cinq (dees-nuhf sahn van-sank) in French, the name felt both timely and symbolic—like a timestamp sealed in crystal.

For women in the 1920s, wearing a perfume called 1925 would have been like wearing the future. This was the era of liberation: hemlines rose, corsets disappeared, and bobbed hair and jazz rhythms redefined femininity. 1925 evoked a modern woman stepping out in a beaded gown, cigarette in hand, eyes rimmed in kohl, embracing a new kind of sensuality. The name itself carried a bold simplicity. It wasn’t flowery or fanciful—it was a number, a date, a declaration. It suggested sleek geometry, mirrored interiors, and an unapologetic embrace of modernity.

Though we don’t have its precise scent notes, 1925 was likely created to reflect the prevailing styles of the moment: rich floral bouquets anchored by dark, opulent bases. The chypre family—marked by bergamot, labdanum, oakmoss, and patchouli—was still en vogue, alongside emerging aldehydic florals and exotic orientals. If 1925 followed this trend, it might have opened with aldehydes or citrus sparkle, bloomed into a heart of jasmine or rose, and settled into something musky, balsamic, and warm—a reflection of Poiret’s theatrical taste and his fondness for luxurious Eastern motifs.

Chypre des Iles (1925)

Chypre des Îles, launched by Les Parfums de Rosine in 1925, was a poetic and imaginative addition to Paul Poiret’s radiant Série du Soleil fragrance collection. The name—French for “Chypre of the Islands” (pronounced “sheep-ruh day zeal”)—is rich in layered meaning. "Chypre" refers both to the Greek island of Cyprus, long associated with the origins of perfumery, and to a specific fragrance family characterized by a bold contrast between fresh citrus top notes and a warm, mossy, and resinous base. The addition of “des Îles” (of the islands) lends an exotic, sun-drenched fantasy, conjuring images of faraway isles, perfumed breezes, and golden shores—an idealized, escapist vision so fitting for the mood of the 1920s.

Why Poiret chose this name likely lies in his flair for the theatrical and his enduring fascination with the exotic. The 1920s, known in France as les années folles (the “crazy years”), were a period of exuberance, recovery, and creativity following the trauma of the First World War. Women were embracing new freedoms, modern fashions, and bolder cosmetics, and perfumery was evolving to reflect this spirit of innovation and glamour. Poiret, always a champion of modernity and fantasy, saw fragrance not merely as a product but as a story—and Chypre des Îles was one of sun-soaked indulgence, sensual mystery, and Mediterranean reverie.

The term “chypre” in perfumery denotes a specific olfactive structure with roots in antiquity, but it was François Coty’s 1917 Chypre that codified the modern genre. The formula typically includes bergamot in the top notes, floral or fruity elements in the heart, and a deep, rich base of oakmoss, labdanum, and patchouli. Variations might tilt toward leather, green, floral, or fruity interpretations. By the time Chypre des Îles appeared, the chypre style had become a fixture of perfumery, with nearly every house offering their own interpretation. What made Rosine’s version distinct was its fanciful, tropical twist—an “island” interpretation that softened the structure with languid florals or exotic fruits, while maintaining the core chypre contrast of brightness and depth.