Monday, May 25, 2009

Djedi today?


First there was Cuir de Russie (Chanel, 1924), then Shalimar (Guerlain, 1925) and finally Djedi, Jacques Guerlain’s creation of 1926, launched in 1928 to commemorate the house’s centenary. A beautiful dry damask rose couched in civet and vetiver. It has the warm, soapy resinous quality of Shalimar and the smoky leather of Cuir de Russie minus the Grasse jasmine and ylang ylang. For me, it is the epitome of Art Deco like a John Hughes set from Night and Day or Rhapsody in Blue, though the woman who wore it probably wouldn’t have been caught dead in such crass glitz.

Would Djedi sell today? Considering the surprisingly endless appeal of Shalimar, I don’t see why not. Simply market it as Shalimar d’Automne d’Hokaïdo and watch it fly off the shelves.

12 Comments:

Anonymous tim said...

i love the ad and its illustration

May 25, 2009 at 7:47 PM  
Blogger Parfum said...

While I agree that Djedi doesn't feel particularly dated, do I believe it would fly off the shelves in 2009? I think it could definitely sell enough if marketed as a niche perfume, but I'm not exactly sure the public at large would "get it". I'm gonna have to do a retest when I get home, ahh that precious vial :)

May 25, 2009 at 9:54 PM  
Blogger Parfum said...

forgot to say - love the name "Shalimar d’Automne d’Hokaïdo", totally put a smile on my face :)

May 25, 2009 at 9:56 PM  
Anonymous Fiordiligi said...

Oh, there you go, taunting me with my beloved Djedi! I still haven't forgiven myself for not buying a bottle of the reissue in the 90s but as I'd just bought the Baccarat turtle bottle of Le Parfum des Champs-Elysees I didn't think I could afford it....

What a foolish person I was.

May 26, 2009 at 9:54 AM  
Anonymous Musette said...

Christopher,

It's so weird - I was just looking at that vintage poster a few days ago and wondering whether Djedi would work now, beyond the rabid world of Perfumista. It seems so...I dunno....complex? Most new fragrances seem much of a muchness to me.

I have room on the back of my right hand - I think I am going to spritz and contemplate on the drive through the cornfields...

May 26, 2009 at 10:48 AM  
Blogger carmencanada /Grain de Musc said...

I've been bugging Sylvaine Delacourte about a re-re-edition, to no avail. Won't happen. Oak moss. And lots of other IFRA-censored nasties.
It's not so much about the smell. Put anything in a fancy Baccarat bottle, slap on the Guerlain label and it'll sell. I mean, they re-issued the "original" Champs-Elysée in the gazillion euro turtle bottle, and *that* was quite the skank-fest...

May 26, 2009 at 2:00 PM  
Anonymous Musette said...

I'm baaack!

And I amend my earlier comment. I think Djedi would sell well, to a slightly older-skewing crowd. I'd forgotten about that gorgeous rose (usually the vetiver demands all my attention).

Part of me fears a re-re-edition; what if they messed it up? It's such a gorgeous scent.

May 26, 2009 at 6:48 PM  
Blogger Vetivresse said...

Thanks, Parfum. I do naming all day every day, so this was enjoyable ... with a large dose of irony for the Pacific Rim markets.

May 26, 2009 at 7:45 PM  
Blogger Vetivresse said...

Fiord- Very, very foolish :)

May 26, 2009 at 7:46 PM  
Blogger Vetivresse said...

Musette, I love that dry, dusty rose along with all the other wonderful nasties that Carmencanada (Grain de Musc) points out. I tried it on a girlfriend this evening, and she loved it ... couldn't stop bringing her arm to her face ... even as we laughed at a remark about little creatures' furry behinds.

May 26, 2009 at 7:48 PM  
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