Le Minaret by Rosine c1913

Le Minaret by Rosine: launched in 1913. Named after Jacques Richepin’s ballet Le Minaret for which Paul Poiret designed costumes for.

Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? It is a warm, sultry oriental perfume for women.

• Top notes: citrus
• Middle notes: carnation, rose, jasmine, orange blossom
• Base notes: myrrh, ambergris, musk, oakmoss, sandalwood, vanilla, oakmoss, incense, labdanum, vetiver

Poiret commissioned his friend Roger Boutet de Monvel to create a poem for the perfume. Boutet de Monvel wrote "Le Minaret":

"Subtle and sweet, luring as the distant strumming of guitars or the monotone song of some invisible flute. There it is, rising, reaching all around and, slowly conquered by the charm, enslaved by this mysterious guide. It seems as if you have stepped across the threshold of I don't know which enchanted palace. It is dark, sultry. Outdoors, the midday sun, the deserted streets, the trees swooning from the heat. But windows and doors remain closed. At the far end of the green and blue galleries, everyone is sleeping. Then there is a courtyard. mosaics, a pool of limpid water. And everywhere floats the heady and disturbing perfume, the perfume of myrrh and carnation from India. No human voices, no resounding steps on the tiles. We could think we are in the palace of the sleeping beauty, if not for the weak sound of the fountains and the invisible flute sighing, melancholic, lone."

"It's a courtyard, mosaics, a pool of clear water. And everywhere floats the heady and disturbing perfume, perfume of myrrh, and marigold. No human voice, no footsteps echoing on the tiles. It's like being in the castle of "Sleeping Beauty" if it weren't for the light noise of the fountains and the invisible flute which sighs, melancholy and solitary."

Bottles:

The presentation for the perfume was created in collaboration of Poiret and Georges Lepape. Le Minaret was housed in a cylindrical tower-shaped bottle, tightly covered in gold metallic embroidery on net, influenced by the filigree exteriors typical in Islamic architecture. The neck was wound with gold thread. The clear glass bottle has a gilded glass ball shaped stopper. A tiny brass charm shaped like a minaret was attached to the threads around the neck like a pendant and was used instead of a paper label. It was embossed with Rosine on one side and Le Minaret on the other.

The box echoes the unique shape of the bottle and is covered with ribbed red paper printed with an intricate pattern in gold. The fine ribbing of the paper causes the pattern to have a way, simulated moire pattern. The paper label imitates the window or doorway of a minaret and has the name Rose Le Minaret as well as Arabic writing on the top.

Fate of the Fragrance:

Discontinued, date unknown.

 It was still being sold in 1929 as seen in a volume of the Official Journal: Body of the Provisional Government of Mexico along with other Rosine perfumes: Ambre de Venise, Aladin, Arlequinade, Avenue du Bois, Borgia, Chez Poiret, Chypre des Isles, Coeur en Folie, Connais Tu le Pays?, Hahna, Jasmin de la Riviera, Le Balcon, Le Bosquet d'Apollon, Le Coup D'or, Le fruit Defendu, La Rose de Rosine, Maharadjah, 1935, Nuit de Chine, Pierrot, Qui Es-Tu?, Sa Chambre, Sakya Mouni, Toute la Foret.."