In 1921, Jacques Gerlen revealed the aroma that would become one of the most iconic perfumes in the world. Langled into an extraordinary crystal bottle, this drunken aroma captured France during equal twenties, feeding on the more enthusiastic mysticism of the East. Today it remains the cornerstone of Herlan’s heritage, selling 108 bottles every hour around the world and only the second in its most sold aroma after La Petite Robe Noire.
Love story in the bottle
The inspiration for Shalimara is monitored by the large 17th-century India romance. Emperor Mugolas Shah Jahan was deeply devoted to the wife, Mumtaz MahalTo whom he created an exciting scalmar gardens. When she died, he honored her memory by Taj -Makhal, a symbol of eternal love. This spicy fairy tale has found its way to Jacques Herlen through visiting Maharaja in Paris. He moved to the emperor’s dedication, he decided to create a spirit, a decent emperor who radiated passion, mystery and wealth.
As the jazz era flourished, and Paris accepted the exotic, Jacques Gerlen sought to seize the essence of this new era. He began to experiment by adding ethylvanilin, a synthetic vanilla compound, in his jicky, one of the existing perfumes Gerlan. The result is a rich, saturated mixture impregnated with deep oriental notes. To complete the composition, it introduced lush ingredients: velvet vanilla, sensual sandalwood, smolin benzoin, rainbow, heard, censer and legume. The result was something unusual, Shalimar, brazenly sensual aroma, unlike everything in front of him.
A bottle is as significant as the aroma
The luxurious aroma of Shalimara demanded an equally exciting presentation. Raymond Gerlen, Jacque’s cousin, developed an elegant bottle inspired by the Mughal’s cascading pools. Crown value was a deep blue, a baccarat crystal, tied with a delicate silk thread and sealed wax.
The design of the bottle was so exceptional that it won the International Exhibition of Decorative Arts in Paris in 1925.
The aroma that withstands the test of time
For almost a century, Shalimar remained a symbol of sophistication and attractiveness. Over the years, artists and visors have been reimaging: from legendary illustrators, such as Cassander, to photographers such as Helmut Newton, Jean-Paul Hood and Peter Lindberg. In 2008, the iconic company Paolo Rokersi, with the participation of the Russian model Natalia Vodenova, rethink the sensuality that repeats the texts of Serz Gainesburg: “It wears nothing but a small essence of Herleine in the hair.”
Already today, Shalimar continues to develop. In 2011, master perfumer Herlena Thierry Wasser introduced Shalimar Parfum originally, a modern interpretation that softened more intense notes of fragrance, keeping its legendary spirit.
In decades, the rethinking of Shalimar remains more than just a spirit, it is a heritage of love, art and eternal seduction.
