Table of contents:
- The first post-revolutionary perfumes
- Triumph of "Red Moscow"
- The history of the Triple and the passion of Napoleon
- Cultural perfumery
Video: What the Soviet Union smelled like, and why did Napoleon use "Triple" cologne
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
The first Soviet perfumes appeared immediately after the revolution. Since ancient French perfume factories have been operating in Russia since the 19th century, the new production also relied on this experience. The established traditions have preserved a decent level of quality, and very quickly the legendary aromas were presented to the citizens of the USSR. The release of "Krasnaya Moskva" did not stop during the Great Patriotic War. Courageous "Chypre" dizzy even the most sensible young ladies. And the universal "Triple" was the only perfume to which Comrade Stalin was not allergic.
The first post-revolutionary perfumes
The history of Soviet perfumery began long before the change of the political system in 1917. Several perfume factories functioned in tsarist Russia, the largest being Brocard and Co and A. Rollet and Co ". The latter was headed by the Moscow merchant E. Bo, who later presented the world with Chanel 5. And during the period of Russian perfumery discoveries, he worked on expanding the range, modernizing existing production, laying plantations for growing essential oil crops. Brocar & Co competed successfully with Comrade Bo's brainchild, evolving from a soap shop with three employees to a reputable perfume factory.
The indicator of the level was the right to apply a special label on the products: "Supplier of the court of Her Imperial Highness, Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna." With the arrival of the Soviet authorities in Russia, the factories were nationalized and renamed. The production of the first perfumes was entrusted to the Fat Trust with the symbolic designation “TEZHE”. This abbreviation sounded in a French way, which lured Soviet women. Brocard's factory was now called "New Dawn", and the planning-directive principle of production management did not in the least prevent the maintenance of a decent level of production.
Triumph of "Red Moscow"
In the heyday of the NEP, in 1925, the luxurious "Red Moscow" was presented to the public. The composition of the perfume consisted of more than fifty components. The sensational scent was accompanied by beautiful legends. The first claimed that the composition was created in 1913 by August Michel for the 300th anniversary of the House of Romanov. According to another version, a perfume with an ideological name was made even earlier - on the occasion of the birth of Alexei's heir during the reign of Maria Feodorovna. And with the advent of the Soviets, Michel simply reproduced his old designs. But to find the truth is unlikely, the "august" perfume is stored in the archives of "Novaya Zarya" sealed.
Immediately after graduation, it was possible to become the owner of "Red Moscow" only by lists. The first women of the Union stood in line for the perfume: movie stars, spouses of the capital's party leaders, the first shock women. In the 1930s, the USSR strengthened its position in perfumery, taking the third place in the world after the United States with Great Britain. And "Krasnaya Moskva" still remained out of competition.
The release did not stop even in the Great Patriotic War, although the enterprise was focused on the production of front-line soap. Moreover, the cost of "Red Moscow" by 1942 soared twice: from 28 rubles in 1940 to 57 rubles. And in 1944, spirits were found in commercial special stores at an unimaginable price of 500 rubles. Perfume reaches its highest point of popularity in the 50s. The cloud of "Red Moscow" covered the capital from the center to the far outskirts. The aroma, so beloved by Soviet women, hovered in residential apartments and government agencies. In 1958, "Krasnaya Moskva" grew to world recognition - at the Brussels exhibition, the perfume received the Gold Medal. And even by the 1970s, when the Soviet range of perfumes exceeded 120 names, Krasnaya Moskva remained the undisputed leader in sales.
The history of the Triple and the passion of Napoleon
A self-respecting Soviet man most often smelled like "Chyprom". This cologne was in the USSR an indispensable sign of elegance and the entire perfumery of the Soviet era. The aristocratic "Chypre" had a surprisingly stable base, thanks to the content of bergamot, patchouli, labdanum and oakmoss. According to legend, it was on this basis that the perfume "Chanel No. 5" was created by the Moscow merchant-perfumer Bo.
Most of the clients of the Soviet men's hairdressing salons were refreshed with “Chyprom”. After shaving, the military washed themselves with this cologne. "Chypre" appeared at least 3 centuries ago and was called "Cologne Water". So in 1750, the French of occupied Cologne called the disinfectant cologne, which had a pleasant smell. The Cologne perfumer got the recipe for water based on an alcoholic solution of lavender, bergamot and rosemary from the Dominican monks. The composition was supplemented with lime, orange and grapefruit, and the cologne gained unprecedented popularity.
It was used by Napoleon himself, adding cologne to baths, gargling with it and even dripping on sugar for tea. The Prussian sovereign Frederick II presented the cologne as a gift to the Russian Empress Catherine, and after a while the perfume composition was appreciated by Alexander I.
In Russia, "Triple Cologne" was founded with the war of 1812, adequately withstanding the competition of other perfumes. In the USSR, he found many applications. Soviet citizens treated cuts and abrasions with cologne, the old people used it in joint compresses, and individual men were even taken orally. "Triple" was Stalin's daily aroma remedy, because the use of all others led to allergic reactions.
Cultural perfumery
In the Soviet 50s, the first perfume sets appeared, packed in expensive boxes with decoration and even stone boxes. It was noteworthy that this or that set was necessarily timed to coincide with a cultural event. For example, a set of perfumes "Ballet" and "Fouette" were dedicated to the success of the dance art in the USSR. And the evening women's aroma "The Queen of Spades" was a gift from the perfume factory for the 150th anniversary of Pushkin's birth. By the same principle, "Red Poppy" symbolized the 10th anniversary of the October Revolution, and the cologne "Into Flight" - the anniversary of Gagarin's flight.
There were a lot of goods in deficit in the USSR. Because of this Soviet women tried with all their might to get scarce things.
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