Eau d'Hermès was created by perfumer Edmond Roudnitska in 1951. History tells us that the perfume division, Hermes Parfums, was set up in 1950, marketing the first Hermes perfume, the classic Eau d'Hermes. However, I found a 1946 ad and a 1949 advertisement for Holt Renfrew that offered L'Eau de Hermes, is this a precursor?
Roudnitska created the scent to "capture the essence of the Hermes elegance" in dedication to Emile-Maurice Hermes who died in 1951. It was the scent of the rich and famous and the horse riding royals who entered Hermès stores to buy luxury items like saddles, Limoges ashtrays, cigar cutters, silk scarves, and leather bags. Finding Eau d'Hermès in a regular perfume store or an American department stores was nearly impossible., it was said that even the Hermès boutiques carried it selectively.
The scent was inspired by the scent on a linen handkerchief wadded up in the bottom of an old handbag that had been sent to Hermes for repair. The challenge had been to recreate the alluring combination of old leather and the classic scent of lavender water. Roudnitska's said the fragrance perfectly captured "the inside of an Hermès bag where the scent of a perfume lingered... A note of fine leather wrapped in fresh trails of citrus fruit and seasoned with spices." Eau d'Hermes was described as "like a secret perfume reserved for an elite of connoisseurs."
Eau d'Hermes is classified as a refreshing citrus floral fragrance for men and women, in the same family as Eau Sauvage by Christian Dior, O de Lancome, and Eau de Rochas. The fragrance has a citrusy top that comingles the scent of raw leather with new mown hay, fern extracts, exotic hot and dry spices and the flowers of rare Indochinese reeds. It was mainly geared towards men, but women also found it delightful to wear as well.
- Top notes: lavender, lemon, bergamot, citron, cumin, cardamom
- Middle notes: tonka bean, jasmine, clove, cinnamon, coriander, geranium bourbon leaf, floral notes
- Base notes: labdanum, cedar, birch, vanilla, leather, oakmoss, vetiver, amber, sandalwood
"The dominant warm notes rise from bergamot, half fruit. half flower. Cardamom and herbal lavender blend with spices, cinnamon, jasmine, geranium, vanilla, tonka bean, labdanum, sensual precious woods - sandalwood, cedar, flamed birch."
Bottles:
Presented in the classic Hermes, boxed, squared off heavy, chunky crystal bottle with the mushroom-domed stopper. These are regarded as the "deluxe" bottles and have a suede ribbon tied around the neck of the bottle. Three paper labels are on the botte, the front has its large circular label and a smaller rectangular label down towards the bottom that says "Eau d'Hermes Paris France", and also a rectangular one on the back of the bottle which states the capacity. The base is molded with "Hermes - Paris - Made in France." Most were produced in France by Pochet et du Courval and you can find the little entwined "HP" symbol on the base.
It was housed in a orange leather presentation box.
Edmond Roudnitska, the “nose” of Eau d'Hermès, comments on the bottle: “The beauty of the bottle presented to me by Jean Guerrand moved me, captivated me and inspired me. The whole universe of Hermes was there, both sumptuous and extremely simple in this crystal bottle...I had to conceive the purest olfactory form. The solid crystal bottle touched with emery, the old-fashioned engraved labels representing the ex-libris of Emile Hermès and the natural leather link were made identically."
The paper labels portray the small Hermès carriage, a prestigious logo of the world famous house.
If your bottle is missing its label and you do not know what size it is, use this handy guide to determine the ounce/milliliter:
- " tall = 26.3 oz (750ml)
- 7.75"tall = 16 oz (400ml)
- 6.5" tall = 8 oz (200ml)
- 5.5" tall = 4 oz (100ml)
- 4.5" tall = 2 oz (60ml)
Fate of the Fragrance:
From the 1950s to the 1970s, Eau d'Hermes could be found in the heavy, chunky crystal flacons. Smaller bottles have large black caps instead of the glass stoppers, they both sport round paper labels
Eau d'Hermes was reintroduced in 1987 in honor of the company's 150th anniversary. Eau d'Hermes became an internationally favorite of both men and women when it was introduced. Its disappearance later remains unsolved. At Hermes, speculation was that the complex formula vanished from record contained only in the mind of Edmond Roudnitska, who did not use perfume, as he worked with them every day. The only exception he was willing to make was Eau d'Hermes. The then-current chairman of Hermes, Jean-Louis Dumas-Hermes, discovered that Roudnitska, then in his 80s, had never stopped wearing what he called "la belle eau," and agreed to recreate the formula for the company. This 1987 formula is known as "Grande Eau d'Hermes."
Scroll down further to read about the limited edition crystal bottle from 1987. Hermes also introduced the Grand Eau d'Hermes fragrance in a wider distribution in lower priced examples. These non-limited edition bottles have pewter colored caps instead of the glass stoppers, and sport round paper labels, they may still retain their Hermes 1987 anniversary ribbons tied around the neck. These bottles were sold well into the 1990s.
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In 2001, Eau d'Hermes was repackaged in new bottles. These bottles were issued with copper colored caps and have the name printed on the bottle, rather than have a paper label. This packaging was used until around 2007. It was around this time that Eau d'Hermes was presented in bottles with a clear cap. In 2010, a new version was reformulated by Jean Claude Ellena.
Around 2014, the fragrance was reformulated, this edition is known for its black cap and rectangular orange paper label.
Limited Edition Flacons:
A special crystal bottle was handed out to the guests of the first April in Paris Ball in 1951. Made up of Baccarat crystal and presented in the familiar orange Hermes packaging, this is a rare find today.
The 1987 fragrance was offered in limited edition, each bottle individually numbered. The bottle itself, a hand-blown lead crystal flacon came in a signature Hermes orange box with a pearl yellow silken lining. To ensure handling with extra care, the new 16 oz flacon of precious Hermes perfume was hand delivered by special messenger to the lucky recipient, at no extra cost. A mini, refillable travel-sized bottle for your handbag for a mere $125 was also delivered, as an added bonus.
Prices for this new formulation was $550 for the 16 oz flacon, while the 4 oz flacon retailed for $275. A Baccarat bottle, numbered in a limited series, retailed for $700 for the 400ml. Exclusively at Hermes boutiques and selected retailers starting September 1987.
In 1990, a flacon of faceted crystal, mouth-blown and hand cut by the Cristalleries de Saint Louis was filled with 15 ounces of Eau d'Hermes. This flacon was created as a coronation gift for Emperor Akihito of Japan in November, 1990. A limited edition of 400 pieces was sold at Hermes Boutiques at a price of $5,000.
From 1993 onward, Eau d’Hermès was sold in heavy lead crystal limited edition bottles without the familiar round, paper logo. Hermes assigns a theme to each year and these special bottles were hand engraved with the annual theme. Each bottle's neck was tied with its goatskin leather ribbon dyed a different color each year.
- 1993 - The year of the Horse (blue ribbon)
- 1994 - The year of the Sun (yellow ribbon)
- 1995 - The Year of On the Road Again (sea-green ribbon)
- 1996 - The Year of Music (pink ribbon)
- 1997 - The Year of Africa (red ribbon)
- 1998 - The Year of the Tree (green ribbon)
- 1999 - The Year of the Stars & Mythology (purple ribbon)
- 2000 - First Steps into the New Millennium
- 2001 - Looking for the Beauty of the Earth (orange ribbon)
- 2002 - Year of the Hand
- 2003 – Year of the Mediterranean Sea (dark blue ribbon)
- 2004 – Year of Fantasy
- 2005 – Year of the River
- 2006 – Year of Paris
- 2007 – Year of Dance
- 2008 – Year of India
- 2009 – A Beautiful Escape (Travel)
- 2010 – Year of Storytelling
- 2011 – Year of the Contemporary Artisan
- 2012 – The Gift of Time
- 2013 – A Sporting Life
- 2014 – Year of Metamorphosis
Inside the signature orange Hermes presentation box was a card describing the theme of the year, the number “out of 500” and the name of the artisan who painstakingly completed the hand engraving. Each was limited to only 500 numbered bottles per year. They were sold exclusively at select Hermès stores and most likely sold out quickly.
A limited edition bottle for the theme "The Year of the Horse" from 1993 is engraved decoration of an equestrian on a prancing horse.
Engraving titled "la Courbette", inspired by the drawing of René Princereau, containing 120 ml of eau de toilette. Only 500 examples made.
The limited edition from "The Year of the Sun" of 1994 is engraved with the mythological Pegasus, ;e Cheval-Soleil, designed by Raymond Savignac. It has a yellow leather ribbon on the neck.
The theme of 1995 was the "Year of the Road" and engraved decoration of flags, ropes and ears of wheat, "the insignia based on the "Voiles de Lumiere" scarf, designed by Joaquim Metz to celebrate the Hermes Year of the Road." Its neck is trimmed with a sea-green leather tie."
In 1996, a 4 fl. oz., limited edition crystal bottle for the "Year of Music" theme, was engraved with a band of musicians occupying a horse carriage with a man standing in front cracking his whip into the shape of a music note, completed by a beautifully tied leather ribbon around the neck and a large sealed glass stopper. The original orange Hermes presentation box and outer sleeve.
In 1997, a limited edition known as “The Year of Africa," inspired by the beauty that is Africa. The bottle held 120ml and retailed for $920. It was engraved with the Elephant, illustration by Abel Alier Rech, a young Sudanese from Polataka, who was chosen to celebrate the year of Africa and is dressed with a red leather ribbon.
The theme for 1998 was the "Year of the Tree," the bottle is engraved with the little Hermes coach passing through a hole at the base of a massive Redwood tree.
For the millennium, the theme was "First Steps into the New Century." This bottle was engraved with a little boy tugging along a toy horse on wheels.
In 2001, the theme was "Discovering the beauty of the world," a 120ml limited edition hand-engraved crystal flacon was offered for $650 at Hermes boutiques and selected higher end shops. It is engraved with an image of the sun-carriage of Phaethon, the globe of the earth is sitting in the carriage. Only 500 examples were produced.
2003 was the "Year of the Mediterranean Sea" and the bottle features an engraving of a man looking at a seahorse pulling the little Hermes coach. This 120ml edition was only available in 300 bottles.
