"Le Chevrefeuille" by Corday, launched in 1938, emerged during a time when the world was experiencing significant upheaval and change. The late 1930s were marked by the lingering effects of the Great Depression and the mounting tensions that would soon lead to World War II. In such a tumultuous period, there was a pronounced yearning for stability, simplicity, and the comforting familiarity of the past. This context made a return to simpler, soliflore perfumes, reminiscent of the Victorian era, particularly appealing. Soliflore perfumes, which highlight a single floral note, offered an antidote to the complexities of modern life, celebrating the purity and beauty of nature.
"Le Chevrefeuille" is an excellent name for a perfume because it captures the delicate and enchanting essence of the honeysuckle flower. The name itself, pronounced as "luh shuh-vray-foy," is melodic and carries an air of elegance and refinement, much like the French language it originates from. For women in the late 1930s, a perfume named "Le Chevrefeuille" would evoke a sense of romance and nostalgia, connecting them to the timeless beauty of nature. The honeysuckle flower symbolizes devoted affection, making it an apt choice for a perfume name during a period when people sought comfort and connection amidst uncertainty. Also spelled Chevre Feuille in some publications.
Women of the time period would likely relate to a perfume called "Le Chevrefeuille" because of its associations with natural beauty and romantic ideals. In a world where industrialization and the specter of war loomed large, the simplicity and purity of a soliflore perfume offered a form of escapism and solace. The honeysuckle's sweet, delicate scent would evoke images of serene gardens and tranquil countryside settings, providing a comforting contrast to the harsh realities of contemporary life. This fragrance would be seen as a manifestation of timeless elegance and feminine grace.
The word "Le Chevrefeuille" evokes images of lush, blooming gardens filled with the delicate vines of honeysuckle, their sweet scent perfuming the air. It brings to mind warm, sunlit days and peaceful, idyllic landscapes. Emotionally, it stirs feelings of nostalgia, tranquility, and romantic longing. The honeysuckle's fragrance is often associated with innocence and the carefree days of youth, creating an uplifting and soothing experience.
Interpreted literally, "Le Chevrefeuille" means "the honeysuckle," directly linking the perfume to its floral inspiration. For women of the late 1930s, this interpretation would be both clear and evocative, signaling a product that is true to the essence of the flower it represents. The name suggests a perfume that is natural, fresh, and uncomplicated, qualities that would have been highly valued during a time of global uncertainty. Thus, "Le Chevrefeuille" would be seen as a fragrant escape to a simpler, more serene world, offering a moment of beauty and calm in the midst of chaos.
Le Chevrefeuille, or honeysuckle, was a fragrance beloved during the 19th and 20th centuries, offering a delicate sweetness that captured the essence of spring in full bloom. In 1938, Corday introduced an updated version of this classic floral scent, refining the formula to evoke a timeless, fresh elegance. Early perfumes based on honeysuckle drew inspiration from natural extracts, tinctures, and absolutes, which were mixed to create an intricate bouquet of flowers with a touch of sensual animalic undertones. These formulas, detailed in perfumery manuals and pharmacopeias of the time, reflected a growing interest in mimicking nature's own intoxicating aromas while introducing more lasting and harmonious blends.
By the late 19th century, the art of perfumery had evolved to incorporate newly discovered synthetics that allowed perfumers to recreate elusive natural scents more reliably and with greater precision. Methyl anthranilate, a key synthetic ingredient, became indispensable for creating the honeyed, sweet quality characteristic of honeysuckle. This compound, also found naturally in grapes, has a musky, sweet scent, contributing a fruity, almost candy-like sweetness to the composition. Paired with benzaldehyde, which offers a warm, slightly almond-like aroma, these early synthetic additions began to enhance the honeyed floral notes, ensuring a more consistent and lasting presence on the skin. The fragrance also benefited from geranyl formate, which added a slightly fruity, sweet floral quality that mimicked the freshness of ripe fruits interwoven with honeysuckle’s signature floral character.
The development of "formidol" and lignalol, both of which contribute a smooth, musky, powdery note, brought an additional layer of depth to the fragrance. These ingredients evoked a soft, warm, and slightly sweet background that perfectly complemented the more luminous floral notes. Finally, vanillin, known for its sweet, creamy vanilla aroma, added a soft, enveloping warmth to the base of Le Chevrefeuille, rounding out the honeysuckle's sweetness with a rich, almost edible finish. Together, these synthetics allowed Le Chevrefeuille to capture the beloved essence of honeysuckle—its warm, honeyed floralcy—while enhancing its longevity and complexity.
As a whole, Le Chevrefeuille was crafted to evoke an old-world charm, reminiscent of the honeysuckle vines winding through garden trellises, their creamy blossoms sweetly perfuming the air. The inclusion of animalic undertones, while subtle, also added a touch of the sensual and mysterious, characteristic of fragrances from this era. This updated version of honeysuckle not only celebrated the flower’s fragrant simplicity but also encapsulated the transformative moments in perfumery during the early 20th century, where tradition met innovation.
Fragrance Composition:
So what did it smell like? It is classified as a sweet floral fragrance for women. It was described as an "old-fashioned" honeysuckle soliflore perfume.
- Top notes: Belgian angelica, Portuguese orange, Italian neroli, Calabrian bergamot, methyl anthranilate, benzaldehyde, geranyl formate, Sicilian lemon, almond, Moroccan cassie
- Middle notes: Bourbon geranium, Tuscan violet, Grasse jasmine absolute, Tunisian orange blossom, Indian tuberose, Grasse rose absolute, Florentine orris, Dutch jonquil, "formidol", Japanese honeysuckle
- Base notes: Honduran storax, Arabian myrrh, Persian sumbul, Omani frankincense, vanillin, lignalol, mastic, tolu balsam, balsam of Peru, Tonkin musk, Canadian castoreum, Siam benzoin, coumarin, Madagascan vanilla, Venezuelan tonka bean, Ethiopian civet, Mysore sandalwood, Sumatran styrax
Scent Profile:
As you take in the first breath of Le Chevrefeuille by Corday, the fragrance opens with an invigorating burst of Belgian angelica. The scent is cool and herbaceous, with a subtle, almost musky sweetness that lingers in the air. There’s a hint of sharpness, like freshly sliced celery, but with a more refined, elegant twist. It’s a clear, crisp green note that breathes life into the composition. This initial freshness is followed by the citrus brightness of Portuguese orange, with its zesty, almost tangy sweetness, slightly more robust than its Italian counterparts, offering a clean and radiant feeling. The sharp Italian neroli adds a honeyed, slightly bitter floral accent, its fresh, citrusy edge intertwined with the delicate, almost soapy sweetness of Calabrian bergamot, which brings a dash of sophistication and sparkling brightness. This mingles seamlessly with the creamy, fruity sweetness of methyl anthranilate, which provides a soft, almost strawberry-like sweetness that gives an aromatic warmth to the perfume.
Benzaldehyde adds an almond-like scent, warm and slightly bitter with a touch of marzipan, softening the sharpness of the citrus and herbal notes. The note of geranyl formate introduces a rich, rosy sweetness, bringing a deep floral richness that intensifies the composition. A zesty burst of Sicilian lemon adds yet another layer of citrus, its fresh and tangy scent, less bitter than other varieties, lifting the fragrance with bright, airy energy. Almond brings a subtle, nutty sweetness that adds depth, smoothing over the more vibrant citrus notes, while the presence of Moroccan cassie gives a fleeting powdery sweetness, almost like a warm, dry honey note with a hint of green freshness.
The heart of Le Chevrefeuille blooms with Bourbon geranium, a note that exudes a complex, slightly rosy aroma with hints of green freshness and a touch of minty coolness. Its full, rich scent acts as a natural bridge, linking the sharp top notes with the richer, more floral body of the fragrance. The scent of Tuscan violet emerges softly, its sweet, powdery floral nature mingling with a slightly peppery undercurrent. The Italian violet offers a slightly woody edge that brings a grounding depth to the bouquet. The Grasse jasmine absolute is intoxicating and creamy, its velvety white floral richness offering an air of opulence. There’s a lush sweetness that envelops the senses, reminiscent of freshly bloomed jasmine flowers warmed by the sun.
The perfume is further enriched by the Tunisian orange blossom, offering a heady, waxy sweetness that imparts a sense of elegance, evoking images of the fragrant flowers that bloom across the Mediterranean landscapes. Indian tuberose adds a distinct tropical floral note, sensual and creamy, with an almost indolic character—sophisticated and intense, yet undeniably feminine. Grasse rose absolute contributes a warm, honeyed floral note, its soft petals giving way to subtle hints of green and wood. The Florentine orris brings an iris-like quality, with its powdery, violet-tinged scent and dry, woody undertones that give the fragrance an air of aristocratic refinement.
Dutch jonquil offers a delicate, sweet, and slightly green floral note that enhances the overall sense of freshness in the heart, softening the heavy floral undertones. The presence of "formidol", a synthetic material, offers a powdery, musky floral scent, contributing to the lush, yet delicate nature of the fragrance. Japanese honeysuckle gives the perfume its defining sweetness—a pure, sugary floral note, full of nectar-like honeyed richness with a touch of indole, which creates the characteristic warm, intoxicating floral bouquet of honeysuckle. This blend of florals evokes a classical image of gardens in full bloom on a warm summer day.
The base of Le Chevrefeuille is a warm, resinous, and slightly animalic foundation that supports and deepens the sweetness of the florals. Honduran storax brings a rich, balsamic sweetness, with a hint of vanilla and spice, creating a smooth, comforting undertone that evokes the warmth of the forest floor. Arabian myrrh offers a deep, resinous, almost smoky fragrance with a touch of bitterness, adding complexity and a sense of sacred depth to the perfume. The distinctive Persian sumbul introduces a musky, slightly animalic nuance, evoking an earthy, sensual undertone that recalls the warmth of exotic woods.
Omani frankincense follows with its woody, spicy, and resinous scent, rich in incense-like warmth that adds a touch of mystery and complexity. Vanillin infuses the base with a creamy, sweet, almost edible vanilla note, providing a smooth and comforting conclusion to the fragrance. Linalool contributes a slightly floral, slightly herbal note that adds a clean, fresh quality to the deep, resinous base. The musky, slightly sweet scent of mastic creates an almost pine-like clarity, grounding the more ethereal floral notes above. Tolu balsam and balsam of Peru add rich, balsamic warmth, with resinous, vanilla-like sweetness that envelops the fragrance in a comforting embrace. Tonkin musk lends its animalic warmth, while Canadian castoreum brings a slightly leathery, animalic edge, giving the fragrance a touch of raw sensuality.
Siam benzoin adds a resinous sweetness, bringing an exotic, amber-like glow to the base, which is further rounded out by the slightly powdery, sweet warmth of coumarin and the vanilla undertones of Madagascan vanilla. Venezuelan tonka bean infuses the fragrance with a rich, sweet, almond-like aroma, reminiscent of marzipan and cream, enveloping the composition with its warm, comforting nature. The deep, animalic warmth of Ethiopian civet and the creamy richness of Mysore sandalwood provide a perfect foundation, with a lasting depth that lingers on the skin, while Sumatran styrax adds a resinous, sweet warmth, completing this elegant and classic composition.
In Le Chevrefeuille, the mixture of lush, floral ingredients with warm, resinous, and animalic base notes creates an enduring fragrance that evokes an air of nostalgia, charm, and timeless femininity. It’s a blend of old-world elegance, evoking the image of a woman wearing a simple yet beautiful flower garland in her hair, standing in a sun-dappled garden surrounded by the sweet scent of honeysuckle and other blooms.
Bottles:
Offered in the squatty "Orchidee Bleue" lobed bottle originally designed by Baccarat. Also sold in a miniature cylindrical bottle.
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In 1938, Parfums Corday introduced Chevre Feuille, a honeysuckle fragrance that captured the delicate and elusive essence of the flower with remarkable finesse. Honeysuckle, known for its sweet, soft, and honeyed floral notes, posed a challenge for perfumers due to its delicate and transient nature, but Corday's success in encapsulating its charm was a notable achievement. The perfume’s composition was designed to mirror the light, airy qualities of honeysuckle blooms, with their subtle sweetness and gentle freshness, ensuring the fragrance resonated with the wearer throughout the day. The scent was packaged in a bottle and box designed in the same style as Orchidee Bleue, Corday's earlier floral creation, reflecting the brand's consistent dedication to elegance and sophisticated presentation. This packaging mirrored the soft, feminine qualities of the fragrance inside, adding a sense of cohesion to the Corday floral collection.
By 1939, Corday had expanded its floral offerings with five eau de cologne scents: Sweet Pea, Gardenia, Chevre Feuille, Lilas, and Jasmin. These fragrances were presented in a beautifully designed long-necked flask that featured a curving petal-like base and an ivory-tinted stopper. The bottle itself was a work of art, meant to complement the graceful, lighthearted nature of the floral scents within. Each perfume in this collection was crafted to evoke the essence of its respective flower, with Chevre Feuille offering the unmistakable scent of honeysuckle—light, feminine, and evocative of springtime gardens in full bloom. The elegant flasks symbolized the timeless beauty of these flowers, with each scent acting as a fragrant tribute to the floral world.
By 1942, Corday’s Chevre Feuille was firmly established as one of the brand's signature fragrances. Harper's Bazaar described it as an "old-fashioned" honeysuckle perfume, reinforcing its classic appeal. The fragrance was not just a popular choice for women who appreciated its delicate and refined nature, but it had also become a favorite for those wishing to emphasize their femininity. Chevre Feuille embodied the essence of grace and charm, allowing wearers to dramatize their femininity through the soft, sweet, and elegant notes of honeysuckle. Its timeless appeal to women who valued understated yet potent floral fragrances helped cement its place in the world of fine perfumery.
Fate of the Fragrance:
Discontinued, date unknown. Still being sold in 1951.
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