Rive Gauche by Yves Saint Laurent, the scent of the revolution of manners
From the start, he strives to free and emancipate women through a fashion that is revolutionary to say the least. He likes to provoke the bourgeoisie and shocks many times, especially when he poses naked for the advertisement of one of these perfumes. In 1971, the sulphurous creator presented “Rive Gauche”, a fragrance that completed the collection of the same name.
Riva Gauche YSL a lifestyle, a new freedom for women
The “ Rive Gauche ”haute couture collection was created in 1966. It is a collection which once again shocks since we can see a sexy and relaxed woman. The beginning of the 70s marked the emancipation of women, bringing them a new freedom, unexpected, but so hoped for. The woman appears more dynamic, and finally dares to break free from conventions. If Yves Saint Laurent chose to name his perfume “Rive Gauche”, it is first of all so that it conveys the same values as his collection. “Rive Gauche” is a fragrance that reveals the chic Parisian woman at the dawn of her new lifestyle. “Rive Gauche” also refers to the southern part of the capital, known for its attendance of artists, intellectuals, musicians and students. “Rive Gauche” will therefore be an ultra-urban gasoline, inspired by actress Catherine Deneuve, a worthy representative of Parisian chic. More than an essence, “Rive Gauche” is a lifestyle, a new philosophy, a freedom to be savored …
The resolutely feminine scent notes of Rive Gauche
It is the perfumer Michel Hy who is at the origin of this fragrance of freedom. “Rive Gauche” contains synthetic molecules called “aldehydes”. The latter are revolutionary for the time and bring a metallic scent close to citrus, but that cannot be found in nature. Slightly fallen into disuse, synthetic aldehyde molecules nevertheless give “Rive Gauche” an old-fashioned side. The composition of the latter begins with ultra fresh and invigorating notes, that of bergamot, lemon associated with an aldehyde accord. Ultra feminine, the heart attends the marriage of jasmine and rose. These notes are joined by honeysuckle and gardenia. The bottom of “Rive Gauche” is woody and chypre, as it is composed of vetiver, musks, myrrh and oak moss. As for the bottle, it expresses femininity as well as modernity. Slender, it takes the form of a very metallic glass column, and above all particularly avant-garde. With an electric blue background, the column features black and silver lines. These colors were at the time rather reserved for men, and the designer deliberately used them to emphasize once again, the independence of women.
“Rive Gauche” is Yves Saint Laurent’s first fragrance. If it reveals the Parisian chic of the south of Paris, “Rive Gauche” is more than a perfume. Indeed, this first fragrance appears as a real lifestyle and cries out to women “Enjoy your freedom” …
The fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent left his mark on fashion and his creative genius who did not hesitate to offer cuts, colors and fragrances that no one would have dared to imagine before him. Rive Gauche will also be a great daring that will finally open the doors of its wonderful world to all women. To properly celebrate the arrival of this ready-to-wear boutique, the couturier will call on Calandre’s talented perfumer, Michel Hy, to offer him a fragrance as feminine as it is flamboyant. Rive Gauche perfume will be released in 1971.
When perfume becomes a symbol of revolution, Rive Gauche stands out …
Yves Saint Laurent never tried to be like the others. The multi-talented designer never ceases to play with his creativity to surprise, astonish or even shock in order to change the world, change mentalities. The Rive Gauche collection is very emblematic of the stylist’s rebellious spirit, because with this ready-to-wear boutique, Saint-Laurent is finally opening the doors of haute couture to all women, regardless of social class. He will argue this little revolution with a scathing phrase: “I was tired of making dresses for jaded billionaires. “& Nbsp; !
What could be better then than to offer a perfume that would suit all those women he can now dress? He will therefore ask Michel Hy, already author of Y and the iconic Calandre by Paco Rabanne, to compose Rive Gauche for him. The perfumer in love with aldehydes and very much in tune with his time will therefore offer the couturier a powerful, generous, very feminine Rive Gauche but also a little masculine, to better match the collections of Monsieur Saint-Laurent.
“Rive Gauche by Yves Saint Laurent is a concentrate of bourgeoisie, a scent reminiscent of the haute couture workshops of the time and their stilted side. It is the scent of independent, worldly women, the emblem of femininity according to Yves Saint Laurent. “& Nbsp; Marie Claire for Rive Gauche by Yves Saint Laurent
Rive Gauche, a perfume between traditions and modernities designed by Michel Hy for a free woman
A true symbol of social struggle, Rive Gauche stands out by offering a universe hitherto reserved for the bourgeoisie while twisting it with an aldehyde and sensual modernity as Yves Saint Laurent and Michel Hy know so well how to propose them. This is how some critics will see Rive Gauche as the perfume of the perfect bourgeois with high heels and a knee-length skirt who is adorned with sexy underwear to slather on…
Rive Gauche will therefore not make a detour to offer a flowery start of freesia and honeysuckle. Very quickly the citrus notes magnified by the metallic power of the aldehydes become opulent. At the heart, however, we find the classic splendor of rose and jasmine, but it will still be punctuated by a solar and exotic note of Ylang-ylang. Finally, the lady of the upper middle class turns out to be sensual by the wooded depths of the Left Bank coated with a mysterious note of myrrh. Yet this daring Rive Gauche will return to the powdery and traditional note of iris to better punctuate one last time with a floral hint of gardenia.
Aldehyde Green