Chaldee(1927)

Created by Henri Almeras for Jean Patou, Chaldee opens on orange blossom and hyacinth, moves through a heart of jasmine, narcissus, and lilac, and closes on vanilla, opoponax, and amber. It was reportedly created to complement the tanned skin look Patou promoted through his fashion house, marketed alongside a suntan oil as part of an early, coordinated skincare-and-fragrance line for sun-worshipping, athletic modern women. Its name references ancient Chaldea in Mesopotamia, lending an exotic, sun-warmed antiquity to the fragrance's marketing concept. The pairing of a perfume with a tanning product reflects Patou's broader positioning of his house around an active, outdoors-oriented, modern femininity.