After the October events of 1917, the perfume "Favorite Bouquet of the Empress", later known as "Red Moscow", almost sunk into oblivion. Only thanks to the efforts of the French perfumer August Michel, who remained to work at the nationalized production, the exquisite fragrance not only survived, but also became a generally recognized brand, both in the USSR and in the foreign market. There were no more eminent spirits in the Union and sovereign Russia. And not yet. Consider in the article the history of the perfume "Red Moscow".
Symbol of the era
Not every perfume, despite the demand and recognition, can boast of its rich history. Perfume "Red Moscow", along with port wine "777" and a faceted glass, became an integral part of a significant era. With their deep rich aroma, they are forever imprinted in the memory of every Soviet woman.
Exquisite perfumes from the Novaya Zarya factory were first put on store shelves in 1925. Their attractive aroma was quite unusual and easily recognizable. Connoisseurs especially singled out its subtle tart notes and a stretching steady train. The product that appeared caused a public outcry and was perceived far from being unambiguous, however, regardless of preferences, many sought to purchase a bottle for themselves. In Russian cinema and literature, there are more than once references to "Red Moscow", corresponding to the spirit of that time - the era of unbending, strong and hardworking personalities. It is also worth adding that Krasnaya Moskva was not inferior to its foreign counterparts in terms of the quality of the composition and special properties.
How it all started
The history of the creation of the perfume "Red Moscow" begins with the appearance in the Russian Empire of a bright, bushy brunette, whose name was then famous for many years in all areas. Heinrich Brocard, the son of a French perfumer, moved to Moscow in 1861, remaining under French citizenship. He started his own business within the walls of a former stable in Teply Lane, producing high-quality cheap soap. Its production grew and developed rapidly, as it was constantly replenished with an exceptional assortment: shampoos, lipsticks, powders and more. After the opening of a large factory in 1869 (at the corner of Arsenievsky Lane and Mytnaya Street), the ambitious Frenchman launched a completely new line - the production of perfumes and colognes. And in the late 70s of the XIX century, Heinrich Brokar became a recognized leader in the Russian market.
In 1873, Princess Maria Alexandrovna (daughter of Alexander II) arrived in Moscow from the northern capital. At the official reception, she was presented with an unusual bouquet of artificial flowers, emitting a wonderful aroma. The originality lay in the fact that each flower had its own individual smell, and in the bouquet they merged into a wonderful melody. The gift also contained bottles of matching fragrances that could be used individually or together. The original offering was to the liking of Maria Alexandrovna, and Brocard received permission to become the princess's supplier.
After the death of Heinrich Brocard (1900), the management of perfume production passed to his sons.
Creating a fragrance
In 1913, the perfumer August Michel, invited from France to work at the Brocard factory, presented a new fragrance for the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty. In reality, he used the idea of Brocard's composition of 1873, adding a few synthetic components to the composition. The result was highly appreciated by the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna (mother of Nicholas II), who wished for a regular supply of noble perfumes. The aroma of the recreated composition was perceived by connoisseurs as warm, slightly bitter: notes of iris, carnation, jasmine and violet were clearly manifested in it. The name “Favorite Bouquet of the Empress” stuck behind it. This perfume marked the beginning of the history of “Red Moscow”.
The spirits of the royal person did not come out to the masses right away. Nevertheless, fashionistas from the capital were able to appreciate the sophistication of this product. It should be noted that in those days the use of eau de toilette and incense was the privilege of only the upper classes, for the rest of society they were not available. After the revolution, the newthe authorities even considered them a relic of the bourgeois past, and for some time the perfume lines were even stopped.
Complex composition
The uniqueness of the Empress's favorite perfume was due to its complex composition: over 60 components were involved in their manufacture and synthetic additives were practically not used. The resulting aroma was often compared with a luxurious bouquet of flowers. The opening notes of the blend were based on strict and sophisticated notes of neroli and bergamot, the middle note was jasmine, carnation, ylang-ylang and rose, and the trail of the perfume blossomed with iris, vanilla and tonka bean.
In 1924, when creating the perfume "Red Moscow", the original chemical composition was changed by 35%. The reason was that some of the ingredients and fragrant mixtures that the Broccarat factory worked with in 1913 were no longer in the Soviet Union. However, August Michel managed to keep the main character of the composition: he emphasized the violet-iris chord with bergamot, orange blossom, carnation and ylang-ylang.
Soviet times
With the advent of the new regime, August Michel was the only foreign perfumer who remained to work in Russia. The factory "Brocard and Co" was nationalized, and on its basis the Zamoskvoretsky Perfume and Soap Plant began to function. According to some reports, the French master was categorical about the new dissonant name and offered his own version - "New Dawn".
Perfume "Red Moscow" has become a kind of proletarian versionluxury perfume. The figured bottle resembled the shape of a Kremlin tower. And the shade of the packaging box was lined with expressive golden lines. The author of the patriotic design of the fragrance, which has survived to this day, was the artist Andrey Evseev.
In the early 1930s, Novaya Zarya was under the leadership of Vyacheslav Molotov's wife, Polina Zhemchuzhina. She also managed to contribute to the history of "Red Moscow". The creation of perfumes at the factory, according to one version, was implemented with her direct participation, and with her light hand they were promoted to the masses. Zhemchuzhina sincerely defended the position that, in addition to soap, Soviet women also needed perfumes and cosmetics.
The popularity of "Red Moscow"
The history of perfume tells that at some point in time to have this fragrance in the arsenal was the height of chic. He belonged to the perfumes of the highest price category. From 1930 to 1960, perfume was a welcome gift for almost every Soviet woman. After the denomination in 1961, their cost was 6 rubles, which was a decent amount for a bottle of 50 ml. But, regardless of the cost, the favorite flavor was available not only to a privileged society, but also to ordinary workers. Red boxes were sold everywhere, and the owners of even the most modest salaries were happy to purchase them.
In the 70s, sky-high demand for Krasnaya Moskva began to decline. She is increasingly preferred by ladies over thirty, who are characterized by nostalgia and romance. For the younger generation loud flor althe smell is getting heavy. Young fashionistas start looking for French perfumes Clima, Chanel No. 5 and Fiji.
Highly rated
"Red Moscow" is a living classic, the love for which has been passed down from generation to generation. Together with the common people, the first persons of the country, political and media personalities smelled of it. Spirits were used by such Soviet celebrities as Minister of Culture Ekaterina Furtseva, female cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, singer Lyudmila Zykina, actress Lyubov Orlova. The fragrance was also highly appreciated far beyond the borders of the socialist state: perfume connoisseurs in Canada, France, the USA and Germany appreciated the analogue of the "Empress's Bouquet".
It is worth noting that there were also negative reviews about the spirits of "Red Moscow". But they expressed themselves more boldly already in the late Soviet period, when an open opportunity arose to get acquainted with Western perfumery. Domestic spirits began to be exhibited as a symbol of standardization and an element of imposed taste. However, it is extremely doubtful to accuse several generations of women of total bad taste on this basis alone.
In the 21st century
The Perfume Story “Red Moscow is still going on, and the treasured bottles are still on sale for the time being. In addition, the choice of the buyer is provided as a vintage perfume, and its modern version, which sounds much lighter and softer, but still recognizable. The packaging design in red and white colors remained unchanged, butagainst the backdrop of a large perfumery variety, it looks very modest.
Today the legendary perfume is positioned as a fragrance for confident, active and purposeful women. A person perfumed by them will certainly attract attention in any society. According to some domestic experts, despite all the concentration and sugariness of Krasnaya Moskva, if used correctly and in moderation, they are quite competitive with French lines.
Interesting facts
Here are some of them:
- The history of the origin of the perfume "Red Moscow" is not confirmed by any documentary evidence. That is why it has so many versions and conjectures.
- At the Brussels International Exhibition in 1958, "Red Moscow" was awarded a gold medal.
- In certain circles, there is an opinion that the composition of "Red Moscow" is a duplication of the legendary fragrance "Chanel No. 5".
- In 1943, after the turning point of the war (the victory at Stalingrad), the renewed production of Krasnaya Moskva was bottled in the containers brought by customers, since there were no bottles at the factory.
- There are many legends about the durability of the Krasnaya Moskva fragrance. The perfume lasts for a long time and opens gradually on the wearer, during the day the smell will change from burning-tart to sweet-tender.
Now you know the history of the greatest domestic perfume.
