Arlequinade by Rosine (1919)

Arlequinade by Les Parfums de Rosine was launched in 1919, a moment when the world was reawakening from the trauma of the First World War and throwing itself into the glittering, decadent energy of the Jazz Age. This was a time marked by bold artistic experimentation, theatricality, and a longing to escape through fantasy, color, and movement. The name Arlequinade, pronounced “ar-leh-kee-NAHD” in French, was perfectly in step with the spirit of the age. It refers to a comic interlude or short pantomime performance featuring the character Harlequin—Arlequin in French—a mischievous, nimble figure from the Italian commedia dell’arte, whose colorful diamond-patterned costume and clever antics had become symbols of playful seduction and theatrical wit.

Paul Poiret, always drawn to the stage, pageantry, and the reimagining of history, chose the name Arlequinade with theatrical flair. It conjured a world of masked balls, painted faces, and the whimsical performances that delighted audiences across Europe. Harlequin, the archetypal trickster and romantic suitor, embodied the flirtatious and mysterious mood Poiret adored. To wear a perfume named Arlequinade in 1919 was to embrace a flirtatious elegance, to cloak oneself in an air of playful intrigue—perfect for the modern woman who rejected the rigid rules of the Edwardian past and welcomed the freedom of the 1920s.

The scent itself mirrored the idea of performance and transformation. Created by the brilliant perfumer Henri Alméras, Arlequinade was classified as a piquant, woody floral amber fragrance for women, deliberately crafted to be as multifaceted and elusive as the Harlequin character. The heart of the fragrance was dominated by spicy carnation, its clove-like fire softened by a bouquet of powdery white flowers, all resting on a warm, animalic base. The composition was built around a rare material called Opoponax LG, a specialty resin accord produced by Givaudan, which lent a velvety, balsamic warmth—rich, sweet, and faintly medicinal—that anchored the perfume in luxurious depth.

What made Arlequinade even more distinctive for its time was the inclusion of aldehyde C-12 MNA, a synthetic material that gave the perfume a fresh, waxy, almost sea-breeze-like top note, mingling citrus, tuberose, amber, and a hint of moss. Though the dosage was subtle, it added a modern lift to the spiced florals and animalic undertones. The aldehyde also helped to abstract the natural ingredients, giving the whole perfume a more shimmering and “perfumed” quality, rather than a direct replication of flowers.

Advertised as “a spicy carnation on a background of Venetian amber,” Arlequinade was intended for the woman who was both piquant and elegant, mysterious and playful. A 1928 description noted it was ideal “for the piquant type, with rather dark hair and gray-green eyes”—a woman of contrasts, not unlike the Harlequin himself. The comparison to “old-fashioned velvety petunias mixed with other garden flowers” further emphasized the blend of nostalgic softness and bold theatricality. In a market increasingly filled with aldehydic florals, powdery bouquets, and exotic orientals, Arlequinade stood out for its slightly peppery sparkle, its warm animalic base, and its witty, flirtatious character.

In the context of other fragrances on the market at the time, Arlequinade was both in harmony with the growing trend of oriental-spicy florals and strikingly individual in its execution. While Coty’s L’Origan and Houbigant’s Quelques Fleurs offered lush floral fantasies, Arlequinade danced into view like a costumed figure in a masked ball—unmistakable, daring, and utterly captivating.

Paul Poiret, ever attuned to the cultural currents swirling through early 20th-century Paris, drew significant inspiration from Cubism, the avant-garde artistic movement that shattered traditional perspective and reassembled it into bold geometric forms. This modernist sensibility resonated deeply with Poiret’s own desire to liberate fashion from the rigid, corseted silhouettes of the Belle Époque. For Arlequinade, a perfume released in 1919, Poiret found particular inspiration in the figure of Harlequin, a recurring subject in Cubist painting—most famously in the works of Pablo Picasso.

Picasso’s Harlequin, often rendered in fractured planes of color, was not just a character from the commedia dell’arte but a symbol of duality: joy and sorrow, mask and identity, artist and clown. These layered meanings appealed to Poiret, who saw fashion and fragrance as forms of theatrical transformation. In his couture and in Arlequinade, he channeled this play between surface and depth, illusion and essence. The angular lines and jewel-like colors of Picasso’s Harlequin costumes echoed in Poiret’s own fashion sketches and in the lively, multifaceted character of Arlequinade’s scent—a piquant and peppery floral warmed by amber, powdered spice, and a hint of mischief.

Simultaneously, Poiret was influenced by the dramatic revival of commedia dell’arte motifs in music, particularly in the ballets of the Ballets Russes and the compositions of Igor Stravinsky. Works like Pulcinella (1919–20), which Stravinsky composed shortly after World War I, reimagined the comic stock characters of the Italian theatrical tradition through a modernist musical lens. Stravinsky’s playful dissonances and rhythmic ingenuity mirrored the stylistic daring Poiret pursued in scent and fashion alike. Just as Stravinsky’s music recomposed the familiar into something fresh and provocative, Poiret’s Arlequinade reinterpreted the classic carnation floral into a spirited, enigmatic scent that was both nostalgic and strikingly contemporary.

In this way, Arlequinade became more than just a perfume—it was a distillation of an era’s fascination with transformation, performance, and the vivid pulse of modern art. It stood at the intersection of Cubist abstraction, theatrical tradition, and olfactory imagination, revealing Poiret’s genius for turning visual and musical inspiration into scented form.

Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? Arlequinade by Rosine is classified as a piquant, woody floral amber fragrance for women. It was composed up of spicy notes of carnation, powdery white flowers, on an animalic base. It had an unusual base known as "Opoponax LG", manufactured by Givaudan. Arlequinade also had a low level of the C-12 MNA aldehyde which gave it facets of fresh amber, aldehydes, moss, citrus, tuberose, metallic, waxy, and coumarin.  It was advertised as "a spicy carnation on a background of Venetian amber" and "spicy, elegant, light, peppery, seductive, that's Harlequin." It was described in 1928 as "for the piquant type, with rather dark hair and gray green eyes, an intriguing blend which has the rare spicy sweet fragrance of old fashioned, velvety petunias mixed with other garden flowers."

• Top notes: aldehyde C-12 MNA, aldehyde C-10, Calabrian bergamot, Sicilian lemon, Tunisian neroli, West Indian pimento berry, Chinese hibiscus, petunia accord
• Middle notes: Indian carnation, Zanzibar clove, Vietnamese cinnamon, Jamaican nutmeg, Ceylon cardamom, isoeugenol, Riviera jasmine, Bulgarian rose, orange blossom, Grasse tuberose, Manila ylang ylang , heliotropin, Tuscan violet leaf, orchid accord 
• Base notes: Florentine orris, Tyrolean oakmoss, Sudanese myrrh, Maltese labdanum, Somali opoponax, Venetian ambergris, Tibetan musk, Abyssinian civet, Canadian castoreum, Mysore sandalwood, Atlas cedar, Indonesian patchouli, Venezuelan tonka bean, Siam benzoin, coumarin

Scent Profile:

To experience Arlequinade by Rosine is to step into a theatrical dream—a colorful, sensual masquerade brought to life in scent. This 1919 composition opens not with subtlety but with a charming fanfare. The top notes are lively, bright, and slightly mischievous. You are first met with the clean, waxy shimmer of aldehyde C-12 MNA, whose metallic sparkle evokes cool linen and hints of sea air. It lifts the bouquet and gives a diffusive glow that echoes the sheen of silk costumes on a stage. Paired with aldehyde C-10, a citrusy-waxy aldehyde, it brings softness to the brilliance—like a lemon-scented powder puff floating in the air.

Then comes a wave of Calabrian bergamot and Sicilian lemon, sunlit and zesty, their oils extracted from fruits grown in the rich southern Italian soil. These citruses lend elegance—clean, bitter-edged, and refined—while Tunisian neroli adds a delicate green-white floralcy, like orange blossom with a tart bite. As the aldehydes settle, a soft spice begins to warm through: West Indian pimento berry, fruity, clove-like and peppery, builds a bridge into the floral heart. Chinese hibiscus, more symbolic than pungent, provides a tropical brightness, while the petunia accord—a stylized creation of heliotropin, violet, and coumarin—introduces a plush, nostalgic sweetness. It’s velvety, powdery, and hauntingly soft, a nod to gardens at dusk.

At the heart of Arlequinade is its drama—Indian carnation bursts forward with its peppery clove-like heat, enhanced by Zanzibar clove and Vietnamese cinnamon, which lend resinous warmth and a spicy-sweet shimmer. Jamaican nutmeg introduces a creamy, almost woody heat, while Ceylon cardamom brings a green, camphoraceous breeze through the bouquet. These spices aren't sharp; they are diffused, softened by floral warmth. Isoeugenol, a synthetic cousin of eugenol found in clove, deepens the carnation effect and gives it greater tenacity. It creates a full-bodied warmth that feels both intimate and refined.

Then comes a cascade of flowers: Riviera jasmine and Bulgarian rose—sweet, honeyed, opulent—tempered by airy orange blossom and creamy, exotic Manila ylang ylang. Grasse tuberose—rich, narcotic, and slightly green—wraps around a whisper of orchid accord, an early fantasy floral likely composed of violet leaf, heliotropin, and soft aldehydes. Tuscan violet leaf lends a metallic-green facet, while heliotropin (also known as piperonal) imparts a cherry-almond sweetness that amplifies the petunia illusion.

As the fragrance deepens, the base becomes the stage curtain—heavy, plush, animalic, and rich. Florentine orris, powdery and buttery, combines with Tyrolean oakmoss to create a forest-floor effect: earthy, dry, slightly leathery. Sudanese myrrh and Somali opoponax bring balsamic, slightly bitter resins that give the base its twilight depth. Maltese labdanum offers a leathery, amber warmth—sticky, sweet, and smoky—and when paired with Venetian ambergris, the result is shimmering and marine, yet intimate and salty. Tibetan musk, Abyssinian civet, and Canadian castoreum lend an unmistakably animalic quality—seductive and raw—tempered with grace and smoothness.

Supporting these animalics are the woods and sweetened resins: Mysore sandalwood, creamy and milky, nestles with Atlas cedar, dry and resinous. Indonesian patchouli grounds the base with its earthy richness, while Venezuelan tonka bean and coumarin add a sweet, hay-like finish that smooths over the stronger animalics. Siam benzoin, warm and vanillic, rounds everything into a final whisper of comfort—reminiscent of skin, powdered and glowing.

The result is a fragrance that feels like a vintage theatrical costume: spiced with stories, softened with time, and alive with personality. Arlequinade dances between piquant spice, velvet petals, and carnal depth. It's a perfume that hints at laughter, mystery, and intrigue—at once playful and sensual, just like its namesake from the Commedia dell’Arte. It does not merely recall the past; it performs it.

The Gazette Times - Oct 26, 1924:

"Paris sends us these alluring perfumes, created by Rosine, a master perfumer. Only French genius can produce such distinctive odeurs, contained in artistic flasks, charmingly packaged...  Arlequinade, in gold decorated flask, with red tassel. $25."

Bottles:

The bottle for Arlequinade by Rosine was a playful, theatrical marvel—just as fanciful and characterful as the fragrance it housed. Directly inspired by a harlequin costume created by avant-garde artist Marie Vasilyeff, the flacon brought to life the spirit of the commedia dell’arte, channeling both whimsy and elegance. The design was entrusted to renowned bottle sculptor Julien Viard, whose vision merged the geometric boldness of Cubism with the performative flair of the Harlequin character.

Gilded triangles—alternating in gleam and shadow—adorned all four sides of the bottle, creating a rhythmic, diamond-like harlequin pattern reminiscent of a stage costume. These motifs weren’t merely decorative; they captured the essence of movement and spectacle, evoking the glittering jester’s tunic flickering under the lights of an early 20th-century Parisian theater. Standing at 6 inches tall, the flacon conveyed presence and poise—tall, slender, and stylishly modern for its time.

Crowning the bottle was a clever nod to character costuming: a black Bakelite stopper molded in the shape of a tricorne hat, a clear reference to Harlequin’s theatrical headwear. The choice of Bakelite, a fashionable and innovative material in the 1920s, added a touch of modernity to the otherwise classical silhouette. The contrast of glossy black against the gilded glass further emphasized the bottle's dramatic flair.

Affixed to the front of the bottle was a small triangular red paper label, printed in stark black ink—its angular form echoing the diamond pattern of the flacon itself. This bold label, minimal yet striking, enhanced the overall visual rhythm of the presentation.

In 1924, Arlequinade was priced at $25—a significant sum at the time, firmly situating it among the more luxurious and exclusive perfumes of the era. More than a fragrance bottle, it was a sculptural object, a collector’s treasure that conveyed wit, fantasy, and refined theatricality. Through this bottle, Poiret and Rosine brought to life a perfume that was not just worn, but performed.

Fate of the Fragrances:

Arlequinade by Rosine remained part of the house’s perfume portfolio well into the late 1920s, attesting to its popularity and lasting appeal among consumers of the time. It was still actively being sold in 1929, as documented in a volume of the Official Journal: Body of the Provisional Government of Mexico, which listed Arlequinade alongside other celebrated Rosine creations such as Ambre de Venise, Aladin, Chez Poiret, Le Bosquet d’Apollon, Nuit de Chine, and Toute la Forêt. This inclusion indicates not only its international availability but also the breadth and ambition of Poiret’s perfume empire during its final years.

By 1930, however, Les Parfums de Rosine succumbed to the financial pressures of the changing economic landscape and officially ceased operations. The house’s closure marked the end of a bold and artistically driven chapter in early 20th-century perfumery. Remaining stock of Rosine perfumes, including Arlequinade, was subsequently liquidated at drastically reduced prices—a bittersweet finale to a brand once celebrated for its artistic innovation, theatrical packaging, and avant-garde scent compositions.

Despite its discontinuation, Arlequinade endures in memory as one of the more imaginative and distinctive perfumes of its time, capturing the vivacity of a post-war cultural renaissance, the daring of Cubist art, and the dreamlike extravagance of Poiret’s vision. Today, surviving bottles are cherished by collectors not only for their rare and elaborate presentation but for what they represent: the height of perfume as a gesamtkunstwerk—a total work of art.