Celui by Jean Desses (1938)

Celui by Jean Dessès, launched in 1938, is a fragrance whose very name embodies elegance, subtlety, and intrigue. The word “Celui” is French, meaning “the one” or “the chosen one.” Pronounced in as "suh-LWE", it is simple yet commanding, precise yet mysterious. The name evokes images of singularity and distinction—a fragrance that belongs uniquely to its wearer, intimate and selective, whispered rather than announced. Emotionally, it suggests discretion and allure, the kind of perfume that carries with it the subtle magnetism of a secret, something treasured and private, hinting at sophistication and quiet confidence rather than bold flamboyance.

The period of 1938 was poised between the grandeur of the interwar years and the looming uncertainties of World War II. Fashion in Paris was characterized by structured elegance, with couture emphasizing tailored silhouettes, cinched waists, and luxurious fabrics, reflecting both resilience and refinement. Women were beginning to embrace a modern sensibility—poised and self-possessed yet attuned to subtle glamour. In perfumery, this era favored floral chypres, aldehydic bouquets, and complex compositions that expressed both sophistication and personality. Within this context, Celui resonated perfectly: it was at once contemporary and classical, offering a nuanced, multifaceted fragrance that could complement the polished appearance and refined sensibilities of the modern Parisian woman.

Interpreted in scent, Celui opens with a zesty aldehydic top, sparkling with a crisp luminosity that immediately draws attention without overwhelming. Hawthorn adds a tart, slightly green facet, reminiscent of early spring hedgerows, while marjoram and oregano lend a subtle herbal warmth, introducing an almost unexpected depth to the brightness. This green-herbal vibrancy sets the stage for the floral heart, where rose, jasmine, gardenia, heliotrope, and violet bloom in rich, layered harmony. The roses are soft and noble, the jasmine luminous and sensuous, gardenia creamy and enveloping, heliotrope adding a faint almond-like powder, and violet providing delicate sweetness and airy lift. Together, these notes create a bouquet that is simultaneously rich, elegant, and intimate, perfectly reflecting the sense of discretion suggested by the name.

The base, classic and enduring, grounds the composition with a chypre structure deepened by civet, introducing subtle animalic warmth that contrasts the florals’ brightness, adding depth, sensuality, and persistence. The combination of soft florals and a compelling chypre base ensures that Celui leaves a lasting, refined trail—a scent described by contemporary advertisements as “a perfume as soft as a secret.” Its sophisticated balance of brightness, warmth, and floral complexity made it distinctive at a time when aldehydic florals and green-tinged chypres were increasingly popular but often lacked the intimacy and subtlety that Celui achieved.

In the context of other fragrances of the late 1930s, Celui was both of its time and singularly memorable. While it aligned with the trend of refined, aldehydic-floral chypres popularized by houses like Lanvin and Vera Borea, its use of green herbal accents, nuanced florals, and sensual civet base created a layered, sophisticated character that set it apart. For the women of the era, Celui would have been a perfume of discretion and allure—a fragrance that complemented their poise, elevated their presence, and offered a personal signature, embodying the very elegance and refinement of the couture world to which Jean Dessès himself belonged.

Celui was first unveiled in the intimate elegance of Jean Dessès’ Parisian salon, where the launch was as much a sensory experience as a presentation of fashion. As models glided through the salon showcasing his newest fall collection, Dessès lavishly sprayed the fragrance into the air, allowing it to mingle with the textures, fabrics, and movements of the gowns. The floral chypre notes of rose, jasmine, and gardenia blended with the crisp aldehydic top and subtle green-herbal accents, creating an atmosphere that was simultaneously vibrant and intimate. Guests could inhale the perfume as it floated around the room, lingering on silks, velvets, and chiffon, making Celui not just a scent to wear but a living, immersive part of the fashion experience—a perfume that announced itself as elegantly as the couture on the runway.

Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? Celui is classified as a floral chypre fragrance for women. It begins with a zesty aldehydic top accented with hawthorn and the herbal facets of marjoram and oregano, followed by a rich floral heart of rose, jasmine, gardenia, heliotrope and violet, layered over a classic chypre base deepened with civet.

• Top notes: aldehydes, lemon, bergamot, hyacinth, narcissus, marjoram and hawthorn
• Middle notes: oregano, violet, tuberose, rose de Mai, Egyptian jasmine, gardenia, orris and heliotrope
• Base notes: tonka bean, labdanum, cypress, vetiver, civet, ambergris, patchouli, musk, sandalwood and oakmoss

Scent Profile:

Celui opens with a sparkling, luminous top that immediately awakens the senses. The aldehydes shimmer like sunlight on water, lending a clean, airy brightness that amplifies the natural ingredients and gives the composition its unmistakable radiance. Layered with lemon and bergamot, the opening is both citrusy and refined—lemon adds a sharp, tangy clarity, while Italian or Calabrian bergamot contributes a softer, slightly floral-citrus nuance prized for its smooth, sophisticated character. 

Hyacinth introduces a watery, green floral freshness, dewy and crisp, evoking spring gardens after a light rain. Narcissus adds a subtle, indolic floral depth, faintly sweet and animalic, while marjoram brings soft herbal warmth, and hawthorn adds a delicate tartness and green-fruity nuance. The top notes are lively yet elegant, a fresh introduction that balances natural vibrancy with aldehydic sparkle.

As the fragrance unfolds, the heart reveals a lush, layered floral bouquet. Oregano offers a green, slightly resinous herbal facet, enhancing the structure of the florals and adding complexity. Violet provides a soft powdery sweetness, delicate and airy, lifting the composition without overwhelming it. Tuberose contributes creamy opulence, rich and tropical, while rose de Mai brings radiant, silky elegance—the French rose prized for its nuanced, honeyed petals that are both bright and deep.

Egyptian jasmine infuses sensuality, warm and indolic, while gardenia adds a creamy, enveloping softness. Orris, derived from the aged rhizome of iris, introduces a cool, powdery, almost suede-like nuance, and heliotrope offers a gentle almond-vanilla sweetness, softening and harmonizing the heart. Together, these notes evoke a refined, fragrant garden at dusk—complex, intimate, and balanced.

The base of Celui is rich, earthy, and enduring, grounding the florals in warmth and sensuality. Tonka bean adds a soft, sweet, slightly nutty warmth, while labdanum contributes resinous depth and a subtle balsamic glow. Cypress imparts a dry, aromatic greenery, complementing the vegetal facets in the heart, and vetiver offers smoky, earthy, woody elegance. 

Animalic notes of civet and ambergris provide a subtle sensuality, modernized with synthetics to ensure longevity and diffusion. Patchouli adds dark, earthy richness, musk enhances skin-like warmth, sandalwood rounds the composition with creamy softness, and oakmoss provides a classic chypre green-forest foundation, slightly bitter and grounding. The base weaves together the perfume’s luxurious components, creating a scent that lingers for hours, evolving gracefully on the skin.

The genius of Celui lies in its harmonious interplay of 68 ingredients. Synthetics like aldehydes and musks do not overshadow the natural components; instead, they amplify the brightness of citrus, the lift of florals, and the warmth of the base. Rare natural absolutes—Egyptian jasmine, rose de Mai, orris—provide depth, elegance, and a living texture that makes the fragrance feel alive, evolving from fresh top notes to a lush floral heart, finally settling into a powdery, woody, and subtly animalic trail. Worn on the skin, Celui is at once radiant, intimate, and sophisticated—a timeless floral chypre that whispers of elegance, mystery, and the refined glamour of pre-war Paris.

Bottles:

Celui was housed in a variety of flacons, many of them used for other Desses scents, all derived from the original designed by Pierre Camin. The Greek influence is strongly interpreted in the bottle's designs, some are reminiscent of the ancient fluted columns while others feature an egg and dart frieze of Neo-Classical design. The fragrance was elegantly packaged in shades of nasturtium and white which "can be discarded with no regrets," said the designer. Use this handy guide to help you determine the size of your bottles.

Parfum:

Parfum, also called extrait, parfum classic, extrait de parfum or extract, is the highest concentration of perfume. Vintage Desses Parfums can often contain at least 22-40 percent essential oils, a high grade alcohol, and a slight amount of water, compared to a parfum made today which may contain only 20-30 percent oils. Due to the high concentration of essential oils. Parfum can last 7 to 24 hours on the skin. Parfum is the most expensive type of perfume.

Frosted Amphora Parfum Bottles:

The parfum concentration for Celui was housed inside of a beautiful frosted glass bottle. This exquisite bottle was designed by Pierre Camin and was a replica of an ancient Greek amphora in the Louvre. It is of amphora shape, fluted like Grecian columns and has a frosted glass stopper. This bottle was also used for the other Jean Desses perfume, Kalispera. All of the succeeding Desses flacons are based off of this original design.

The bottle came in three sizes:

• 1/8 oz bottle has gilded brass screwcap
• 1/4 oz bottle stands 3.25"
• 1/2 oz bottle stands 3.75"

 

Melon Ribbed Desses Amphora Parfum Flacon:

This is a clear, non-frosted, amphora shape with wide melon rubbed sides rather than fluting. It came in at least two sizes and held the parfum. It can be found in other Desses scents.

• 1 oz
• 2 oz

"Evening Edition" Parfum Travel Flacon:

This amphora shaped bottle holds 1/8 oz of parfum and is made up of gilded brass. It is leakproof and meant to carry in a handbag. The bottle was presented in a antelope suede covered rigid case lined with a white satin interior. These were also used for other Desses fragrances.

Combat, 1959:

"Here is the latest of the delightful presentations that a great couturier gave to his first perfume: That of Jean Dessès. Bottle for the evening, gilded with fine gold, in a beige antelope case, lined with midnight blue satin. Can be found at the Jean Dessès boutique, 12, roundabout of the Champs Elysees."

Combat, 1963:

"The new Kalispera perfume is presented in a deliberately dark bottle, equipped with a new hermetic cap for travel."

Realities - Issues 204-209, 1963:

"Celui from Jean Dessès bottle crystal blue lined and trimmed by hand of Baccarat crystal, with leaf-shaped frame, gold, signed Mauboussin." 

 

Standard Desses Parfum Bottle:

Some of the Celui parfums are housed in tapered cylindrical shaped clear crystal bottle with ground glass stoppers and decorative gilded brass collars. Bottles made in France by Pochet et du Courval. These were also used for other Desses perfumes. The 1/6 oz parfum bottle has a gilded brass screwcap so it will not leak inside the handbag. The 0.25 oz bottle has a mother of pearl type cap.

• 1/6 oz parfum purse bottle has gilded brass screwcap
• 1/4 oz bottle stands 2" tall. (originally retailed for $12.50)
• 1/2 oz bottle stands 2.75" tall. (originally retailed for $20)
• 1 oz bottle stands 3" tall. (originally retailed for $36)
• 2 oz bottle stands 4" tall.
• 4 oz bottle

 

 

  

Parfum de Toilette:

The Parfum de Toilette was a lighter version of the Desses parfum, however, its strength would be equivalent to today's Eau de Parfum concentrations. As a lighter version due to the alcohol content, it differs little from the Parfum in aroma. Vintage Desses Parfum de Toilettes were often made up of 15-20 percent essential oils with a slightly weaker alcohol and water mix. These were highly concentrated compared to today's eau de parfums which are composed of 10-15 percent of essential oils. Parfum de Toilettes usually last about 4-8 hours.

It does not have the longevity of the Parfum as it was meant to splashed liberally over the body for a refreshing effect, mainly after bath or exercise or to boost the Parfum already applied to the skin but which may have faded. Many women who love a particular perfume may find that it is a bit too overpowering to be worn during the day, but that its Parfum de Toilette are just that much lighter to make it an acceptable day perfume too.  

Glass Stoppered Parfum de Toilette:

The Parfum de Toilette was contained in a modified amphora shaped bottle, not frosted, but polished clear crystal and topped with clear glass and lucite acrylic cap. This bottle was meant to sit upon the vanity table. Bottle was made in France by Pochet et du Courval. These bottles were also used for other Desses scents.  

Modified amphora shaped bottle with ground glass stoppers. Bottles made in France by Pochet et du Courval.  These were also used for other Desses fragrances.

• 2 oz bottle stands 6" tall.
• 4 oz bottle stands 7.5" tall
• 8 oz
• 32 oz

Plastic Stoppered Parfum de Toilette Used for Travel:

Modified amphora shaped bottle with plastic screw caps. Bottles made in France by Pochet et du Courval. These were also used for other Desses fragrances.

• 2 oz
• 4 oz
• 8 oz bottle stands 7" tall

Eau de Cologne Parfumee:

The Eau de Cologne Parfumee was a lightest version of the Desses scent which was incorporated with the classic citrus notes of a traditional eau de colognes. I believe that this concentration was equivalent to today's Eau de Toilettes. Vintage Eau de Toilettes often can contain up to 5-15 percent essential oils and were much more concentrated than modern formulas. Eau de Toilettes usually last about 3 hours. 

As an eau de cologne, it differs from the Parfum de Toilette in both composition and aroma. It does not have longevity as it was meant to be splashed liberally all over the body or sprayed throughout the day to freshen up. Perfect for wearing during daytime, or during the warmer months or warmer climates.

Eau de Cologne Parfumee Glass Stoppered Bottles:

The Eau de Cologne Parfumee was contained in a modified amphora shaped bottle, not frosted, but polished clear crystal and topped with clear glass and lucite acrylic cap. This bottle was meant to sit upon the vanity table. Bottle was made in France by Pochet et du Courval. These bottles were also used for other Desses scents.  

• 2 oz
• 3 oz bottle stands 5" tall
• 4 oz
• 8 oz bottle bottle stands 6" tall.
• 16 oz bottle

 

Eau de Cologne Parfumee Flacon Pour Le Voyage:

The Eau de Cologne Parfumee was contained in a modified amphora shaped bottle topped with a black plastic screw cap. Bottle was made in France by Pochet et du Courval. These bottles were also used for other Desses scents.

• 2 oz
• 3 oz bottle stands 5" tall
• 4 oz
• 8 oz bottle
• 16 oz bottle stands 6" tall.

Perfume Sets:

Generally offered either as limited editions or only available during the Christmas holiday, these delightful perfume sets made excellent gifts for the traveler. 

Trousse de Voyage:

Leather Cased Travel Set composed of two bottles of clear and frosted glass, fluted, column styled fluted of demilune shape meant to fit against one another an oval leather case, each bottle has gilded brass screwcaps. The leather was available in either red or black. These were also used for other Desses fragrances. The set originally retailed for $45.  

• 0.75 oz Parfum bottle stands 2.5" tall
• 2 oz Parfum de Toilette bottle stands 4.75" tall.

Parfum & Parfum de Toilette Baccarat Flacons:

Kalispera was also presented in heavy Baccarat crystal bottles housed in a handsome jewel case luxuriously covered in antelope leather and lined with white satin. This was originally created as a gift for the new queen of King Constantine. It was offered to the public at $500 per set. The first twelve sent to the USA were purchased quickly in Dallas, but more sets were on the way to be sold nationwide. The set included two bottles: 

• Parfum de Toilette bottle stands 6" tall.
• Parfum bottle stands 5" tall.

 

Connaissance des arts, 1963:

"In its Baccarat crystal decanter, it's a classy gift. ... that can be used as a jewelry box, created by the great couturier Jean Desses."

Art Direction, 1964:

"Celui Kalispera Jean Desses. A rose by any other name. To introduce in this country a long established, expensive ...The bottle itself has been a prize winner in seven European design competitions, and is made of Baccarat crystal."

Travel Set with Atomizer:

This beautiful set includes a single crystal bottle of parfum, its leakproof screwcap and optional atomizer hardware. The set was housed inside of a brocade covered box lined with white satin.

Fate of the Fragrance:

Celui was launched in 1938, marking Jean Dessès’ entry into the world of perfumery with a refined, floral chypre that reflected the elegance and sophistication of pre-war Paris. Over the decades, it became increasingly rare, and though it was still available for purchase as late as 1985, the fragrance has long since been discontinued. Today, Celui is considered a coveted collector’s item, prized for its intricate blend of aldehydic top notes, lush floral heart, and classic chypre base. Its scarcity only enhances its mystique, preserving its status as a timeless, elegant signature of an era when perfume was crafted with meticulous artistry and couture-level refinement.

In 1984/1985, Celui was available in:

• Parfum 
• Eau de Toilette