Amerique by Courreges (1974)

Amérique de Courrèges, launched in 1974 by the forward-thinking French fashion house Courrèges, was more than just a perfume—it was a statement. The name itself, Amérique de Courrèges, translates from French to "America by Courrèges" (pronounced ah-may-reek duh koo-rehj), a title that immediately conjures images of wide-open landscapes, frontier spirit, and a daring modernity. The name was a nod to both admiration and interpretation—an idealized vision of the American West seen through the eyes of a French couturier fascinated by movement, freedom, and future-forward style. 

By the mid-1970s, the world was in the throes of dramatic cultural shifts. The optimism and experimentation of the 1960s had matured into the bold, assertive aesthetics of the 1970s. Fashion was embracing structured minimalism, gender-fluid tailoring, and space-age materials—all aesthetics Courrèges had pioneered since the early 1960s. Perfume, too, was evolving: heavy, animalic bases were giving way to the crisp, abstract sparkle of aldehydes and green notes. Amid this climate, Amérique de Courrèges emerged as a fragrance that straddled tradition and innovation.

The scent opens with a bright, aldehydic shimmer that feels clean and modern, underscored by juicy green and subtly fruity notes—an energetic nod to fresh air and open space, perhaps evoking the vast, untamed American plains. The heart blooms into an exotic floral accord—lush, mysterious, and vibrant. This middle stage might be interpreted as the feminine heart of the fragrance, romantic yet independent, resonant of Western heroines who embodied both elegance and resilience. As it settles, the base reveals a balsamic and woody richness, grounding the perfume with warmth and strength—qualities often associated with the rugged terrain and pioneering spirit of the American West. 

To a woman in 1974, Amérique de Courrèges would have felt adventurous and self-assured. This was a time when women were asserting more independence, both socially and sartorially, and a perfume that evoked wanderlust, strength, and sensual sophistication would resonate deeply. The fragrance was classified as an aldehydic chypre floral, a category that was both classic and cutting-edge at the time. It stood alongside contemporaries like Chanel No. 19 (1971) and Rive Gauche (1970), yet distinguished itself with its uniquely Courrèges balance of crisp abstraction and layered sensuality. 

In scent, Amérique de Courrèges was an olfactory reinterpretation of America—not a literal depiction of cowboys and canyons, but a stylized, almost cinematic version: bold, expansive, elegant, and undeniably modern. Amerique was available in both parfum and eau de toilette.

Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? Amerique by Courreges is classified as is an aldehydic chypre floral fragrance for women. It starts with a aldehydic, green, fruity top, followed by an exotic floral heart, resting on a warm, balsamic, woody base. 

• Top notes: aldehydes, Sicilian neroli, Calabrian bergamot, Bourbon geranium, Jamaican pepper, peach, raspberry accord, spice oils, green note accord
• Middle notes: Portuguese tuberose, Comoros ylang ylang, Indian carnation, Grasse jasmine, Bulgarian rose, Dutch hyacinth, Spanish mimosa, Roman chamomile, Hungarian clary sage, Russian coriander
• Base notes: Malaysian patchouli, Austrian oakmoss, leather, Ethiopian civet, Tonkin musk, ambergris, Brazilian rosewood, Haitian vetiver, Mysore sandalwood, Florentine iris, Mexican palisander wood

Scent Profile: 

Amérique by Courrèges opens with a burst of air and light—an aldehydic shimmer that is at once crisp, abstract, and almost metallic. These aldehydes lend a sparkling cleanliness, like cold morning dew on glass, evoking ozone-filled skies and polished modernity. They amplify and uplift the natural notes that follow, pushing the fragrance into a radiant, luminous space. Into this brilliance, Sicilian neroli enters with a waxy, honeyed citrus bloom—sun-drenched and bitter-sweet, a contrast of light floral elegance and sharp green rind. The neroli, distilled from bitter orange blossoms grown in Sicily's volcanic soil, brings a vivid intensity unmatched by other origins—here, it’s both delicate and tinglingly fresh.

Calabrian bergamot, from Italy’s sun-washed Ionian coast, adds a tart green-citrus edge. This particular bergamot is prized for its nuanced complexity—equal parts floral, green, and bitter—which harmonizes the opening with a refined sharpness. A flicker of Bourbon geranium from Réunion Island drifts in: cool, minty, and rosy, its metallic greenness cuts through the fruit and flowers like a sliver of ice. Jamaican pepper, warm and aromatic, hums beneath with its allspice character—clove, cinnamon, and a breath of smoke all in one, offering a sensual burn that pulses under the citrusy gleam.

As the top evolves, the fruit accords begin to emerge: peach with its velvety fuzz and sweet, sun-ripened nectar; a raspberry accord that adds tart brightness with a sugared edge, juicy and just a touch playful. This fruitiness, though synthetic in its clarity, is softened and enriched by a medley of spice oils—likely nutmeg, cardamom, perhaps a touch of clove—wrapping everything in warmth. A green note accord gives a freshly snapped-stem sharpness, adding an earthy tension to the sweetness and spice. Then the heart unfolds, lush and opulent. Portuguese tuberose is the centerpiece—creamy, narcotic, and slightly animalic. Its heady bloom dominates the heart, full of white-petaled intensity. 

Comoros ylang ylang brings a banana-like, waxy sensuality, sweet and slightly rubbery, deepening the tropical warmth. Indian carnation, with its spicy-clove facet, bridges floral brightness and warmth, giving a peppery lift. The Grasse jasmine is rich and indolic, sun-warmed and earthy, with a honeyed glow that sings of Provençal gardens. Bulgarian rose, famed for its deep, plush, and lemon-tinged character, lends a regal gravitas—its voluptuousness enhanced by the green, crisp delicacy of Dutch hyacinth, dewy and subtly aquatic. Spanish mimosa joins with a puff of powdery yellow pollen, golden and slightly almondy. Roman chamomile—herbal, apple-like, and slightly bitter—provides a calm, aromatic counterpoint. 

Finally, Hungarian clary sage and Russian coriander create a curious aromatic bridge: the sage is musky and green with a tobacco-like depth, while coriander adds a peppery-citrus spice that feels effervescent. The drydown emerges gradually and sumptuously. Malaysian patchouli, with its humid, inky earthiness, anchors the scent, mingling with the bitter, mossy coolness of Austrian oakmoss. Together, they create a chypre base that is shaded and forested—damp and mysterious. A ribbon of leather threads through, supple and slightly smoky, adding a tactile, animalic elegance. 

Ethiopian civet, once natural and now usually recreated synthetically, hums with an intimate warmth—musky, slightly fecal, undeniably sensual. Tonkin musk offers an elusive, almost skin-like sweetness; its rich softness, once derived from the musk deer, is now mirrored by musk ketone and other synthetics, blending seamlessly with ambergris—a marine, salty, and slightly sweet note that adds smoothness and roundness. Brazilian rosewood and Mexican palisander wood bring aromatic depth: rosewood is sweet and floral-woody, while palisander, a kind of dark rosewood, adds a dense, exotic resinousness. Haitian vetiver contributes an ashy, grassy smokiness—drier than its Javanese cousin—while Mysore sandalwood lends its signature: creamy, milky, and sacred, its depth unmatched by the paler Australian types. Florentine iris, made from dried rhizomes, finishes the base with a buttery, powdery finesse—both rooty and airy, with a noble melancholy.

Together, these ingredients form an intricate tapestry—Amérique is a fragrance of bold contrasts and careful craftsmanship. It is neither purely floral nor strictly chypre, neither entirely natural nor fully abstract. It moves like a landscape: sharp light and shifting shadow, lush blooms and open plains, wood smoke and skin. Through its blend of rare natural ingredients and sophisticated synthetics, it evokes a romanticized America not of cowboys and canyons, but of independence, sensuality, and modernity—filtered, of course, through the refined lens of Parisian elegance.

Fate of the Fragrance:

Amérique de Courrèges, launched in 1974, emerged during a period of creative energy and boundary-pushing innovation in perfumery. It was part of a broader shift toward bold compositions that explored both the avant-garde and the nostalgic, reflecting the aesthetic of its creator, André Courrèges, a visionary designer best known for his futuristic, mod fashion of the 1960s and 1970s. This fragrance marked his continued expansion into olfactory expressions of modernity—fragrances as fashion statements, just as sculptural and daring as his clothing.

Though the precise date of its discontinuation is not documented, Amérique continued to appear in retail listings and department store fragrance counters well into the early 1980s. It was still being actively sold in 1982, suggesting that it had a relatively long shelf life for a designer scent of its era—at least eight years on the market. Its endurance is noteworthy, as many niche or high-concept perfumes introduced in the 1970s were often phased out within a few years unless they achieved widespread commercial success.

Over time, as Courrèges' aesthetic shifted and the fashion industry entered the high-gloss, power-perfume era of the 1980s, Amérique gradually faded from the spotlight. However, for those who wore it in its prime, it remained a singular olfactory memory—a fragrance that captured a vision of America not from a literal or geographic perspective, but as a concept: expansive, untamed, full of promise and contradiction. Its composition—a complex aldehydic chypre with florals, woods, and sensual animalic nuances—embodied a uniquely Franco-American ideal of style, sophistication, and freedom.

Courreges in Blue by Courreges (1983)

Courreges in Blue, launched in 1983, reflects André Courrèges’ vision of modernity and freedom. The choice of the name Courreges in Blue speaks to his renowned minimalist approach, capturing a sense of understated sophistication. The term "in blue" is straightforward and evocative, hinting at the infinite vastness of the sky and ocean, symbols of calm, elegance, and boundless possibility. In French, "bleu" (blue) is associated with depth, clarity, and tranquility, all qualities that the designer might have intended to capture in this fragrance, pronounced "koo-REZH in bloo." For women of the time, Courreges in Blue suggested more than a color; it evoked an attitude—a poised, fresh vision of the future tempered by timeless elegance.

The word Courreges in Blue would have conjured images of effortless style, chic yet reserved. Women in the early 1980s, particularly those who admired Courrèges' forward-thinking designs, would likely have seen the fragrance as a wearable extension of his aesthetic. As the world moved away from the excesses of the disco era into a time of sleek power dressing and structured, tailored fashion, a fragrance called Courreges in Blue represented the modern woman who balanced sophistication with freshness. The scent’s composition reflects this duality, its top notes bursting with aldehydes—a vibrant, clean start that feels like stepping into crisp morning air. This fresh, spicy opening would have felt novel yet perfectly in line with the era’s trend of incorporating aldehydic brightness for a distinctively "clear" fragrance aura.

In scent, Courreges in Blue is the embodiment of controlled elegance with a touch of spontaneity. The aldehydic top notes, enhanced with a subtle spice, immediately provide a sparkling clarity that invigorates without overwhelming. This airy opening transitions smoothly into a heart that blooms with refined florals, enveloping the wearer in a sense of graceful femininity. The base, woody and softly powdery, anchors the fragrance, creating a warm, sophisticated finish that lingers.

The early 1980s saw a shift in the fragrance world from the earthy, oriental tones of the previous decade toward lighter, more structured compositions. Courreges in Blue was both a product of its time and a standout among contemporaries. It aligned with the emerging trend for fresh, aldehydic florals that embodied the crisp professionalism and poise of the time, while adding Courrèges’ unique interpretation—elegant, modern, and forever in style.

Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? Courreges in Blue by Courreges is classified as a fresh spicy floral fragrance for women. It begins with a fresh, spicy aldehydic top, followed by a precious floral heart, resting on a woody, powdery base.

• Top notes: Italian mandarin, Bourbon geranium, aldehydes, French marigold, Calabrian bergamot, Russian coriander, Mediterranean basil, green note accord
• Middle notes: Polish blackcurrant bud, Chilean peach, Chinese peony, Grasse rose, Tuscan violet, Florentine orris, Egyptian jasmine, Tunisian orange blossom, Indian tuberose
• Base notes: Zanzibar clove, Haitian vetiver, Mysore sandalwood, Virginia cedar, Seychelles patchouli, Ethiopian civet, Tonkin musk, ambergris, Balkans oakmoss

Scent Profile:

Courrèges in Blue is a fragrance of chromatic motion—cool, sparkling, and emotionally resonant. It paints the olfactory equivalent of a sunlit breeze rushing through a wild Mediterranean garden before fading into a warm, velvet dusk. Each layer is beautifully textured with global materials chosen not just for their scent, but for their character, reflecting their terroir and intensity. To smell it is to travel by scent, from the sunlit fields of Italy to the dark mossy groves of the Balkans.

The opening is a burst of vitality—Italian mandarin brings a juicy sweetness, less sharp than orange, tinged with honeyed floral tones. Its essential oil is cold-expressed from the peels of fruit grown along Italy’s southern coast, where the sun and soil yield a fruit with unusual brightness and depth. It glows beside Calabrian bergamot, also from southern Italy, whose dry, floral-green citrus note sparkles with a soft bitterness. This isn’t just citrus—it’s a prelude to the aldehydes that lift the whole composition into the stratosphere.

Aldehydes—synthetic molecules like C10 (decanal) and C12 MNA (methyl nonyl acetaldehyde)—bring a soapy, fizzy, almost metallic freshness, like starched linen in sunlight. They give Courrèges in Blue its trademark 1970s shimmer, elevating the floral heart and imbuing the fragrance with a clean sophistication. But the aldehydes are softened by French marigold (tagetes), whose green, pungent floral tone adds a herbal accent, and Mediterranean basil, rich in eugenol and linalool, which offers aniseed brightness and spiced verdancy.

Russian coriander, steam-distilled from the seeds, adds a nutty, peppery facet—less citrusy than Moroccan coriander, it deepens the green complexity. This is further enhanced by a green note accord, likely composed of galbanum-like synthetics and cis-3-hexenol, which evoke the aroma of snapped stems and crushed leaves. And finally, Bourbon geranium—grown on the island of Réunion—emerges with its rosy, minty freshness, lending body to the opening and anchoring it to the floral heart.

As the heart unfolds, we step into a lush, perfumed garden. Grasse rose is queen here—deeply floral, both honeyed and green, distilled from blossoms hand-picked before dawn. It’s accompanied by Egyptian jasmine, warm and indolic, its narcotic sweetness tempered by the radiant powder of Tuscan violet, which lends a soft, suede-like elegance. Florentine orris, aged and ground from the iris rhizome, contributes a fine powderiness and the cool scent of frozen roots—floral, woody, and slightly vegetal.

Fruit notes, real and abstract, are woven in: Chilean peach, juicy and sun-ripened, offers a velvety sweetness, while Polish blackcurrant bud (absolue de bourgeon de cassis) lends a tart, green, slightly animalic character—pungent and powerful, rich in dimethyl sulfide, which brings sharpness and depth. Chinese peony lifts the heart with a delicate, tea-like floralcy, and Indian tuberose, creamy and fleshy, folds in warmth and heady sensuality. Completing the heart is Tunisian orange blossom, a white floral note that is both dewy and sparkling, wrapping the more animalic florals in a bridal white veil.

Then the base emerges, warm and grounding. Zanzibar clove, spicy and resinous, rich in eugenol, hums beneath the florals with dark fire. Haitian vetiver, earthy and woody with a dry, smoky character, partners with Virginia cedar, pencil-sharp and crisp, to provide a solid, woody spine. Mysore sandalwood, from southern India, now rare and protected, would have added a creamy, sacred warmth—today likely replaced by high-quality synthetic santalol to mimic its luxurious effect.

Seychelles patchouli brings a clean, aged darkness, differing from Indonesian varieties with its smoother profile. It binds with Balkans oakmoss, a true chypre staple—cool, mineralic, and velvety green, with an earthy pungency that tethers the entire fragrance to the forest floor.

The final shadows of the fragrance are the most intimate: Ethiopian civet, historically derived from the animal but now represented by synthetic civetone, brings a sensual muskiness—sweaty, human, and compelling. Tonkin musk, similarly animalic and rich, is recreated through muscone or macrocyclic musks like Exaltolide, enhancing the natural florals and giving the fragrance an extraordinary lasting power. Ambergris, once found floating in the ocean and now simulated with ambergris-like synthetics such as Ambroxan, lends a salty, radiant warmth that blends all the parts together into a soft, diffusive glow.

Courrèges in Blue isn’t just a perfume—it is a tactile, visual, and emotional experience. Cool and spicy at the start, luminous with white flowers, it dries down to something unexpectedly sensual. It’s a perfume with a pulse, alive with contrast—fresh but warm, powdery yet spicy, and always just a bit untamed under its tailored surface.

Fate of the Fragrance:

Discontinued, date unknown.

CLICK HERE TO FIND COURREGES IN BLUE PERFUME BY COURREGES ON EBAY