The story of Rochas
Marcel Rochas opened his couture house in Paris in 1925. His daring, feminine style played on strong shoulders, defined waists and the waspie corset. In 1944, in the middle of the war, he launched Femme, dedicated to his wife Hélène. Composed by Edmond Roudnitska, this fruity chypre, built around a plum note, became one of the masterpieces of twentieth-century perfumery. Its Lalique bottle was, according to legend, inspired by the curves of actress Mae West. Marcel Rochas died in 1955 and Hélène Rochas took over the house, which then focused on fragrance: Madame Rochas in 1960 and Eau de Rochas in 1970 broadened the catalogue. The brand later changed owners several times and has belonged to the Interparfums group since 2015, which continues to keep its great classics alive for a new generation of perfume lovers.
An olfactory signature
Femme, Rochas's only entry in our database, sums up the house style: a voluptuous fruity chypre. Plum, peach and bergamot open onto a heart of rose, jasmine and ylang-ylang, before a base of oakmoss, amber and musk. The effect is velvety, warm and sensual, with a very ripe fruity softness balanced by the dryness of the chypre. It is a fragrance of character, both elegant and carnal, that rewards slow wear.
Which Rochas perfume to choose?
Femme is the only Rochas in our database. Choose it if you love classic chypres and ripe fruit, plum and peach, over oakmoss. It is an eau de toilette with a confident trail, best worn in autumn and winter or in the evening. For a first approach, test it on skin over several hours to follow its full development.