Lucien Lelong, "N", 60 ml. or 2.03 oz. Flacon, Parfum Extrait, 1936, Paris, France ..

Lucien Lelong belongs to an elite pantheon of French designers who, in the early 20th century, became instrumental in shaping the world of haute couture for decades to come. Among his contemporaries were Chanel, Worth, Patou, Lanvin and Schiaparelli, each of whom has left an indelible mark on fashion.

Lelong was born in Paris on October 11, 1889, the son of Arthur and Valentine Lelong. In 1921, he opened the fashion house of Lucien Lelong. Success seemed to come to him overnight. In 1924, he left the Madeleine district to settle at 16 Avenue Matignon in Paris and started his perfume company. Believing perfume to be an essential part of a woman's dress, the designer in 1924 established the Société des Parfums Lucien Lelong, experimenting with fragrance using very modern, luxury presentations. Lelong eventually had shops in London and New York.

Launched in 1936, "N" by Lucien Lelong is a Floral fragrance for women. It was a tribute to his second wife, the great beauty Natalia Paley, whom he married in 1927. Paley was the daughter of Grande Duke Paul Alexandrovitch and his second wife, Princess Olga Pistolkors. Natalie Paley was the first cousin of Nicholas II, the last Romanov emperor of Russia. Paley, born in France, returned to France at the time of the Russian Revolution. Both her father and brother had been killed by Bolsheviks. During her mariage to Lelong she worked for him as a fashion model and then launched a career as an actress, working both in France and the United States.

Lucien Lelong “N" is a light, aldehydic floral perfume for women with chypre notes of dry woods and peppered with spices. It was later renamed Taglio in 1945.

Lucien Francois described "N" in 1945 .. "Cool, sharp perfumes are rarely successful. This one is as bitter as tonic with its astringent notes of wood, tea, ylang ylang and damp leaves, yet its aristocratic coolness is what makes it the most haughty, attractive and taboo fragrance that I know .. "

Top notes are Ginger, Fig Leaf, Calbanum, Carnation, Bergamot, Lilac, Narcissus, Nutmeg, and Tea
Heart notes are Rose, Jasmine, Violet, Ylang Ylang, Magnolia, Carnation, Iris, and Orris Root
Base notes are Spices, Sandalwood, Cedar, Vetiver, Oak Moss, Amber, Tonka Bean, and Vetiver

"The beautiful perfume "N", despite its years, opens up with a zing of fresh ginger. A few seconds later it becomes more of the broken green stem of a flower, then a carnation note emerges, spicy and then the lovely florals. The striking thing about Lucien Lelong's "N" is how alive and present it smells. As the perfume dries down it becomes a powdery iris that fades into a very dry and dusty vetiver. It is absolutely lovely!"

Offered here is a sealed two ounce bottle of this beautiful perfume, in excellent condition. Treasured and collectible!