Hermès, Hermes, Hiris, 'Iris', 100 ml. or 3.3 oz. Flacon, Eau de Toilette, 1998, Paris, France ..

In 1940, the New York Times reported, ‘It has been said of Hermès that it is perhaps the only establishment in the world in which one cannot buy a single article that is not in perfect taste.’ Well over 70 years later, that comment rings equally true.

The history of the house of Hermès goes back much further than that, though. In 1837, Thierry Hermès opened a harness shop in Paris .. and a carriage is still part of their logo, today. Napoleon III was among the distinguished loyal clients, and in 1867, Hermès won a First Class Medal at the Exposition Universelle.

Thirteen years later, the business wowed smart Paris by opening a store, with workrooms behind, at 24 Rue Faubourg Saint-Honoré, where you can still find the flagship store for a brand which has become a global by-word for luxury.

From saddlery, Hermès moved into luxury leather goods .. and into fashion. Savvily, third-generation Hermès family member Émile-Mauric secured the European patent on the zipper, used on garments like the zip-fronted jacket that the future Prince of Wales .. already a style icon .. would wear golfing, in Biarritz. Hermès‘s womenswear line was unveiled in 1929, and then came sportswear .. skiing, skating, tennis clothes and more, for the newly ‘sportif‘ rich.

Throughout, craftsmanship and artisan touch remained the signature of Hermès. And before perfume entered the Hermès realm, perhaps the most accessible way to discover and enjoy the stylish creations of this Parisian house was to swathe yourself in one of the silk scarves first launched in 1937, swiftly becoming status symbols for women including the future Queen Elizabeth II. In The Perfume Society‘s archive, there is one of the stunning Hermès 1980s ‘perfume bottle’ scarves.

The masterful hands-on approach Hermès has always taken to its carefully-crafted clothes and accessories, meanwhile, also extends to fragrance. Hermès’s ‘fragrant adventure’ began in 1951, when legendary perfumer Edmond Roudnitska composed Eau d’Hermès. Many great names have worked on creations, before Grasse-based Jean-Claude Ellena joined the house in 2004, becoming its exclusive perfumer .. a great admirer of Roudnitska, he too seeks to ‘pare down’ his creations, creating magic with the olfactory equivalent of a few painterly strokes.

So alongside the classics within Hermès‘s portfolio, the women’s floral-chypre Calèche, created by Guy Robert in 1961, sit Jean-Claude Ellena’s creations .. fresh Eau d’Hermès splashes and Colognes, for instance, invigorating the soul and the spirit, along with the senses. Voyage d’Hermès, too, with its amazing ‘swivel’ flacon, inspired by a stirrup. The bestselling Terre d’Hermes, blending elements of earth, air and water, the exquisitely feminine Jour d’Hermès, a sensual, luminous and widely-acclaimed floral.

Hiris .. from the flower to the fragrance, the modern and refined mindset of a unique soleflore, all devoted to the splendor of the iris. A perfume of emotion and subtlety, conceived by Olivia de Giacobetti, it expresses its charm with an infinite delicacy; sometimes floral, sometimes powdery or plant-like, always one of the olfactory wonders of nature. Hiris was launched in 1998.

Top notes are Coriander, Carnation, Iris, and Amber
Heart notes are Iris, Neroli, and Rose
Base notes are Honey, Vanilla, Cedar, and Almond Tree

Offered here is a beautiful 3.3 oz. spray flacon of this fascinating and gorgeous perfume. It comes its original presentation box. It has never been used, and is completely full.