Lancome Perfumes and Furs

In Volume 21 of American Fur Breeder (1948), an article titled "Perfume and Furs" offered an unusually nuanced look at how perfume and fur—two hallmarks of postwar luxury—could complement each other if paired with discretion and understanding. Far from being a casual suggestion, the article served as a kind of olfactory manual for fur wearers, offering practical advice rooted in both the chemistry of perfumery and the physical nature of various pelts.

The article began with a key caution: perfume can be the “finishing touch” to one’s most luxurious furs—but only if used wisely. It explained that every fur possesses its own natural odor and chemical makeup, which may interact with perfume in ways both beneficial and unpredictable. Because certain furs contain natural fixative properties, the perfume may last longer when applied—but these same properties could also distort a fragrance, particularly lighter compositions. For example, delicate floral perfumes tend to “break down” or lose their distinct character when applied to furs with a stronger inherent scent.

The magazine warned explicitly against over-application, noting that soaking fur in perfume is not only inelegant, but harmful. Alcohol, the primary carrier in most perfumes, could dry out the skins, potentially damaging the garment over time. The risk was even greater with dyed furs; repeated perfume applications could result in discoloration, marring both the appearance and value of the piece.

With practical elegance, the article offered perfume suggestions based on fur type and texture. Soft, plush, velvety furs—like mink, beaver, and nutria—were said to be well suited to perfumes with similarly velvety characteristics. Kypre by Lancôme was highlighted as a particularly good match for these kinds of furs, likely due to its soft, rounded, and slightly mossy chypre structure that complemented the tactile richness of such pelts.

For coarser, bolder furs—those described as “wilder,” like Persian lamb, muskrat, or hair seal—the suggestion was Cuir de Lancôme, a leather-focused fragrance with a sturdy, assertive profile. These furs, being more difficult to wear stylishly, benefitted from a perfume that could meet their visual intensity with equal olfactory character.

Long-haired or paler furs such as sable, chinchilla, ermine, and squirrel—as well as all varieties of mink—were ideally paired with more sophisticated, “chic” scents like Tropiques and Flèches. These perfumes were described as delightfully enhancing the glamour and softness of these elegant furs.

However, not all perfumes were considered suitable. Qui Sait, though refined and complex, was deemed too subtle to perform well on fur. The article noted that its development would be stifled by the medium, and thus it should be avoided altogether. Similarly, Bocages was restricted to only the lightest furs—such as chinchilla, marten, and ermine—suggesting its composition lacked the depth or projection needed to hold its own on darker or denser pelts.

Ultimately, the article in American Fur Breeder didn’t just propose perfume as a fashionable accessory—it treated scent as a material extension of fur itself, reinforcing the importance of matching olfactory tone to texture, weight, and color. In doing so, it revealed a rare and insightful convergence of two luxury crafts: one rooted in touch, the other in scent.