Fleur Bienaimee by Houbigant c1930

Fleur Bienaimée by Houbigant was launched in 1930, during a period of remarkable creativity and modernity in both fashion and fragrance. The name itself—Fleur Bienaimée—is French, pronounced “flur bee-eh-neh-MAY,” and translates to “Beloved Flower” in English. Evocative and tender, the name conjures imagery of cherished blossoms gently plucked at dawn, cradled with affection, and pressed into the folds of memory. There is a poetic sweetness in its phrasing, as though the fragrance were not simply floral, but a living token of love, affection, or deep sentiment. Created by Robert Bienaimé—who had also given the world the legendary Quelques Fleurs—Fleur Bienaimée carried his signature style of refined, romantic compositions. It was said to be a fairly strong yet beautifully blended spicy floral, combining several springtime flowers still damp with dew. Hints of citrus lifted the opening, adding freshness to what was otherwise a sweet, slightly medicinal and musky scent. The “medicinal” note would likely have come from natural ingredients like clove, carnation, or cinnamon, which lent the composition a nostalgic warmth and familiarity. The musk gave it longevity and sensuality, while the sweetness grounded it emotionally—a balance between innocence and allure.

The early 1930s marked the end of the Roaring Twenties and the beginning of the Great Depression. In perfumery, however, this was still a golden age. The Art Deco movement continued to influence design and fragrance packaging, and women sought perfumes that were both elegant and comforting. Fleur Bienaimée, with its expressive name and richly nuanced profile, would have appealed to the modern woman of the time—one who embraced femininity but also faced the uncertainties of the new decade with grace. Its floral heart would speak to tradition and romance, while the spicy warmth and musky depth projected resilience and emotional complexity.

Within the broader context of perfumery, Fleur Bienaimée aligned with ongoing trends of lush, multi-floral compositions but stood apart for its balance of gentle sweetness and assertive spice. It was not a minimalist perfume; it was a fragrance meant to be worn and remembered—perhaps even to be adored. Just as its name suggested, it was a perfume for a beloved woman, or perhaps a woman who sought to embody that idea through scent.

When Fleur Bienaimée launched in 1930, it entered a world that was teetering on economic collapse. The stock market crash of late 1929 had ushered in the Great Depression, a period of immense financial hardship that would span most of the 1930s. Still, luxury perfumes such as Fleur Bienaimée were introduced with a full range of packaging and pricing that reflected the brand’s prestige. The 0.25 oz purse-sized parfum retailed for $1.00—a modest-sounding sum, yet equivalent to about $18.80 in today’s money. At the top of the scale, a 6 oz bottle of Fleur Bienaimée parfum retailed for a substantial $18.00 (equivalent to about $338.38 in 2025). The 1 oz parfum was priced at $3.50 (about $65.80 today), the 1 2/3 oz Parfum was priced at $6 (about $112.79 today), while the 4 oz Eau de Toilette sold for $4.00, which would now be $75.20. Even the accompanying face powder, priced at $1.00, would translate to nearly $19.00 in modern value.

These were considerable prices at a time when unemployment was widespread and many families were struggling to afford basic necessities. Yet perfume, often seen as an affordable luxury, continued to sell. It offered a small dose of glamour, escape, and personal dignity in difficult times. Still, even the most loyal customer might think twice before purchasing a full-size bottle when essentials were harder to come by. Houbigant, like other luxury brands of the time, recognized this shift in consumer behavior and adapted accordingly.

By 1933, Houbigant had made a decisive change in its packaging strategy. The elaborate and expensive presentation bottles used for Fleur Bienaimée, as well as other perfumes like Bois Dormant and Au Matin, were discontinued. These flacons had been part of a coordinated design language—similar shapes and styles, often luxurious and costly to produce. In their place, simpler and more affordable bottles were introduced. This change reduced production costs, made the fragrances more accessible to a financially-strapped public, and allowed for broader retail distribution.

Perhaps most significantly, like other perfume brands, Houbigant began to permit perfume sales by the dram—a move that dramatically lowered the entry cost for consumers. A dram (approximately 1/8 of an ounce) gave women a chance to experience luxury without the commitment of a full bottle. It was an elegant solution to a dire economic situation: preserve the mystique and desirability of fine perfume while lowering the financial barrier to purchase.

Houbigant’s ability to pivot during these years reflects both an understanding of the era's economic pressures and a keen sensitivity to customer behavior. By scaling down the extravagance but maintaining the fragrance quality, the company preserved its market presence and consumer goodwill during one of the most challenging periods in modern history.

Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? Fleur Bienaimee by Houbigant is classified as a floral oriental and has been described as a fairly strong spicy combination of several dewy  springtime flowers nicely blended, a sweet medicinal musky scent with a hint of citrus.

• Top notes: Calabrian bergamot, Amalfi lemon, aldehyde C11, aldehyde C12. 
• Middle notes: Grasse jasmine absolute, Bulgarian rose otto, Alpine lily of the valley, hydroxycitronellal, lilial, phenyl ethyl alcohol, Moroccan narcissus absolute, Comoros ylang ylang, Zanzibar clove bud oil, Indian carnation, eugenol, methyl eugenol, methyl salicylate
• Base notes: Italian orris butter, Tonkin musk, ambergris tincture, Canadian castoreum tincture, Abyssinian civet tincture, coumarin, vanillin, Spanish labdanum, Haitian vetiver, Tyrolean oakmoss

Scent Profile:

The first impression of Fleur Bienaimée by Houbigant is striking in its clarity—bright, almost crystalline. The top notes unfurl like a sun-drenched morning in a Mediterranean orchard. The Calabrian bergamot, harvested from the rugged coastal groves of southern Italy, brings a radiant, green citrus note that is both sparkling and sophisticated, never sharp. Just beneath, the Amalfi lemon adds a slightly more tart juiciness, capturing the freshness of lemon zest with the elegance of its Italian origin. Then come the aldehydes—not the harshness one might expect, but a softly metallic shimmer. Aldehyde C11 introduces a soapy, waxy cleanliness like fresh linen, while C12 brings a glinting brightness, as if dew had crystallized in the air. Together, these synthetics create a sheer, airy lift that projects the floral heart to come.

As the top diffuses, the heart blossoms—a lavish spring bouquet, rendered with masterful complexity. The Grasse jasmine absolute, sourced from the perfume capital of France, is full-bodied, indolic, and creamy, evoking sun-warmed petals just at their peak. Intertwined is the Bulgarian rose otto, deep and honeyed with green, peppery undertones—true to its terroir in the Valley of the Roses. Alpine lily of the valley cannot be extracted naturally, but its scent is conjured with an exquisite trio of aroma chemicals: hydroxycitronellal, with its fresh, green floral softness; lilial, lending a clean, slightly powdery note; and phenyl ethyl alcohol, which layers in a subtle rose lift and gives the illusion of morning dew clinging to the petals.

The floral theme becomes spiced and textured with complex botanicals. Narcissus absolute, drawn from Moroccan blooms, introduces a narcotic floral with animalic, hay-like shadows. Ylang ylang from the Comoros Islands adds a tropical, creamy richness tinged with banana and spice. Clove bud oil from Zanzibar is warm, woody, and slightly astringent, balancing the florals with a faint medicinal edge. The Indian carnation note, rich in eugenol and methyl eugenol, smells of crushed clove and dusty petals, enhancing the spicy accord. A trace of methyl salicylate, with its wintergreen-fresh, balsamic sweetness, adds a cool medicinal shimmer—a contrast that keeps the bouquet vibrant and dynamic.

The base of Fleur Bienaimée is where the fragrance finds its depth and sensuality. The Italian orris butter is creamy, powdery, and violet-like, with a finely milled luxury that grounds the florals in plush softness. Then come the animalics—true hallmarks of 1930s French perfumery. Tonkin musk, a rare and now-banned material, was then used to lend a velvety, skin-like sensuality. Ambergris tincture brings its oceanic, almost mineral sweetness, making the fragrance last for hours. The inclusion of Canadian castoreum and Abyssinian civet tinctures adds layers of leather, honey, and warmth—tinged with wildness, lending complexity and a certain erotic shadow to the perfume’s sweetness.

The finish is elegant and long-lasting. Coumarin, with its hay-like softness, and vanillin, sweet and comforting, form the fragrance’s backbone. Spanish labdanum, sticky and resinous, adds depth and a faint incense-like facet. The Haitian vetiver, dry and rooty, grounds the sweetness with a touch of smoke. Finally, Tyrolean oakmoss, earthy and damp, imparts a rich green texture that echoes back to the dewy florals of the opening.

Altogether, Fleur Bienaimée is a tapestry of contrasts—freshness and depth, florals and spice, purity and sensuality. It is both of its time and beyond it, a fragrance that doesn’t just rest on beauty but tells a story with every note.

Bottles:

Fate of the Fragrance:

During the Second World War, the world of luxury perfumery—already exclusive and expensive—faced tremendous challenges, and Fleur Bienaimée by Houbigant was not immune. Though the fragrance was still being sold as late as 1943, its eventual discontinuation may have been directly tied to the mounting difficulties brought on by wartime conditions. France, and particularly Paris, was at the heart of the European fragrance industry, but the German occupation and the resulting economic strain severely disrupted every part of the supply chain. Raw materials that were once readily available through global trade—precious florals from Grasse, exotic spices from India, balsams from Siam, and musks and resins from Tibet, Abyssinia, and Tonkin—suddenly became inaccessible due to blockades, rationing, and the redirection of global shipping routes for military purposes.

The challenges extended beyond the ingredients themselves. Many traditional perfume bases relied heavily on alcohol, which became increasingly scarce as ethanol was prioritized for medical and military use. Export and import restrictions further complicated matters, making international sales difficult and limiting access to foreign markets and packaging components. Even seemingly small elements like glass bottles, chrome-plated caps, silk-lined boxes, and printed labels became problematic. Luxury presentation boxes—especially those requiring imported paper, pigments, or embossing materials—were no longer sustainable to produce. Factories, including perfume houses like Houbigant, often faced damage from bombings, power outages, or were repurposed for war-related manufacturing, leaving perfume production in limbo.

Moreover, the cultural landscape shifted. The idea of indulging in luxury perfumes during a time of ration books, blackouts, and occupation seemed increasingly out of step with the grim realities of daily life. Perfume remained a small comfort to many, and sales continued in limited quantities, but demand for extravagance inevitably declined. As a result, Fleur Bienaimée, a fragrance that had once been positioned as a refined and emotionally resonant floral-spice blend, likely fell victim to these compounding constraints. While we do not know the precise date of its discontinuation, the end likely came sometime during the war years, when the elegance of such perfumes gave way to austerity and survival.