Scent of Peace: Nina Ricci’s L’Air du Temps fragrance inspired a war-weary generation to embrace freedom and peace. Its message is more timely now than ever.
“A fragrance is a work of art, and the object that contains it must be a masterpiece.” – Robert Ricci
Maria Nielli, nicknamed ‘Nina’, was born in Turin, Italy in 1883. At the age of 12, her family moved to France where she began an apprenticeship at a dressmaker’s learning the art of pattern cutting, fabric draping and sewing. This work became a passion of hers and she continued to sew throughout her teen years eventually becoming a skilled seamstress. She would fall in love with an Italian jeweler and composer named Luigi Ricci and marry in 1904. After giving birth to a son named Robert, she joined fashion label Raffin where she combined design prowess with business savvy eventually becoming Raffin’s business partner after 20 years. In 1932, at the age of 49, she decided to strike out on her own and launch her own design house simply called ‘Nina Ricci’. It quickly became a family affair: Maria designed the clothing and her son handled the finances. Paris aristocrats quickly flocked to her atelier for the refined and feminine designs.
It was Robert’s idea to create a fragrance to celebrate freedom after years of war. It would be called ‘L’Airs du Temps’ (meaning ‘spirit of the times’) and he turned to master perfumer Francis Fabron to create a modern, light floral that would reflect the elegance of Madame Maria Ricci’s gowns. The formulation itself was strictly edited to 30 ingredients: a floral bouquet wrapped in the silken benzyl salicylate, a groundbreaking ingredient that created blooming effect. Add in some bergamot, rosewood, clove, lily, carnation, gardenia, peach, orris, and dusky woods and you have an elegant, spicy-floral for her.
“There is always that special mysterious something that makes one fragrance more seductive than another: there is something of a minor miracle about L’Air du Temps which gives it its distinctive personality,” said Robert Ricci. “In the same way as a dress is designed to enhance the wearer, so a fragrance is created to seduce in the most subtle of ways. Its purpose is to exalt the personality, and achieve the ideals that the wearer sets for herself. It is a ‘protection’ in the same way as a veil. It ‘shelters’ the wearer inside a fragrance aura.”
Robert’s idea of using two intertwined doves on the cap was brilliantly interpreted by Marc Lalique in 1951 who designed the crystal bottle. In fact, both families got along so well that the Lalique family manufactured bottles exclusively for the house until the 1950s. (The first L’Air bottle was created by Joan Rebull in 1948 and featured a crystal sun with a sculpted dove cap.) In 1991, the L’Air du Temps flacon was named ‘perfume bottle of the century’ and remains admired and appreciated around the world.
What is astonishing to learn is that in over sixty years, Nina Ricci has never revealed the quantity or quality of the hand-sorted ingredients. Even the maceration time of five weeks remains the same. The formula is still passionately protected.
“French perfumery was an art and it is important that it remains one or becomes one again. It is also important that we rediscover the passion for creating the fragrances and visual appeal that, with talent, are vital for the truly inspired creativity that transcends fashion.” – Robert Ricci
This season, Nina Ricci has reimagined the classic scent in a modern version of white flowers and musk.
L’Air du Temps – Collection Lumiere
L’Air du Temps Eau Sublime Collector Edition, $118
Fragrance style: A radiant interpretation of the iconic L’Air scent
Notes: a sillage of white flowers including carnation that mingles with yuzu, tuberose and musk
The bottle: The twin doves and flacon are dipped in gold
The Giveaway: I gave away a bottle of Nina Ricci L’Air du Temps to one lucky reader. To enter, I invited readers to tell me in a blog post comment below if they’ve every tried L’Air du Temps before? Denae Boucher told us and we drew her name from all entries. Congrats Denae!
Nina Ricci fragrances are available in Canada at Hudson’s Bay stores and thebay.com
1,138 Comments
Marianna Karkela
January 4, 2017 at 6:58 amI want so much to try it! Thank you for the chance Dave! @MariannaMario1
Michelle
January 4, 2017 at 6:56 amPeace Be Still !! Universal Love and Light spreading Love where she goes like a peace angel ???? ASTONISHING Bottle ❣I would love to spread my wings with this earth angel scent ????❤️
Victoria Pollet
January 4, 2017 at 6:53 amNever tried it before – would love to try it!
@vickypsa
Anita Steenkamp
January 4, 2017 at 6:52 amNever tried it before but would love too, it sounds so special!
Lorraine Critchlow
January 4, 2017 at 6:51 amNever tried it but it sounds fantastic,fingers crossed !
Ioanna Kotsoroni
January 4, 2017 at 6:51 amClassic fragrance .crossed fingers
Dionne d
January 4, 2017 at 6:50 amNever tried it. It sounds amazing. Woyld definitely wear it.
@dionne_davidson
Maria Lontou
January 4, 2017 at 6:49 amYes I have tried it before and I love it!! @marialontou
Nicole Anderson
January 4, 2017 at 6:49 amI have never tried this before but would love to the modern picture for the newer scent is absolutely breathtaking
@mythreehgb
Heather Tobin
January 4, 2017 at 6:48 amI have tried it and it is a beautiful scent.
@heather053
Mari sutherland
January 4, 2017 at 6:47 amI haven’t tried L’Air du Temps but would love to. The bottle is beautiful
Helen Fitzgerald
January 4, 2017 at 6:47 amI was given a bottle of Nina Ricci L’Air du Temps for my 18th by my best friends mum, I was 18 in the November & my friend was 18 in January, her mum died 2 days before Christmas. Yes I wear it, it reminds me of Mrs Kennedy. I recently bought it for my friends daughters 18th.
@_H_74
Kathleen marsden
January 4, 2017 at 6:45 amNo I haven’t tried Nina Ricci L’Air du Temps but I would love to try it. I know that it is a classic and may suit me.
Niamh Hickey
January 4, 2017 at 6:44 amI’ve had samples and loved them! @niamhzie
msedollyp
January 4, 2017 at 6:44 ammany years ago, very underrated @msedollyp
Jacqueline Buckley
January 4, 2017 at 6:43 amI’ve not tried it, but with this bottle who wouldn’t. It’s like a promise of wonderful things to come. Thank you. @mimamac
Natalia Nasiou
January 4, 2017 at 6:43 amI have never tried L’air Du Temps. I wish I have the opportunity with this special bottle!It seems really aristocratic!!????????????
@NNasiou
Antonia Pantazi
January 4, 2017 at 6:43 amI want it !!@aapantazi
Mybookjacket
January 4, 2017 at 6:43 amI haven’t tried it before and it’s definitely something I’d wear. Especially considering how safely guarded the formula is. I’d feel more special.
Twitter : mybookjacket
Joan Whinnem
January 4, 2017 at 6:43 amI haven’t tried this before but would love the opportunity to do so
Alice D
January 4, 2017 at 6:42 amI haven’t, but am looking for a signature scent for 2017 (new year, new me). This looks beautiful!
HARISH MADHAV KALOKHE
January 4, 2017 at 6:42 amI have never tried it but would love to @GreatPunekar
Sonia Pap
January 4, 2017 at 6:41 amI haven tried it but I haven’t owned it.
@S0naki
Marianthi Petridou
January 4, 2017 at 6:41 amI would like to try on it . @mariannapetrido
DebP
January 4, 2017 at 6:41 amI haven’t tried L’Air du Temps, even though it is iconic. I certainly would. The “perfume bottle of the century” was certainly deserved.