Bal a Versailles (1962)

Bal à Versailles by Jean Desprez, launched in 1962, is a perfume that embodies opulence, sensuality, and an unmistakable air of aristocratic romance. The fragrance has its origins in an exclusive composition known as Débutante de Versailles, created for the New York-based cosmetics firm Daggett & Ramsdell as a tribute to elegant American and French debutantes—the young belles of society being presented for the first time. Crafted with more than 300 ingredients, Débutante captured such magic and depth that it was reintroduced to the public under a new name: Bal à Versailles.

The name itself is French, pronounced “bahl ah ver-sigh,” meaning “Ball at Versailles.” The reference conjures immediate imagery of candlelit opulence, powdered wigs, rustling silk gowns, and flirtatious glances exchanged behind lace fans. The Château de Versailles, with its gilded salons, mirrored halls, and manicured gardens, had long symbolized the height of French elegance and excess. Naming the perfume Bal à Versailles was a brilliant evocation of fantasy, beauty, and courtly glamour, channeling an imagined moment when a woman might enter the glittering Hall of Mirrors for a grand fête and captivate every eye with a scent as commanding as her presence.

The early 1960s, the time of the perfume’s debut, marked a transitional period in fashion and perfumery. While the tailored elegance of the 1950s still lingered, new influences were emerging—global travel, youth-driven culture, and a renewed fascination with historical romanticism. In fragrance, this translated into richer, more baroque compositions that embraced both the sensuality of orientals and the refinement of classic florals. Bal à Versailles straddled both worlds. It offered a heady, full-bodied scent with amber, civet, resins, spices, and floral notes wrapped in the powdered elegance of its era, and yet, it felt extravagant and timeless.

Women of the time would have approached Bal à Versailles as a signature fragrance for special occasions—a scent for opera nights, luxurious dinners, or intimate gatherings where one wanted to be unforgettable. The name alone suggested that wearing it could transport you to a world of chandeliers and whispered intrigues. And unlike many contemporary perfumes, Bal à Versailles was deeply complex. The sheer number of natural ingredients (some estimates suggest over 350) gave it a texture and evolution on the skin that felt deeply personal and alluring.

In the context of its contemporaries, Bal à Versailles stood out. While aldehydic florals like Chanel No. 5 still held strong, and crisp green chypres were gaining ground, Desprez’s masterpiece leaned confidently into the extravagant. It did not whisper—Bal à Versailles spoke in velvet tones, in brocade and candlelight. It was a reminder that romance and decadence could still be bottled, just as long as there was someone bold enough to wear it.

Sheherazade (1939)

Shéhérazade by Jean Desprez, first launched in 1939, draws its name and inspiration from one of the most enchanting figures in world literature. Shéhérazade, pronounced "shay-heh-rah-zahd," is the legendary heroine of One Thousand and One Nights, the masterful storyteller who captivated a sultan night after night with tales so rich in suspense and wonder that he continually delayed her execution, eventually falling in love with her. Her name, derived from Persian via Arabic, means “noble-born” or “city-freer,” and it immediately evokes a world of candlelit palaces, jewel-toned silks, and shadowy spice markets. Choosing this name was a poetic gesture by Jean Desprez—he was conjuring a fragrance not just of exoticism, but of storytelling, sensuality, and feminine intellect.

The perfume’s debut in 1939 was both timely and tragic. Europe stood at the brink of global conflict; the tensions of the late 1930s overshadowed all spheres of life. In this era—just before the outbreak of World War II—perfume offered an escape. Fashions still echoed the glamour of the interwar years: long fluid lines, romantic evening gowns, and a taste for the mysterious and opulent. Launching a perfume called Shéhérazade in this context was a deliberate fantasy—an olfactory narrative of another world, far from headlines and ration books. However, the war soon halted its production, and the fragrance was quietly withdrawn from the market, becoming something of a whispered legend among early admirers of Jean Desprez.

When Shéhérazade was reformulated and reintroduced in 1983, it was under the careful direction of perfumer Marie-Cécile Grenier at IFF, working from Jean Desprez’s original 1939 formula. This new version stayed true to the spirit of the original: a rich floral aldehydic chypre, but with a slightly more modern structure. The fragrance opens with sparkling aldehydes that lend a cool brightness, like moonlight on silk. A heart of exotic florals—lush, rosy, and vibrant—introduces sensual warmth, suggestive of the soft hush of Persian roses at twilight. Underneath, a base of powdery moss, amber, and tobacco-like sweetness unfolds slowly, like the layers of an unfolding tale. Denis Desprez himself described it as “floral, rosy, woodsy, Oriental and tobacco,” a reflection of both its richness and its complexity.

Jardanel (1938)

Jardanel by Jean Desprez carries with it not only the scent of a bygone era, but also a deeply personal story of artistic persistence, independence, and the evolution of a master perfumer. Originally launched in 1938, then relaunched in 1944, Jardanel was one of Desprez’s earliest creations released under his own name—a bold step during a time of personal and professional transition. The name Jardanel (pronounced zhar-dah-NELL) is not a known word in French, but rather appears to be an invented term, likely formed by blending “jardin” (garden) with a soft, lyrical suffix—perhaps a feminine name like “Anel” or “Danel.” It evokes a poetic image: a secret garden, lush and fragrant, sheltered yet wild, and filled with memory. The word itself feels tender and floral, with an undercurrent of strength—much like the fragrance it represents.

The history of Jardanel stretches back to 1917, when Jean Desprez began developing its original formula during his formative years as a perfumer. He would go on to serve as chief perfumer at Parfums Millot in the early 1920s, and during that time the Jardanel composition was set aside. It may not have been fully realized, or perhaps Desprez, known for his perfectionist streak, continued refining it in private. Its structure—powdery aldehydic floral with a woody chypre base—was ahead of its time, combining modern synthetics with rich natural materials like citrus, leather, myrrh, Peru balsam, vetiver, and oakmoss. In fact, Jardanel may have served as a precursor to Crepe de Chine, the now-iconic chypre he composed for Millot in 1925. If so, it speaks to Jardanel’s role as a personal creative milestone, the template from which later masterpieces would spring.

By 1938, while still employed by Millot, Desprez quietly launched Jardanel along with a handful of other fragrances under his own name. This move likely ignited tension between him and the Millot family—especially if they viewed these creations as rightfully theirs. That tension may have prompted his eventual departure from Parfums Millot in either 1940 or 1942, at which point he officially established Parfums Jean Desprez. Unfortunately, his efforts to build the brand were quickly interrupted by the worsening conditions of World War II, which disrupted all luxury goods production in France.

Bal a Versailles - Le Parfum du Jour (1971)

Bal a Versailles - Le Parfum du Jour by Jean Desprez: launched in 1971. It was intended to be worn during the daytime.

Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? It was a fresher, lighter version of Bal a Versailles, but was extremely long lasting. It was a parfum de toilette (eau de parfum) concentration.


Jardin des arts, Issues 194-199, 1971:

"BAL à VERSAILLES - Le Parfum du Jour de Jean Desprez, merveille de distinction, de fraîcheur, qui n'exclut pas une exceptionnelle ténacité. Par excellence le parfum de la femme raffinée."

Bottles:

The perfume was housed in the beautiful clear crystal urn shaped bottle, made by Pochet et du Courval. The base of the bottle is acid etched with "Bottle Made in France". The bottles are topped with lucite screw caps.

It was available in the following sizes:

• 0.17 oz (5ml) splash bottle (mini)
• 0.50 oz (15ml) splash bottle stands 4.5" tall.
• 1 oz (30ml) splash bottle stands 5.5" tall.
• 1.7 oz (50ml) splash
• 2 oz (60ml) splash bottle stands 7" tall.

photos from ebay seller vivientreasures

Fate of the Fragrance:

This perfume has been discontinued since the 1970s and is very hard to find.