Véga (1936)
by Guerlain

Véga is perhaps the most radiant of Jacques Guerlain's '1930's style' perfumes. Therefore, it's no surprise that it's named after one of the most luminous stars in the Sun's neighbourhood. Vega, the star, - also called Alpha Lyrae - is the brightest one in the Lyra-constellation, so immensely bright that it has served as the baseline for calibrating the photometric brightness scale. The perfume Véga was released in 1936 in the so-called 'inkwell bottle'. It never entered the classic range, but seventy years later, it was the first to be reissued in the 'Il Était Une Fois Guerlain' collection. Like Liu, it finds some inspiration in Chanel no. 5, but with a less conventionally feminine and flowery, and more oriental and woody, focus, and it also starts out brighter and more conspicuous with a shining citrus note. Compared to Liu, Vega feels more sharp, soapy and also sweet with a mix of ylang-ylang, rose and aldehyde, and one can sense how Vega might have inspired Jean-Paul Guerlain to make Chamade some thirty three years later - although the latter is a much greener scent. Véga's flower accords persist all the way through the perfume's evolution, but the sharpness is soon overtaken by a powdery oriental base of vanilla, sandalwood and rosewood. Like almost all of Jacques Guerlain's '1930's style' perfumes, it has an 'austere' aura - but like the star, it's the brightest of its sisters.

Very classic: sharp, soapy aldehydic topnotes, white floral heart and creamy, boozy sandalwood base. I'm not well acquianted with Chanel no 5, but I think there are some similarities, especially in the strongly aldehydic top and characteristic sandalwood base. I can see why this is called Vega, the topnotes smell a little lemony in a sunny and bright fashion and the rest of the notes are also very bright: white florals, powder, soap and cream. Not normally my style, I'm definitely not one who wears this kind of buttery, waxy, tropical white florals a lot, but this is so refined and classical I'll make an exception. I enjoy the distinct vintage style of it, although I think my sample is the reorchestrated version.

http://community.basenotes.net/showthread.php?t=185213

To learn a lot about Vega, visit the thread linked above. Thanks to Buffalo_Gals' (Diane's) creativity and generosity, a number of us were able to experience and discuss Vega in her vintage form.

My Basenotes compatriots are superior in defining Vega's elements. My perception is limited to these observations: I appreciate the comforting mustiness and the ylang-ylang (probably because I smell y-y in my Method daily shower spray cleaner which makes me hyper aware of that note). Vega smells so French and wears like a soft, lovely cloak. Knowing her age, I feel like I'm actually wearing a secret.