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From romantic custom scents to genre-defining relationships with fragrance, the women of Golden Age Hollywood understood the power of perfume. Often viewed as a key element of their refined sensuality, fragrance played a significant role in the lives of many starlets.
Marylin Monroe famously told the press she wore "only a few drops of Chanel No. 5" to bed, forever cementing her connection to the iconic fragrance, despite never officially partnering with the brand. Elizabeth Taylor took it a step further, becoming a fragrance entrepreneur with a world-famous and award-winning collection of 16 scents. Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn had fragrances created especially for them and their daily signature scents remain iconic names in the world of perfume today.
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For Grace Kelly, her custom fragrance symbolized a real-life fairytale. "Prince Rainier III would commission the House of Creed to create a perfume to complement her wedding bouquet," Claudia Poccia, CEO of Grace de Monaco, says. "Fleurissimo, an elegant blend of bergamot, tuberose, iris and Bulgarian rose, is forever intertwined with their timeless love story."
The Perfect Face Grace Kelly
Grace Kelly
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Belgian-born actress Audrey Hepburn (1929 - 1993) in a black sleeveless dress, circa 1955.
Audrey Hepburn
Marilyn Monroe
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Elizabethtaylor
Elizabeth Taylor
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Lauren Bacall
These women weren’t just stars on screen; they became enduring icons who continue to influence women worldwide. Whether channeling Monroe’s timeless glamour for a night out or drawing style inspiration from Hepburn’s classic elegance, their legacies remain a treasure trove of beauty tips, tricks and iconic fragrances that still captivate today.
Worn by Rita Hayworth, this sensual perfume was crafted back in 1921 and honors the legendary love story between an emperor and an Indian princess. Created with bergamot, vanilla and iris, this scent is enhanced with jasmine, incense and tonka bean.
Prince Rainier III had this perfume created especially for Grace Kelly, meant to embody her wedding bouquet. Bulgarian rose and tuberose work together to create a rush of floral elegance perfect for any wedding.
Created by Elizabeth Taylor's fragrance house, this blend of narcisse, gardenia and lilies is brightened by refreshingly crisp green notes, meant to embody the personality and life of Taylor herself.
Favored by actress Lauren Bacall, this famous fragrance combines rose and blackcurrant to create a nature-filled floral grounded by the calm swell of river water and summer heat.
Loved by Ingrid Bergman and one of the first spicy floral fragrances in history, this balance of rose, jasmine and carnation is housed in an iconic bottle that won “Perfume Bottle of the Century” in 2000.
Created for Hepburn, this is a timeless woody floral with notes of jasmine, vetiver and patchouli. Bold, feminine and classic, this scent was initially sold only in France.
