Rita by Guerlain: created in 1883. Virtually unknown to all but those who crave the unusual Guerlain fragrances from the past. We do not know who the elusive Rita was, but Octavian Coifan speculates that she may be inspired by the opera of Gaetano Donizetti called Rita (Rita ou le Mari Battu) written in 1841 and presented in 1860 at Opéra Comique in Paris.
I know that Rita is a shortened form of the name Margarita, from the Latin Margaret, which means "child of light". The name Rita also means "pearl" in Persian.
Guerlain had a habit of creating bespoke fragrances for the wealthy and aristocratic. I believe that the perfume is named after Margherita "Rita" of Savoy (1851 – 1926), who was the Queen consort of the Kingdom of Italy during the reign (1878–1900) of her husband, Umberto I. In 1893, Guerlain trademarked the name "Regina Margherita," Queen Margherita.
I found reference to the perfume in Revue Illustree, 1891:
"...que certaines grandes dames adoptent, sur le conseil toujours si précieux du maître en l'art des parfums, de Guerlain, qui, ... extrême suavité, le Rita, comme il avait créé le Jicky et l'Impériale russe, adoptés par la fine fleur des Parisiennes."
(adopt some ladies on the board, always so precious, the master in the art of perfumes, Guerlain, which ... extreme sweetness, the Rita, as he created the Imperial Russian, Jicky and adopted by the cream of the Parisians.)
Fragrance Composition:
So what does it smell like? I have no published notes on this perfume, I would need a sample to tell you what it smells like.
Bottles:
Fate of the Fragrance:
Discontinued, date unknown.
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