Festival by Houbigant c1931

Festival by Houbigant: launched in 1931. Created by Marcel Billot.

Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? It is classified as a strong green floral chypre fragrance for women.

• Top notes: green accord, bergamot, aldehydes, galbanum
• Middle notes: floral notes, jasmine, rose
• Base notes: oakmoss, sandalwood, musk, patchouli, labdanum, tonka bean, ambergris, vetiver

 

Vanity Fair, 1931:

"Festival by Houbigant is the result of an entirely new conception and blended with only the rarest and most precious exhales its perfection after a period of evaporation."

Vanity Fair, 1931:

"Parfums Houbigant presents Etude and Festival, developed by a new and exclusive technique of blending rare essences-developing the full perfection of their fragrances a brief moment after they are applied."

Hearst's, 1932:

"Parfum ETUDE and Parfum FESTIVAL are representative of an exclusive grouping that includes the most precious of parfums."

Vanity Fair, 1932:

"Perfumes should never distort you, never mould you to a type; rather, they should be a true projection of your personality as are the Parfums of Houbigant. They find their final fragrance form only after they have touched your skin, after they have been invested with and individualized by your own distinctive aura. The retarded development of Houbigant Parfums is the result of a modern exclusive process of blending rare essence, a process which finds luxurious expression in Parfums ESSENCE RARE, ETUDE and FESTIVAL ... and in three new odeurs."

The New Yorker, 1933:

"FESTIVAL - The perfume of gayety. New favorite of Continental society. $5.50 to $27.50".

Bottles:

American Druggist, 1931:

"HOUBIGANT A new and lasting fragrance called Festival is presented in a modern fluted bottle."

Fate of the Fragrance:

Discontinued, date unknown. Still being sold in 1942. Unfortunately, the perfume did not last past the end of the second world war. The very green chypre fragrance was not as popular with the American market as it was with the French market, which was already being flooded with similar smelling scents, so it was pulled from production.