Balalaika by Lucien Lelong (1939)

Balalaïka by Lucien Lelong was launched in 1939, on the eve of profound global change. The name itself is captivating—Balalaïka (pronounced bah-lah-LIE-kah) refers to the traditional Russian stringed musical instrument, known for its triangular body and bright, plucked sound. The word comes from Russian, and like the instrument, it evokes the romanticized spirit of Eastern Europe—gypsy melodies, snow-covered landscapes, candlelit salons, and the wistful strains of folk music drifting through birch forests. It is a name that carries rhythm and emotion, nostalgia and gaiety, and like the fragrance it names, it suggests both lightness and complexity.

Lucien Lelong, a couturier known for his elegance and refinement, had a keen instinct for storytelling through fragrance. Choosing the name Balalaïka in 1939 was both timely and strategic. The late 1930s saw a fascination in Parisian high society with Slavic culture, sparked in part by the émigré influence after the Russian Revolution and the romanticization of imperial Russia in art, fashion, and music. The name brought an exotic, romantic flair to the French perfume counter, suggesting escape and charm at a time when the clouds of war were gathering over Europe.

The year 1939 was marked by the final chapter of the interwar period. This era, often referred to as the last flicker of Art Moderne, was one of polished glamour shadowed by growing political unrest. Fashion was changing—waists were returning to a more natural line, skirts had lengthened slightly, and there was an overall softness and femininity to women's silhouettes. Despite the looming conflict, or perhaps because of it, perfumes in this period often emphasized optimism and emotional richness. In perfumery, there was a shift from dense, animalic orientals toward more airy florals, powdery compositions, and radiant chypres—scents that felt elegant, comforting, and quietly hopeful.

Balalaïka, created by master perfumer Jean Carles, fit beautifully into this context yet brought something distinctive. It was described as a light, uplifting, powdery floral oriental, opening with a radiant burst of hyacinth—a flower known for its sweet, green, almost watery brightness tinged with spice. The floralcy was "gay" as Lelong put it—cheerful and lively—yet underpinned by something deeper: a warm spicy base, laid over woody notes and a fern-laced fougère structure. This added an unexpectedly fresh, herbal character, typically reserved for men's colognes, giving Balalaïka a subtle and sophisticated duality. The play between bright florals and mossy woods made it both modern and refined.

In terms of market context, Balalaïka was not radically experimental, but it was quietly original. While many floral orientals of the time leaned heavily into the sweet and sultry, Balalaïka brought a breath of fresh air—literally—with its fougère underpinnings and green-laced florals. It offered a spirited femininity that balanced charm with clarity, a trait that likely appealed to women on the brink of wartime uncertainty. Wearing a fragrance named Balalaïka would have felt like wearing a story: romantic, wistful, a little faraway. It was a scent for women who wanted to feel lighthearted yet elegant, cosmopolitan yet grounded. In scent, as in sound, Balalaïka sang with a kind of delicate resilience.

Though launched at a time of upheaval, Balalaïka captured something timeless—joy, memory, and poise. And in doing so, it remains one of Lelong’s most lyrical creations.

Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? Balalaika by Lucien Lelong is classified as a powdery, floral oriental fragrance for women. It is an uplifting, light floral with hyacinth as main top note, with a spicy background, it's woody notes layered over a fern-laden fougere base. Gay floral with hyacinth highlight.

• Top notes: aldehydes, Calabrian bergamot, Italian tangerine, Spanish mandarin, citral, citronellal, plum, linalool, hyacinthin, amyl valerianate, benzyl propionate, styrolene acetate, methyl ionone gamma, eugenol
• Middle notes: Algerian narcissus absolute, Comoros ylang ylang, methyl anthranilate, hydroxycitronellal, Riviera gardenia, Grasse jasmine, Bulgarian rose, French heliotrope, cinnamic alcohol, Zanzibar clove bud oil, anise, Chinese star anise oil, phenylacetaldehyde, terpineol, Provencal lavender, Tuscan violet, alpha ionone, isoeugenol, Florentine orris 
• Base notes: Brazilian rosewood, Maltese labdanum, Yugoslavian oakmoss, Malaysian patchouli, Java vetiver, vetiveryl acetate, Atlas cedar, Tonkin musk, musk ketone, Indian musk ambrette, Mexican vanilla, vanillin, Siam benzoin, Mysore sandalwood, fougere accord, ambergris, coumarin, Canadian castoreum, South American tolu balsam, Peru balsam

Scent Profile:

You breathe in the top notes, where aldehydes open the scent with a shimmering, crystalline burst—sharp, clean, and almost metallic in its brilliance. It feels like sunlight glinting off frost, lifting everything that follows. Enter Calabrian bergamot—bright, floral-green and sparkling—paired with Italian tangerine and Spanish mandarin, each citrus fruit bringing its own sunny warmth and bitterness. You sense citral and citronellal, green molecules that accentuate the citrus with a fresh, almost herbaceous lemon-lime brightness. Beneath them swirls the sweet, juicy scent of plum, softening the top notes into a richer fruit accord. 

Then comes a shaft of green floral energy: hyacinthin, capturing the watery, cool scent of fresh hyacinth blossoms, intensely green and dewy. Supporting this are linalool, lending a gentle floral-woody softness, and methyl ionone gamma, nodding to violet powder. Meanwhile amyl valerianate adds a light fruity-green tint, benzyl propionate gives a sweet floral-fruity complexion, and styrolene acetate rounds it with a soft, balsamic-vanilla floral warmth. Eugenol whispers of spice underneath—clove-like warmth that hints at the richer heart.

As the perfume settles, the middle notes reveal themselves in full bloom. You inhale Algerian narcissus absolute, its green-floral earthiness nuanced and potent—a narcotic richness that feels deep-rooted. Comoros ylang-ylang enters with creamy, exotic sweetness, softening the narcissus with tropical lushness. Hydroxycitronellal casts a fresh, lily-of-the-valley brightness over the bouquet, softening with dew-fresh clarity. Methyl anthranilate adds a grape-like sweetness, shimmering through the florals. Riviera gardenia brings glossy white petals, rich, creamy, and honeyed. Grasse jasmine and Bulgarian rose intertwine with radiant floral glow—jasmine indolic and sultry, rose nuanced and slightly spicy.

French heliotrope softens in its violet-custardy sweetness. The warmth continues in spice: Zanzibar clove bud oil, Chinese star anise oil, and cinnamic alcohol dance together to give a spicy depth. Anise adds a dark licorice twist. Phenylacetaldehyde brightens with a sweet floral bloom akin to lily-of‑the‑valley, while terpineol adds green-floral lift and transparency. Provençal lavender contributes herbaceous clarity and a slightly camphorous edge. Tuscan violet and alpha ionone deepen the powdery violet veil, isoeugenol adds spicy warmth, and precious Florentine orris provides orris butter’s suede-powder softness and longevity. Together, these create a corpus of smooth, powdery floral warmth tinged with spice and structured by green, herbal clarity.

Finally, in the base notes, the scent anchors into a warm, sensual, woody-grounded character. Brazilian rosewood is polished and rosy-spicy, offering elegance and depth. Maltese labdanum brings warm, resinous sweetness—a honeyed leather that glows. Yugoslavian oakmoss infuses a damp earthiness and cool green undercurrent, while Malaysian patchouli adds dark, earthy density. Java vetiver, with its rooty bitterness, is softened and prolonged by vetiveryl acetate, a smoother synthetic counterpart. The dry woodiness of Atlas cedar sharpens edges. A sultry layer of musk follows: Tonkin musk, musk ketone, and Indian musk ambrette lend a warm powderiness, an animalic softness that clings. 

Mexican vanilla, with natural richness and smoky nuance, is enhanced by vanillin, heightening sweetness without heaviness. Siam benzoin, Peru balsam, and South American tolu balsam weave into warm balsamic warmth and resinous vanillic haze—comforting and plush. Mysore sandalwood smoothes the base with its creamy, spicy-woody softness. A fougère accord—anchored in oakmoss, lavender, coumarin, and woods—adds herbal spice and classically masculine freshness adapted for a feminine context. Beneath it all lies ambergris and coumarin, imparting marine warmth and hay-like sweetness. Canadian castoreum adds a discreet leathery nuance, subtly animalic yet refined.

Imagine inhaling each layer: first sparkling citrus-green and vivid hyacinth; then a heart of creamy white florals, violet powder, spice, and iris; finally a base of woods, resin, moss, musk, and vanilla that settles like kohl-smudged warmth upon skin. The synergy between naturals and synthetics—like vetiveryl acetate polishing rough vetiver, vanillin intensifying vanilla, and hydroxycitronellal softening gardenia—exemplifies techniques of the 1930s perfumer: enhancing raw materials without overpowering them.

Balalaïka thus unfolds as a light, uplifting floral rooted in powder, wood, moss, and musk—a fragrance that dances between airy joie de vivre and grounded elegance, capturing how femininity, grace, and subtle strength can coexist in a single, beautiful composition. It feels romantic yet resilient, fresh yet deep—a fragrant echo of a melody played across distance and memory.

 

Arts & Decoration, Volume 53, 1940:

"On the lighter side, a new cologne by Lucien Lelong called Balalaika is a good all-around choice. It's a carefree scent, suggesting a field of flowers in the sun, with cool ferny undertones."

The New Yorker, 1963:

" Sirocco- sultry lure, Balalaika- lilting floral, Opening Night— dazzling drama, Numero 7- joyously romantic, Orgueil— elegant intrigue. Beloved fragrances in the provocative mood- cherished for their extraordinary power to move men's hearts!"

Bottles:

Balalaika Parfum was presented in a conical bottle, molded with ascending swirls, accented with gilding. The bottle has an inner glass stopper and a glass over cap.

• 1/4 oz bottle stands 2.75" tall.
• 1/2 oz bottle stands 3.25" tall.
• 1 oz bottle stands 4.25" tall.
• 2 oz bottle stands 5" tall.
• 3 oz bottle stands 5.75" tall
• Factice bottle stands 7" tall.

Fashions of the Hour, 1940:

"The light gaiety of Balalaika perfume dances straight to her heart. A capricious presentation by Lucien Lelong in a cone shaped glass bottle decorated with swirling gold-colored lines. Bright yarn dolls encircle the box. 1 ounce - $10."

Arts & Decoration, Volume 54-55, 1941:

"The fragrance is Balalaika, an ideal summer scent. A nice traveling companion since there is no danger of leakage, although you will want to keep one close at hand all through the hot weather to cool your fevered brow."

 

Fate of the Fragrance:

Balalaïka by Lucien Lelong is a discontinued fragrance, though the exact date it was pulled from production remains unknown. However, it is documented to have still been available for purchase in 1979, suggesting that it remained part of the Lelong line well into the late 20th century. The fragrance was likely distributed through select department stores and perfumeries during this time, maintaining a quiet presence even as the house’s earlier Art Deco identity faded from prominence.

There are claims that Balalaïka was reformulated and reintroduced sometime around 2005, possibly as part of a broader revival of Lucien Lelong’s historical perfumes. This relaunch would have coincided with growing consumer interest in vintage and heritage fragrances, as well as a wave of niche brands revisiting classic compositions from the early to mid-20th century. While little official documentation confirms the relaunch's specifics—such as which firm oversaw the reformulation or how faithful the new version was to the original—the post-2000 bottles that occasionally appear on the market are sometimes attributed to this effort.

Whether vintage or reformulated, Balalaïka endures among perfume enthusiasts for its floral-powdery elegance, underscored by the gently spicy and woody signature typical of 1930s floral-orientals. Collectors and historians often seek it for both its olfactory profile and its place in the broader narrative of Lucien Lelong’s perfume legacy.