Sousouki by Babani c1920

Sousouki by Babani: launched in 1920. Sousouki is the name of Madame Butterfly's maid in the opera.  It takes its name from Miscanthus sinensis, also known as the sousouki, a species of flowering plant in the grass family Poaceae, native to eastern Asia throughout most of China, Japan, Taiwan and Korea. It is an herbaceous perennial grass, growing to 0.8–2 m (3–7 ft) tall, rarely 4 m (13 ft), forming dense clumps from an underground rhizome.. The flowers are purplish, held above the foliage.

Sousouki, like the pale, elusive fragrance of early wildflowers. Sousouki is delicate, graceful, the essence of charming femininity, a delightfully feminine fragrance reminiscent of organdy frocks and frilly underthings. Soft, appealing, it is the wistful fragrance of sachet. Use it on your underthings to match their soft fluff. Its delicate odors matches the softness of chiffon, the dim lights of evening. Sousouki is an exquisite perfume to be used alone to emphasize the youthful spirit of girlish frocks.

Sousouki, which the Princess Mary Tourkestanoff (Maria Tourkestanova, Princess Tourkestanova) - famous in the smart circles of European society for her skill in using and-blending perfumes—chooses Babani Perfumes for her own because they lend themselves so perfectly to this graceful manner of harmonizing several perfumes to increase your charm. This continental method of using perfume was introduced in America by Elizabeth Arden. Tourkestanoff describes Sousouki as having the "kick of a cocktail." 

Blended with Chypre Egyptienne and Jasmin de Coree will signify smartness, gaiety, wistfulness and sweetness. 

If you are romantic, elusive, imaginative - fond of freedom and novelty - you will choose Babani's Chypre Egyptienne and Souski. These two unite in fragrant harmony in the proportions of 3 to 1. 

You can create a delightful personal perfume by blending Sousouki with Jasmin de Coree and Fleurs d'Annam.

Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? I have no notes on its composition. Whatever it was it was described as " SOUSOUKI is soft, appealing. ... " and the "delicateness of sachet." So I imagine it is a soft, powdery, lavender and orris type of perfume. Benzoin was also used as a fixative in sachets. Since Sousouki was also the name of a flowering grass plant, it may have had some vetiver in the fragrance to replicate the grass note.

• Top notes:
• Middle notes:
• Base notes: benzoin, lavender, orris and vetiver?

These fragrances lend themselves so well to the European manner of using perfume — of blending perfumes to suit your mood and costume.  Blend two or more Babani perfumes to create a personal perfume formula, a new fragrance which no one can identify or imitate, that will emphasize your interesting complexity, will seem to vary as your charming moods, and yet be essentially you. It was suggested that you blend Sousouki with Chypre for a "smart and distinguished" perfume. Or blend Sousouki with Fleurs d'Annam and Jasmin de Coree.

Bottle:

No. 1003. Our twelve extracts in an elegant gold box.

Fate of the Fragrance:

Discontinued, date unknown. Still being sold in 1939.

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