Hélène Rochas: The Last Farewell of Femme Rochas' Diva
By Cristiane Gonçalves


September 10, 2011

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Helene Rochas, muse and former head of Rochas, passed away last week at 84. "It's the end of a myth, of an era," a Rochas spokesperson said of her death. "She was the muse of one of the great couturiers, the last to remain alive from that era." 

This past weekend, it was announced the death of the fashion icon Hélène Rochas, 84 years, ex-top model and business woman of Rochas Maison,  which was the master symbol  of the luxurious couture in the decade of 60 and one of the most timeless brands in the world of Fashion and Perfumery. Madame Rochas was the wife of Marcel Rochas, the founder of the maison and one of the most influential fashion designers in the post war times, who designed for great divas of the Classical Hollywood Cinema such as Marlene Dietrich, Joan Crawford and Katharine Hepburn. The death of Hélène was published in a discrete way because she died on August, 6th. 2011

We regret to have this painful news about Hélène's farewell, the beloved and entrepreneur wife of Monsieur Rochas. She was eternalized in the painting of Andy Warhol in 1975 (above), was the inspiring muse for the creation of the wonderful Rochas Femme perfume in 1943 and one of the most elegant, respected and influential woman in the Fashion and in the Parisienne scène. Rochas Maison will always be remembered when we remind of the couple Hélène and Marcel Rochas, because, above all, the love for Perfumery and Fashion joined them, thus, it was natural the creation of an emblematic perfume that would evoke the feminine spirit of Rochas, besides, this fragrance could represent the love declaration of a man to a woman. 

Her farewell brings to the memory how she was passionate for perfumes, how she deserved to be the diva for Femme, how she was brave in directing Rochas Maison after the death of her husband in 1955 and, later, sell the company for other business owner in 70's. 


Hélène Rochas by Andy Warhol 
When Marcel fell in love and get married to Hélène, he said "I am going to create a perfume for you", a perfume Femme that represents the spirit of the house, and women who are ahead  their times, then it is possible to understand why Hélène said that this delightful fragrance was like an avant garde music. 

Hélène Rochas is a Fashion icon as well as Coco Chanel is. Rare, inspiring and fragrant women are never forgotten, they become eternal through their fragrances, attitudes and life experiences. 

When Femme is smelled with it's power of elegant seduction, the Rochas muse will be there, this timeless scent created to her by the master perfumer Edmond Roudnitska in partnership with his clients Marcel Rochas and Albert Grosse, the scent of magnificient beauty through its luxury and exclusive flacon designed by Marc Lalique, and later, revisited by perfumer Olivier Cresp. Hélène Rochas will always be remembered like the woman that built an Empire of beauty and glamour, she will always be the fragrant Femme Rochas, the memorable MaDame Rochas.



Contributor Cristiane Gonçalves

To read this article in Portuguese, please go to:

Perfume da Rosa Negra

Hélène Rochas: O Último Adeus da Diva de Rochas Femme