Everyone who was anyone could see and be seen, from a perch in the banquettes of the El Morocco on a Saturday night. The famed haunt was the height of sophistication in New York City back in the day, hosting Cafe Society from its founding as a speakeasy on East 54th Street in 1931 until the late ‘50s. It was a time of cool cocktails in shallow coups, slender cigarette holders, and leaning in for the good gossip. Like all good things, it came to an end… but now, the spirit of El Morocco is rising again — as a fine fragrance house that can be experienced by chic merry-makers everywhere. We’ve got the first look at a chic short film defining the launch. But first, let’s talk about the scents!
This resurrection is the brainchild of the husband-and-wife team behind the Flower Shop Perfumes Co. and their shared love of Golden Age movies. The duo — Lillian Shalom and Isaac Lekach — noticed a familiar setting in film after film after film: A sexy nightclub with zebra print decor and a retro-chic, smooth as silk clientele. They started researching the locale and dove deeply into the El Morocco mystique, collecting memorabilia and ephemera that tapped into the very essence of the famed spot. They quickly realized that the El Morocco represented more than just a good time — it’s a full-on lifestyle that can be made modern through scent.
Enter the El Morocco Perfumery, a collection of fragrances that evoke the spirit of the nightclub. Because every party and cast of revelers is micro-faceted, the launch couldn’t possibly be singular. The brand boasts five distinct fragrances created by top perfumers to “ensure the scent storytelling truly captured all elements of El Morocco,” Lekach says.
Crafted by master perfumer Rodrigo Flores-Roux as well as Yann Vasnier, Alexis Grugeon, Celine Barel, and Laurent Le Guernec, “every scent draws inspiration from historical elements tied to the legendary nightclub — from popular songs of the era to the club’s original address and more,” explains Lekach.
The olfactive nostalgia includes 154, an ode to the nightclub’s address, laced with heady musk, cedar and incense; Gala, named for Salvador Dali’s mythologized wife, with notes of Moroccan orange blossom, saffron and honey; Moroccan mint, tea leaves and amber create an air of mystery in LuLu’s Back in Town; Highball (for Lucius B.) immortalizes the bon vivant writer Lucius Beebe, who coined the term Cafe Society, via wafts of peach, leather and oakmoss; and, finally, there’s Two Cigarettes in the Dark, a mingling of cypress and vetiver that gives a nod to clandestine lovers.
Forget choosing one adventure — A visit to the El Morocco means being immersed in every experience, and thus the scents are only available as a five-piece Discover Set with 2 ml vials of each fragrance housed in a replica of a sleek silver cigarette case, naturally.
And to launch the El Morocco Perfumery, the brand commissioned photographer Daniel Sachon to recreate the vibe of the Cafe Society era with friends Zizi Donohoe, Leona Wong, and the band La Lom. Take a walk down memory lane and a giant step into the future of the El Morocco! Watch the short film now:
