Infanta by Prince Matchabelli (1937)

Launched in 1937, Infanta by Prince Matchabelli joined a lineage of fragrances that evoked nobility, elegance, and feminine strength. The choice of name—Infanta, pronounced in-FAHN-tah—was consistent with Matchabelli’s fondness for aristocratic titles. He had already embraced names like Princess, Duchess, and Queen of Georgia for earlier creations, aligning his fragrances with romantic ideals of royal grandeur. The word "Infanta" comes from Spanish, used historically to designate a daughter of the Spanish or Portuguese monarch who was not heir to the throne. It’s a term rich in historical and cultural resonance, conjuring images of courts, fans, lace, silks, and the languid grace of royal daughters cloistered behind palace walls.

Infanta is believed to have been inspired by Maria Theresa of Spain, the daughter of King Philip IV and Elisabeth of France, who later became Queen of France and Navarre as the wife of Louis XIV. Her life, often marked by tragedy and sacrifice, was emblematic of duty, piety, and quiet suffering amid the splendor of court life. Though she bore the title of queen, she was overshadowed by the king’s mistresses and the political intrigue of the time. This story of nobility tinged with melancholy may well have informed the emotional landscape of Infanta, a fragrance described as "sultry, smoky, and mysterious"—as if it, too, carried the weight of silk skirts sweeping across cold marble floors in the shadow of Versailles.

The fragrance itself was a heavy, sweet, spicy floral oriental, with a dry, dusty, smoky base—an atmospheric and emotionally evocative scent profile. Advertising described it as “tantalizing” and suggested it conjured visions of “grilled balconies, Spanish grandees, fans and flashing blades”—a romanticized vision of Baroque Spain at the height of its imperial power. The aroma of Spanish grapes, carnations, and garden spices would have been enveloped in a warm, resinous cloud of smoke, leather, and amber, capturing a sense of both sensuality and faded opulence.

The fragrance entered the market in the late 1930s—a period shaped by political uncertainty and a longing for beauty and fantasy as the world inched toward war. Fashion leaned toward structured silhouettes, longer hemlines, and tailored femininity, often influenced by historical styles. Women of the time may have found Infanta deeply appealing for its ability to transport them into another world—a nostalgic escape to a royal past filled with ceremonial grandeur and the mystique of forgotten courts. In this sense, it offered a perfume not just for the body but for the imagination.

Within the larger perfume landscape of the 1930s, Infanta stood apart. While many fragrances of the decade embraced aldehydic brightness or leaned into florals with green undertones, Infanta distinguished itself with its intense oriental character, combining dusty florals, ripe fruits, and a smoky, spicy drydown. It echoed the grandeur of Guerlain’s Shalimar (1925) or Coty’s Emeraude, yet with its distinctly Iberian, historical, and romantic point of view, it offered something different—an intellectual and sensory tribute to the complexities of femininity, regal tradition, and quiet strength.

Infanta was a fragrance not merely worn—it was inhabited. Regal, mysterious, and powerfully emotive, it captured the soul of a woman who bore crowns but carried burdens. In this way, Prince Matchabelli translated history into scent, and Infanta remains a fascinating, if elusive, olfactory memory of perfume’s golden age.

Launch:

On November 4, 1937, The Prince Matchabelli Corporation hosted a cocktail party at the opulent Hotel Pierre in New York City to unveil their latest perfume—Infanta. The event was a carefully orchestrated affair, in keeping with the house's tradition of linking fragrance launches with aristocratic flair and refined elegance. Held in one of Manhattan’s most prestigious venues, the gathering signaled not only the arrival of a new scent but also underscored the brand’s dedication to storytelling through perfume—a hallmark of Prince Matchabelli’s legacy.

Guests at the event were introduced to Infanta, a perfume described with impassioned language that reflected its emotional and sensory power. It was hailed by early reviewers and attendees as “one of the most exciting, unusual perfumes of the year.” The fragrance was said to possess “haunting romance,” and an “exotically ephemeral and exciting” character that was both elusive and memorable. Its composition—rich, sultry, and tinged with a smoky, spicy undercurrent—made it stand apart from other perfumes of the day.

The term “disturbing,” used in its early promotion, should be understood in the context of 1930s perfume language—not as off-putting, but as deeply stirring, provocative, and emotionally resonant. Infanta was meant to unsettle in the best sense: to linger in the memory, to conjure images of veiled glances, candlelit corridors, and velvet draped salons. It was, in short, a fragrance of drama and sophistication, designed for a woman who understood the power of scent to evoke mystery and allure.

The setting, the timing, and the tone of the evening all reflected the world Infanta was meant to inhabit: one of regal elegance touched by intrigue. Launched amid the last glamorous years before World War II would reshape the globe, Infanta captured a final flourish of luxury, courtly romance, and the heady indulgence of the interwar years.

Maria Theresa with Her son, the Dauphin, Louis of France, Pierre Mignard 1661

Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? Infanta by Prince Matchabelli is classified as a heavy, sweet, spicy floral oriental fragrance for women with a dry, dusty, smoky base note. It was described as the following: heavy, sultry, dry, dusty, spicy, smoky.

• Top notes: aldehyde C-11, Calabrian bergamot, Amalfi lemon, Paraguayan petitgrain, Polish black currant bud, Zanzibar clove bud oil, Jamaican nutmeg, Ceylon cinnamon leaf oil, grape accord, isoamyl cinnamate, Florentine iris concrete 
• Middle notes: methyl ionone, alpha ionone, Indian carnation, Bulgarian rose otto, Chinese gardenia, Grasse jasmine absolute, indole, Comoros ylang ylang, Somali opoponax, Maltese labdanum absolute, Spanish cistus oil, South American tolu balsam, Sumatran styrax
• Base notes: Brazilian guaiac wood, Indonesian patchouli, East Indian vetiver, Austrian oakmoss, Florentine orris butter, Mysore sandalwood, Madagascar vanilla absolute, ethyl vanillin, Siam benzoin, Venezuelan tonka bean absolute, coumarin, Abyssinian civet tincture, ambergris tincture, leather, birch tar, isobutyl quinoline, Canadian castoreum tincture, Tibetan musk tincture, musk ketone

Scent Profile:

Infanta by Prince Matchabelli is a masterfully composed fragrance—an opulent tapestry of exotic ingredients that unfurl in sultry, mysterious waves. From the first moment, this perfume reveals its theatrical soul. The opening is vivid and arresting: aldehyde C-11, a synthetic aldehyde, crackles across the skin like lightning. Its shimmering, waxy brightness lends a metallic coolness that contrasts dramatically with the richness that follows. Calabrian bergamot—sourced from southern Italy where the climate and soil coax out a nuanced brightness—is citrusy but not sharp, mellowed by the floral edge that distinguishes this variety. It’s joined by the more puckering zest of Amalfi lemon and the green, woody bitterness of Paraguayan petitgrain, extracted from the leaves and twigs of the bitter orange tree, which lends a verdant coolness.

A tart-sweet flash of Polish black currant bud adds an animalic tang—an unruly, green-fruity sharpness that smells almost like crushed stems and dark berries. As the perfume warms on the skin, the spice cabinet swings open: Zanzibar clove bud oil exudes its rich, fiery bite; Jamaican nutmeg adds a dusty, nutty heat; and Ceylon cinnamon leaf oil imparts a spicy-dry warmth, more herbal than sugary. These spices create the suggestion of an exotic market—earthy, vivid, alive with possibility. A haunting grape accord slinks in, deep and winey, its juicy sweetness tempered by isoamyl cinnamate, a synthetic note that recalls cherry and cinnamon and bridges the fruity and spicy seamlessly. Anchoring the top is Florentine iris concrete, waxy and cool, lending an elegant, powdery refinement and a subtle woody dryness.

The heart of Infanta blooms in full, voluptuous glory. Methyl ionone and alpha ionone—two violet-like molecules—contribute soft powder and airy sweetness, enhancing the natural floral materials without overwhelming them. Indian carnation brings a spicy, clove-like warmth; its petals are both floral and fiery. Bulgarian rose otto, a steam-distilled treasure, offers green, citrusy, almost peppery facets that cut through the sweetness with a fresh, velvety sharpness. Chinese gardenia, creamy and faintly indolic, blooms alongside Grasse jasmine absolute, the pinnacle of jasmine production, its narcotic sweetness intensified by indole, which gives the scent its faintly animalic, seductive depth.

The lush bouquet is given breadth and roundness by the banana-creamy facets of Comoros ylang ylang, while Somali opoponax—sweet myrrh—adds a warm, balsamic tone that whispers of incense and resinous shadow. Labdanum absolute from Malta and Spanish cistus oil—both derived from the rock rose shrub—form the smoky, leathery heart of the composition, warm and slightly bitter, evocative of sun-scorched Mediterranean hillsides. South American tolu balsam lends a soft, vanillic balminess, while Sumatran styrax—thick and resinous—adds depth and richness with a smoky, slightly rubbery character.

As Infanta settles into its long and lingering drydown, its base becomes a dusty, smoky, and sensual landscape. Brazilian guaiac wood, both dry and tarry, melts into the musty-woody tones of Indonesian patchouli, dark and earthy. East Indian vetiver adds a grassy bitterness, grounding the perfume with a sharp green edge. Austrian oakmoss, with its inky, forest-floor depth, mingles with the luxurious buttery whisper of Florentine orris butter—rare, expensive, and hauntingly powdery. Mysore sandalwood, creamy and slightly sweet, rounds out the composition with its signature velvety smoothness.

A bouquet of sweetness wafts in from Madagascar vanilla absolute and ethyl vanillin, the latter a synthetic booster that gives greater tenacity and lift to vanilla’s natural warmth. Siam benzoin brings its crystalline, caramelized glow, while Venezuelan tonka bean absolute and coumarin provide a powdery, almondy softness that smells both comforting and nostalgic.

But Infanta does not fade gently—it deepens. Abyssinian civet tincture and ambergris tincture add a primal, animalic warmth. Birch tar and isobutyl quinoline contribute their characteristic smoky-leathery bite, evoking aged saddles and scorched wood. Canadian castoreum tincture—sharp and oily—joins Tibetan musk tincture and musk ketone to form a complex animalic accord: musky, shadowed, and slightly feral. The result is a fragrance that is not merely worn, but experienced—an olfactory journey through shadowed palaces, dusky gardens, and candlelit chambers.

Infanta is not a scent of subtlety. It is unapologetically rich, dramatic, and noble—much like the woman for whom it was created.

Bottles:

By 1937, Infanta by Prince Matchabelli had become more than a perfume—it was a symbol of the shifting cultural and aesthetic landscape of the late 1930s, a moment when fashion, fragrance, and theatrical fantasy often collided. Multiple contemporary sources offered rich descriptions of Infanta, painting it as both exotic and mysterious, a fragrance emblematic of the era’s growing appetite for dramatic olfactory statements.

In Étude, 1937, Infanta was referenced in the context of a broader trend toward bold, almost unconventional perfumery. Alongside Weil’s Noir, a fragrance provocatively marketed to be worn only with black, Infanta was identified as part of a "perfume trend toward the strange"—a poetic way of capturing the fragrance’s deliberate departure from soft florals or ladylike compositions. The word “strange” here suggests not alienation, but a sense of the unfamiliar, the daring, and the sensual. Infanta, with its smoky, spicy undertones and mysterious dry finish, was clearly intended for women who wanted to make an impression—who embraced fragrance as a statement of mood, identity, and confidence.

Vogue in 1937 described Infanta as “new and knowing,” a phrase that encapsulates the perfume’s sophisticated character. It was not a naïve or demure fragrance, but rather one that conveyed experience, sensuality, and an almost regal presence. The bottle itself—Matchabelli’s iconic crown redesigned into a rounded form—was placed on a sumptuous royal-blue velvet cushion, enhancing its courtly elegance and theatrical flair. Stage magazine likewise noted this packaging, calling the perfume “heavy, exotic,” and emphasizing the “very royal-looking square white cushion” that held the bottle—presentation as performance, designed to seduce from the moment it was unwrapped.

By 1939, Infanta had even inspired a coordinated beauty look. Harper’s Bazaar reported on the “Spanish influence” of the period, naming Infanta as Matchabelli’s fragrant tribute to that cultural aesthetic. A matching makeup collection was launched to accompany the perfume, specifically highlighting a dramatic red lipstick shade suited for autumn, reinforcing Infanta's connection to historical romanticism and the theatrical splendor of the Spanish court.

Together, these contemporary accounts present Infanta not merely as a fragrance, but as a statement piece—an olfactory embodiment of historical fantasy, elegance, and daring sensuality, perfectly suited to the late 1930s woman who embraced drama in fashion, beauty, and scent.

 

Fate of Fragrance:

Infanta was officially discontinued in 1953, quietly closing the chapter on one of Prince Matchabelli’s most evocative and exotic creations. Known for its sultry, smoky depth and aristocratic Spanish inspiration, Infanta had embodied an old-world sensuality that echoed courtly intrigue and regal melancholy. Its discontinuation, however, marked not an end but a transformation. Around the same time, Matchabelli introduced a new perfume—Incanto—created for the celebrated Roman fashion house Simonetta. It is likely that Infanta’s DNA was reinterpreted through a modern lens to suit Simonetta’s sophisticated and contemporary clientele. While Infanta evoked the mystery and passion of Spanish royalty, Incanto channeled a more cosmopolitan allure, offering a fresher, fashion-forward evolution of the fragrance for a new generation of stylish women.