What was the name of Louis Vuitton's first fragrance launched in 1927?

Louis Vuitton's first fragrance, launched in 1927, was called Heures d'Absence.

The fragrance was introduced during the stewardship of Gaston-Louis Vuitton, Louis Vuitton's grandson, as the house expanded beyond trunks and travel goods. Its name came from the Vuitton family's country home, giving the perfume a personal connection to the family's life away from Paris.

The original presentation reflected the era's fascination with travel and modern movement. It was sold in a rectangular glass bottle decorated with an image of an aeroplane and placed in a case shaped like a roadside milestone. Only a limited number were produced, making the historical fragrance especially difficult to study today.

Heures d'Absence should not be confused with the modern Louis Vuitton fragrance collection or later names such as Le Jour Se Lève, Apogée and Rose des Vents. The present-day Heures d'Absence, released in 2020, revives the historic name, but its original formula had disappeared.