New Horizons by Ciro c1941

Launched in 1941, New Horizons by Ciro was more than just a perfume—it was a message of hope during one of history’s darkest times. Created amidst the turmoil of World War II, this fragrance sought to uplift the spirits of American women, reminding them that brighter days were ahead. Unlike many perfumes of the era, which often bore French names to evoke luxury and sophistication, New Horizons was deliberately named in English, making its meaning immediate and accessible. The phrase "New Horizons" speaks of possibility, fresh starts, and boundless opportunities. In layman’s terms, it can be understood as looking toward a brighter future, a world beyond the present struggles. 

The words New Horizons evoke a powerful emotional and visual response. They conjure images of a sun rising over an open landscape, vast and full of potential. The phrase speaks to resilience, renewal, and optimism, themes that were deeply significant to the women of the early 1940s. With the world at war, families were separated, men were called to battle, and women took on new roles in the workforce, often in factories and offices, supporting the war effort while managing households alone. Rationing affected everything from food to luxury goods, and the uncertainty of the future weighed heavily. Yet, amidst this hardship, there was also a sense of strength and perseverance—a belief that, beyond the struggle, there would be victory and peace. New Horizons was a fragrance designed to encapsulate that very sentiment: a small luxury that provided comfort, beauty, and the promise of a future filled with possibility.

Interpreting New Horizons as a scent, one would expect lightness, freshness, and a sense of airiness, qualities that reflect movement and openness. As a light floral bouquet, the fragrance would likely be uplifting, delicate, and inherently feminine. Soft florals such as lily of the valley, jasmine, and rose may have formed the heart of the composition, conveying a gentle, almost ethereal quality. Sparkling citrus or aldehydic notes could have given the fragrance an airy brightness, while a subtle base of musk or sandalwood would have grounded it with warmth. In contrast to the rich, opulent fragrances of the 1920s and 1930s—often characterized by deep, velvety florals, animalic musks, and chypre structures—New Horizons likely embraced a lighter, more optimistic style. This aligned with emerging trends of the 1940s, as perfumers responded to wartime austerity with compositions that felt fresher, cleaner, and less extravagant.

For women of the time, wearing New Horizons would have been an act of self-care and defiance—a reminder that even in a world overshadowed by war, beauty and hope endured. It was a fragrance for those looking forward, for those believing in better days ahead, and for those finding strength in the promise of new beginnings.

Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? New Horizons by Ciro is classified as a light floral bouquet fragrance for women.

• Top notes; aldehydes, Alpine lily of the valley, French carnation, Dutch hyacinth, Clabrian bergamot
• Middle notes: spices, French lily, Dutch jonquil, Tuscan violet, Indian tuberose, Peru heliotrope, Grasse jasmine, Bulgarian rose
• Base notes: Yugoslavian oakmoss, Florentine orris, Haitian vetiver, ambergris, Mexican vanilla, Tonkin musk, Mysore sandalwood, Venezuelan tonka bean

The Lincoln Star, 1942:

"Maybe this won't interest the readers, but the fragrance on the handkerchief is Ciro's New Horizons. Poor Ciro, he was a captain in the French army and was killed in a battle shortly before the fall of France. Some of the members of his firm succeeded in reaching New York with a large shipment of the lovely flower oils and business is being conducted from that city for awhile at least, so a lady who conducts a lovely little perfume shop in St. Louis told me. She said another French firm succeeded in getting over four million dollars worth of the rare oils over to New York just in the neck of time."  

L'Amour de l'art, 1950:

 "New Horizons by Ciro: Very flowery composition of jasmine, rose and tuberose with very extended lines whose perspective rises to the confines of dreams and unknown scents."

Scent Profile:

The first breath of New Horizons is a radiant, ethereal whisper—an airy shimmer of aldehydes, like the first golden light of dawn spilling over a quiet landscape. These effervescent molecules dance weightlessly, amplifying the crisp brightness of Calabrian bergamot, its tart, sun-warmed citrus cutting through the morning air with a lively sparkle. The bergamot from Calabria, in southern Italy, is prized for its exquisite balance of zest and floral sweetness, lacking the sharp bitterness found in lesser varieties. 

This citrusy brilliance is softened by the delicate touch of Alpine lily of the valley, whose tiny, bell-shaped blooms release a dew-kissed freshness reminiscent of a meadow in bloom. The crisp, verdant sweetness of French carnation follows, laced with a whisper of spice, its clove-like warmth adding a quiet intrigue. A flourish of Dutch hyacinth, lush and honeyed, envelops the opening in a heady floral embrace, its cool springtime fragrance hinting at petals trembling under morning frost.

As the fragrance unfolds, its heart pulses with richness and warmth, a luxurious tapestry woven from flowers and spices. French lily, pristine and luminous, lends its creamy, almost waxen petals to the bouquet, its scent pure yet subtly green. In contrast, the golden essence of Dutch jonquil spills forth, opulent and slightly narcotic, with hints of green sap and sunlit pollen. The rare Tuscan violet deepens the composition, its powdery, slightly woody facets weaving an air of quiet mystery. 

Then, a seductive bloom unfurls—the intoxicating, creamy decadence of Indian tuberose, its narcotic nectar thick with exotic allure. This lush floral intensity is tempered by the soft, almond-vanilla warmth of Peruvian heliotrope, which lingers like a gentle caress. The opulence continues with Grasse jasmine, a symbol of haute perfumery, its velvety sweetness mingling with the dewy, honeyed luxury of Bulgarian rose—its petals steeped in centuries-old tradition, evoking romance and regal femininity.

The dry down is a sensual embrace of earth, resin, and creamy warmth, a grounding contrast to the luminous florals. Yugoslavian oakmoss, deep and shadowy, lends its damp, forest-like aroma, its velvety green tones enriched by the buttery, powdery facets of Florentine orris, extracted from aged iris roots. 

The smoky, grassy depth of Haitian vetiver emerges, its sunbaked roots exuding a salty, leathery whisper of the earth itself. These rich, mossy and woody elements intertwine with ambergris, the fabled treasure of the sea, imparting an airy, subtly animalic warmth that lingers like the memory of skin kissed by the ocean breeze. A golden touch of Mexican vanilla adds a creamy, balsamic sweetness, its sun-drenched pods exuding a warmth more resinous and spiced than its Madagascan counterpart. The allure deepens with Tonkin musk, rich and velvety, its sensual animalic glow enhancing the fragrance’s intimacy. 

Finally, Mysore sandalwood, the crown jewel of woods, unfurls its creamy, sacred warmth, its rare, almost milky smoothness enveloping the entire composition in a soft, lingering caress. Venezuelan tonka bean, with its rich coumarin undertones, ties the scent together with a whisper of honeyed tobacco, almond, and caramelized warmth, a final, comforting exhalation of sweetness before the fragrance fades into memory.

New Horizons is a journey in scent, moving from the crisp light of dawn to the lush heart of a blossoming world and finally settling into the quiet, enveloping embrace of warmth and serenity. It is a fragrance of hope, of looking forward, of embracing beauty even in uncertain times—an olfactory dream of what lies ahead.

Bottles:

The parfum was presented in a curved trapezoidal shaped clear glass bottle topped with a stylized eagle with outstretched arms as the stopper. Known as the "eagle" flacon, this bottle came in five sizes:

• 1 3/4" tall = 1/4 oz Parfum
• 2-1/4" tall  = 1/2 oz Parfum
• 2-3/4" tall = 1 oz Parfum
• 3" tall = 2 oz Parfum
• 3 3/4" tall =  3 oz Parfum

Other "eagle" bottles came in a simplified form with a screw cap instead of the eagle stopper.

• 1 1/2" tall = 1 1/4 dram
• 4 1/2" tall = 2 oz 
• 5" tall = 6 oz

The packages with four Ciro minis were launched around 1954 and were sold until the 1960s.

A tall, fluted bottle holding 4 ounces of eau de toilette was introduced in 1955.

Fate of the Fragrance:

Launched in 1941, New Horizons by Ciro was a fragrance created to uplift and inspire during a time of global uncertainty. Designed to symbolize hope and the promise of brighter days ahead, it resonated deeply with women seeking beauty and optimism in the midst of World War II. Though the exact date of its discontinuation remains unknown, New Horizons endured for decades, maintaining its presence on the market well into 1969. Its longevity speaks to its timeless appeal, offering generations of women an elegant floral bouquet that remained relevant despite shifting fragrance trends. Whether worn as a daily indulgence or as a reminder of resilience and renewal, New Horizons carried its message of optimism well beyond its initial launch, leaving a lasting impression in the world of perfumery.