Anna May Wong Advertising Shanghai for Lentheric, 1946-47

Posted: July 29th, 2026 | No Comments »

I had not know that May Wong appeared in advertisements for ”Shanghai by Lentheric” during it’s 1946-1947 promotional campaign. A weird time to be promoting “Shanghai” (an “Oriental floral” fragrance) given the state of China and the civil war but Shanghai was launched in 1916. But it had been perennially popular competing against famous scents such as Guerlain’s Shalimar (who had Rita Hayworth as their endorser).

It was really about branding more than ingredients (it didn’t even have ylang ylang!). Shanghai was a reboot of Lenthéric’s 1911 Cœur de Paris (“Heart of Paris”) with a more art deco and exoticised campaign. The brand needed a post-war boost so they hired Anna May Wong. Promotional packages sent to the public and retailers were encased in brilliant yellow boxes adorned with yellow silk tassels studded with genuine Chinese coins (hyperinflation meant getting sacks of coins was easy enough!).

Shanghai was discontinued in the mid-1950s – perhaps the Shanghai allure had rather paled by then! 

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