Arpège by Lanvin

I love it. It’s like Chanel No. 5 but without that aldehydic fizz. While similar when sprayed, Arpege evolves into a soapy, white floral bouquet, far more sophisticated. I feel it suits everything, but particularly summer evenings with a midnight freshness. Excessive heat amplifies the woody notes, making it coarse. I haven’t tried it in winter yet, and I’m eager to.

I wonder how the original would have smelled; I suppose it would have made more than one sigh. The current version, purchased in 2025, declares its classic character with that soapy floral charm. It evokes the atmosphere of mothers from the past, from the 70s and 80s, who would welcome you late on a Friday with a warm hug and a sandwich, so wholesome, clean, and perfumed, in their cardigans and knee-length skirts. Ready to take a walk with you and your father to cheer you up after an exhausting week. Very feminine, elegant, and timeless. For me, it still holds charm and a welcoming personality, lasting on clothes until the next day. Even if it’s not quite the same as before, how beautiful it seems! A perfume to remember as much as the people who wear it with pride.

Wonderful pure Sandalwood, nothing like the original Arpege nor the 90s reformulation. Back then, reformulations aimed to enhance the fragrance; nowadays, prices rise and quality and longevity fall. Minimal costs, million-dollar profits, yet it’s brilliant to spend 300 euros on a perfume that ceases to exist in 10 minutes. This fragrance is no exception, although I bought the black bottle a year ago; previously, the extract of the 90s reformulation, nearly from the year 2000, was anything but Arpege. I believe that to have something like this, it’s better to withdraw it from the market rather than sell it eventually at a bargain or real price. That’s the issue.

Colour note: Eva Perón used Lanvin Scandal.

My mother, the most beautiful woman in my eyes, bought this fragrance several years ago. She used it very rarely and then didn’t like it because she found it too strong (ironically, she smells like Paloma Picasso), so she handed it to me as if it were a bouquet of white flowers from the perfume bottle. It is aristocratic, yes, but a timeless aristocratic scent. I’m not a young woman anymore; 35 breathes on my neck, and I love being an adult woman to wear something so beautiful with great confidence. It has a strong presence; you won’t go unnoticed on the day you wear it because it is also very heavy. Thank you, mother, for gifting me such a precious bouquet of white flowers in a bottle that reminds me of you.

Fun fact: this is Eva Perón’s favourite perfume. Cheers!

Arpège EDP, recent batch. A marvel at first spray: opens with peach and light aldehydes. As it dries, soapy and creamy notes of jasmine and lots of rose emerge. The sandalwood is addictive, slightly animalic but nothing as intrusive as Cabotine. The camellia is unique in my collection; over time, it makes sense and provides a distinguished creaminess that pairs beautifully with the jasmine and rose. It lasts a long time on clothes; on skin, after three months of maceration, it reaches 9-10 hours. As a lover of No. 5, I understand the comparison, but they aren’t alike: Arpège is complex yet less complicated than No. 5’s aldehydic opening. Ideal for sunny autumns or cool nights. It becomes a great signature scent with daily use; very addictive.

Hedy Lamarr once said anyone can have glamour, but she was so much more than a pretty face; she invented frequency modulation to save American ships. This Arpège reminded me of that complex woman: elegant, with well-worked aldehydes over a luminous floral that isn’t primly spring-like. The soapy base gives it an attractive freshness without being hygienic. It’s perfect for those who value more than just physical appearance. The projection and longevity are decent; I don’t mind if it feels youthful, I simply love it. Recommended.

It’s a jewel, a classic that doesn’t feel outdated. It reminds me of Chanel No. 5 but is sweeter and more talc-dusted, with less prominent aldehydes. On my skin, it has better projection and performance. It’s lovely.

I turned two weeks old and my mother asked what to get me. I saw this perfume, read the reviews, and asked her to buy it based on them… and they were right! It smells delicious. It’s vintage yet elegant, smelling clean with a very slight sweetness followed by white flowers. I can’t describe the notes well, but I loved it.

It has more tweaks than Carmen Lomana’s face but it is beautiful. The olfactory face wash is very well executed. It no longer smells like what my mother used 35 years ago (more aldehydic and boring, nothing for a twenty-something); this reformulation is the one. It reminds me of a Dorian Gray determined to maintain youth at all costs, paying a price for a perfection that hides vices. The first hours are a dream of floral sweetness and benzoin. The dry down is a floral spectacle with peach, iris and attenuated aldehydes; the iris, which I hate, comes out fresh and bright. It reminds me of those square Puig pills from the 70s with soapy flowers. The blend of honeysuckle, ylang-ylang, jasmine, iris, peach and vanilla creates a sweet illusion that turns into disillusionment after 3 hours: Dorian wilts, the iris powders, the peach wrinkles and Arpege enters a politically correct decline. It only resembles the Chanel No. 5 Eau de Parfum (a disappointment compared to my mother’s vintage). It lasts until the seventh hour, without an overwhelming trail. Goodbye, Dorian, beauty does not last forever. If Lanvin had stepped into this, they could have made the most enduring change. It is singularly beautiful, but with that performance, I would have thought twice.

I bought it blind based on the reviews and I was not wrong: it is exquisite. Very similar to Chanel No. 5 but not identical; I liked this one more, it does not last longer on my skin but I feel it is less ‘old-fashioned’. I have fallen in love!

Being the classic of classics, I thought perhaps the green might suit me for a mother-to-daughter gift. It is complex, perhaps for someone mature (35-40 years old), evoking all the retro of the 70s and 80s where glamour was mixing unmistakable scents. This is an unmistakable scent, with good longevity (hard to remove). I suggest buying a decant, because it is not for current consumption.

Perhaps I aimed too high when starting in perfumery. I bought Arpege blind based on the wonderful reviews. It arrived, I tested it and yes, it is difficult to interpret. It is unique, rare (like a jewel that is not easily found), I am still getting to know it. I feel I am missing a stage to discover it, perhaps my nose needs to mature. Without contradicting that it is a marvel, I intuit it is, I just need to assimilate it fully. It is a great piece in my collection, I respect it and give it its space.

I acquired it almost 15 years ago, a friend sold it to me new at a laughable price because she did not like it. I seized the opportunity and it went mad with happiness for my mother; it was one of her beloved youth perfumes. It is very similar to Chanel No. 5, quite so, but as it settles it acquires another expression: it is powder, spices, flowers and an undeniable brazen elegance. It is a pity it is no longer available in the shops in my city. I would make of this richness, suitable for fresh, cold climates and rainy nights. It is a work of art of the finest class, conceived in the centre of good taste. It is terribly sad that nowadays perfumes with this perfect and wonderful craftsmanship no longer exist.