Lanvin Arpège Eau de Parfum

What can I say that hasn't already been said about Arpège?? It's on every list I've ever seen of the great perfumes of all time - and deservedly so! This opens as a gorgeous aldehyde with definite citrusy notes, before evolving into the softer white-flower middle notes (think white lillies, lily-of-the-valley, jasmine and ylangylang). Finally comes the soft powdery dry-down as vanilla, and sandlewood bring a creaminess to those florals while musk and styrex add depth and longevity. I've often seen reviewers comparing it to Chanel No 5, as well as to Shalimar, l'Heure Bleue, and even Mitsouko. I don't really agree. For although Arpège does have elements in common with all of these other circa 1920s creations, it is softer - almost more restrained - than No 5, brighter than lovely but sombre l'Heure Bleue, and far less overtly sexy than either Shalimar or Mitsouko (which I also wear and love). Arpège has a ladylike quality which is all it's own: the perfect complement to cashmere and pearls, as well as to a chic little black dress. And yet it can be worn by younger women, too (it was one of the perfumes that Princess Diana wore). BUT, although timeless, perhaps Arpège isn't for everyone. Lovers of very modern gourmand perfumes might find it too vintage for their taste, whilst those who appreciate the light, summery perfumes such as those refreshing Jo Malone colognes, or the Aqua Allegorias, might feel that this is too complex. I fully understand that, which is why I've tried to describe the fragrance in some detail, but to me - even though it had to be reformulated in 1993 to conform to EU restrictions - Arpège remains an iconic 20th century masterpiece. Finally, the price here on Amazon makes it a very affordable luxury. I was in London yesterday, and saw it in both Liberty and Harrods at around £75 for this same 100 ml edp. But rest assured - this is no knock-off. It comes in beautiful original sealed packaging with its identifiable batch number. A perfect gift!!-update April 2016-I was so impressed with this that I re-ordered, and although both orders were fulfilled by Amazon they were from different sellers. However, the second order which arrived this morning is (according to the serial number) from the same year as the first, and was also in it's original cellophane-sealed box. I opened and sprayed to be sure, and it's definitely genuine Lanvin Arpège.. At just 35% of the price it's sold at in leading department stores, this is a GREAT bargain - the beautiful art deco bottle alone is worth £25, let alone filled with 100ml of gorgeous edp!!

I love this perfume, it's not over powering. It's a lovely fresh aroma.

A present which was much appreciated. I can't comment on its quality or longevity really as I don't wear perfume myself No perfume, in my opinion, is value for money, as you're paying for the fancy packaging, although if it makes the recipient happy that's the important thing.

This is a wonderful, old perfume. My mother used it when I was little and that was a long time ago! I have used it over the years and found it got really expensive so was delighted to find it on Amazon at a very good price. It is a fairly heavy perfume with sandalwood in it but it is wonderful - dare I say it, but it might be for the older woman - like me!!

Arpege was born in 1927 and re-formulated in the early 1990s. I had wanted to try it given its heritage but though I broadly prefer older fragrances to recent formulations, I wasn't immediately taken by this. I put it away for months and for some reason tried it again around last November. A perceived dominant powdery note I'd originally found off-putting did not seem so prominent to me in winter and I've been wearing it as a day-to-day perfume since then. I can't say it's my favourite fragrance or even in my top five but it is very acceptable as an everyday choice and at this kind of price, it won't break the bank. I top it up once every four or five hours. Arpege is a complex fragrance. If, like me, you've tried it once but aren't too keen I can only suggest you vary the season when you sample it - you may find it grows on you. I find it works for daytime or evening so versatile too.

Disappointed by this perfume the smell only lasts about an hour not sure it’s the real thing wouldn’t buy again

I ordered this perfume on my mother's request before going home to Kazakhstan. I was surprised to find upon my return a hole at the bottom of the bottle and the perfume was leaking out of it. It did not look like it was broken as the hole was too perfect, but it must have been a faulty bottle. It is very upsetting as it is not a cheap purchase and it will be difficult to exchange or return it now that I am in another country.

Still a favourite after many years and very difficult to find a store that still stocks it. Perfume arrived quickly, well packaged. Have used supplier before and will use again.

Fue un regalo y causó sensación

Der Geruch dieses Parfüm gefällt und passt zu der beschenkten Person.

濃度はEDPだよ！お得！香水の意味も良い、母にプレゼントとしておススメ！

Livraison rapide. Le paquet était très bien emballé. Le produit correspond à ce que je souhaitais. Je suis donc très satisfaite. Merci !

Easy to see why this is one of the great perfumes, why it has been in continuous production for almost 90 years: it simply smells great. This beauty has been through many reformulations but, unlike so many others(Maja and Tatiana come to mind), it has not been ruined. Still dominated by one of the best jasmine notes in perfume history. Classy, classic, and a bit of perfume history.