I became interested
in Lanvin Arpege last year when I was doing research on classic perfumes. I
figured if I was going to start writing about my hobby, I might as well learn
some history. Nearly every blog post I read on classic perfumes mentioned
Chanel No5 and Lanvin Arpege, so I
decided to try Arpege. I bought a miniature version on Ebay (miniature perfumes
are so cute and you can put them in your bag to touch up during midday plus I
figured if I didn’t like it at least I won't be too upset that I'd wasted money
on a full sized version). The first time I tried it, I disliked it immediately.
It was sharp and had a chemical "perfumey" smell that I later found
out to be a result of the aldehydes in it. If the descriptions sound familiar
to you, that's probably because it is in the floral aldehyde fragrance group
and smells like the perfumes my mum and several other women in her generation
used such as Chanel No5, Elizabeth
Arden White Diamonds and Avon Rare Gold (my mom used rare gold for years). A
few minutes later when I got to the middle note, the initial sharpness of the
scent coupled with the spiciness I smelt had put me off so much that I didn’t
really give it any chance. I simply stored it away in my beauty bag only to dab
it on whenever I forgot to wear any perfume in the morning.
Fast-forward to
2015, I was finally settled in Nigeria and decided to revive this blog after a
"forced" work related hiatus (so much for last year's blogging resolution *le sigh*). I was looking through perfumes I
currently had which never got reviewed. As soon as I tried on Lanvin Arpege, I
immediately recognised the sharp chemical smell only this time I waited. Patiently. With
open mindedness. And five minutes later the sharpness of the floral aldehyde
gave way to reveal a warm, creamy balanced fragrance with a hint of spice. It
was such a pleasant revelation. I kept sniffing myself because I enjoyed the
fragrance so much. An hour later, the depth associated with base notes began to
come through as I perceive a more powdery, woody scent which somehow managed to
retain its warmth throughout.
Lanvin Arpege is
part of the perfume world's old guard; fragrances that were created when
perfumers were given creative license to come up with scents as they were
inspired to create. The shift in modern fragrances from the old lady perfumes
to fruity-florals and floral gourmands which are quite fashionable, have
definitely affected the way we buy perfumes and I believe, our expectations as
consumers when we go to the perfume counter (or in my case, EBay) Nowadays, it seems most fragrances are a
result of strategic marketing and consumer surveys but I digress.
Lanvin
Arpege is definitely a scent that grows on you. I keep wondering what changed
between winter 2013 when I brought it and recently when I tried it on again.
Maybe my experiences with fragrances in between had enabled me to develop an
appreciation for the complexity of fragrances or perhaps the Lagos weather had
changed my perception of the fragrance (is that too far-fetched? LOL).
Either way, I'm glad I gave this fragrance a chance. It might not smell like a
flashy vanilla laced concoction (ironically, vanilla is one of its ingredients)
neither is it my new favourite fragrance (it certainly doesn’t smell like a
day-time, everyday scent) but it’s a classic perfume I think anyone can enjoy
regardless of your age. So if you have the Arpege currently in your wardrobe,
and have discarded it as an old-lady scent, why not try it again? You might be
in for a pleasant surprise.
You can get Lanvin Arpege here (konga) and here (fragrancex).
You can get Lanvin Arpege here (konga) and here (fragrancex).
