Le De Givenchy

Oh my. This is a far cry from anything else today. A soft golden hue, particles afloat in a sunbeam... A whisper. The floral accord and hint of citrus gently lift the spices over the sunlit fields of morning. Coriander and tarragon are rarely used in modern-day aromatherapy; nowadays they are found at the back of the cupboard, for use in the most painstaking recipes. In Le De Givenchy, they are used artfully. I have a vintage mini that I bought online along with L'Interdit from an estate sale. They must not have known the treasure they were selling, because I paid nearly nothing for the two. On the outside of my forearms, where the scent clings to hair, the amber rises, stirring the jasmine. Orris root subdues absorbs any oiliness from the jasmine... like the finest talcum powder that gives your skin a creamy finish. Guaiac wood and sandal anchor the scent to my skin. Guaiac wood is distinct in this scent; slightly resinous, tar-like, certainly deep but gentle, and it makes me feel like I'm walking through the woods. I know the soap Iluvsmellies (cute handle!) is referring to. Le De doesn't smell exactly like it, but there is a certain stage of the drydown that might remind me of it from time to time. The soap had a bit of the tar-like tinge the guaiac wood has here, which was interesting, distinct, and... smelled clean, to me. I believe it was also faintly scented with something floral. It had a nice lather, and the memory of that soap tied to happy "arts and crafts" time during childhood. Could you give Le De another wear, on different parts of your body? That may make a difference. I wish the lily-of-the-valley note in the opening would last longer and stay as sweet. Perhaps my vintage bottle has faded a bit. I'm very interested to try the reissue. I can certainly see Audrey Hepburn wearing this perfume everyday, but I would probably save it for special occasions. Although very gentle, it's sophisticated. Like your most expensive and delicate gold chain. This is one of the scents that makes me whisper, "I love perfume." Hubert De Givenchy is the founder of the house of Givenchy. 'Le De Givenchy' takes his name. Le De is perhaps a much gentler, earthier L'Air du Temps. Their carnation notes, while of lesser strength in Le De, are similar, so I wondered if they were by the same nose. No, Le De is by Ernest Shiftan, who also created Youth Dew. L'Air Du Temps was created by Francis Fabron who, incidentally (and this is interesting), also created L'Interdit.

I have a vintage bottle of the pure perfume. I understand it’s the only perfume Bette Davis (who I adore) wore when it was launched in the 1950’s. Well I had extremely high hopes for this perfume and I thought it would be sharper and more angular than it is, it’s very soft and powdery. It’s extremely feminine and has a cooler note that hums along nicely in the dry down. I think this is typical of its era when women were viewed differently, less bold – more seductive and subtle. Very pleasant, beautifully balanced but not the showstopper I was expecting but that may be my modern “nose” that’s been sullied by louder more rambunctious perfumes. UPDATE: OK I have been wearing this on the back of my hand for a few hours now and it's developed into sweet/savoury base notes, it's still uber-fem, subtle and demure, however it's much more complex than I gave it credit for. Liking it more and more as I wear it.

I LOVE Le De! And I have since I first started wearing it while in college back in the '60s. It's manners are just impeccable, like its creator, the consummate gentleman Hubert de Givenchy. And it was also a favorite of Audrey Hepburn, for whom he created L'Interdit. It is very French, elegant, but not at all stuffy. The woody base grounds it and keeps it from being a "fluffy" floral. As do the spices. For me, it is a fragrance for all seasons and for all occasions. The reformulation is a competent one but lacks the depth of the original. I have a total of one half ounces of vintage parfum which I wear a drop or two at a time layered over the reformulation. But not too often!

If memory serves me, this scent was reformulated sometime in the last decade, and the current version, while lovely, makes me yearn for the version I fell in love with in the early 1980s. The spiky floral beginning is still great, and the drydown is very much like the 1980s version of the scent, a dreamy, creamy amber. The middle part is where, for me, the new Le De really takes a departure from its 1980s predecessor, with much more emphasis on the lily of the valley, and far less emphasis on the lilac. All in all, though, Le De remains the class of the field of Givenchy scents -- rich and radiant, discreet and delicate. And gorgeous.

Le de Givenchy is a classic fragrance from the late 50's, and yet until a week ago I'd never heard of it. Then a micro mini arrived and thanks to Fragrantica I know more about this scent. The fragrance is stylish, sophisticated and unisex. I don't find it particularly feminine. The floral notes are cool and controlled, quite unlike the more modern Givenchy perfumes. The notes play well together, nothing jumps out to announce itself. Just what I expect from a house like G, this perfume has class. LdG is very wearable and work safe. The fragrance stays close and never overwhelms. Ladylike - yes! But also gentlemanly! LdG should get a lot more love, but it seems to have been overtaken by the modern Givenchy scents. Being an older fragrance, it's hard to come by. Is there a reformulation? LdG is worth finding and wearing.

Got a small 1 oz bottle at the flea market for $10.00 ! Good deal! By the looks of the OLD label - this seems to be the 1970 version. This is very "flower stew" old school and herbal . This feels a LOT like an Estée Lauder "green fragrance" from the 1970s. Weird that the idea of :"unisex" never was a thought back then . This is not a safe blind by and at this point in time- does anyone still care ? I'm racking up a nice little collection of "vintage stinkies " - and I mean that in a nice way! No civet is listed buy OMG you can feel his furry little bead eyes looking at you like you are responsible for the entire species to go missing . GRADE: B. Of course longevity is fine.

Vintage EDT. This is quite indolic so if you don't like faecal/urinous/mothball notes, be forewarned. Heavy jasmine and tarragon, some lilac and coriander are the main notes I detect, with oakmoss, woods and lily of the valley appearing later. The tarragon note makes it lean a bit unisex. Very dry, with great projection, longevity and a powdery finish. Works best as a spring daytime fragrance. Takes some getting used to as it's out of the ordinary.

I have two small sample bottles of this, and a spray bottle of EDT. All are vintage, and I think the top notes are off on my EDT. The opening is very sharp and herbal. I don't get any citrus, but those are generally the first to go in vintage bottles, so that could be why. I didn't love the the first time I wore it. A couple of reviewers mentioned a cheap soap smell, and I know exactly what they mean! Fortunately, it doesn't last long. I smell orris and carnation in the middle, and it makes me think of hyacinth, though it's not listed as a note. The real reason I love this perfume is the dry down. It reminds me of candied violets. I think it smells just like my Guerlain Meteorites powder, and I've always wanted a perfume that smells like that! It is powdery, but not like Shalimar. It's almost ethereal, when I wear it. I can't tell where on me the scent is coming from (and I can't smell it on my wrists), but it just sort of wafts around me. I don't think the sillage is very strong, but sometimes, that's a good thing. It is a very elegant scent, and I think it would be appropriate for any season or time of day.

This is a GREAT scent. It's a mystery that's not more known more available more appreciated more in vogue more considered. When people talk about great scents the list usually names - well rightly so, anyway - Shalimar, Chanel n°5, Fracas, Mitsouko and the others we all know. Why is Le De so hidden? You wear it and immediately you get the tropical sweetness of the ylang-ylang. Then you get the freshness of white flowers drenched in dew or under rain with jasmine playing the flute and violets the piano. Then you get the coolness of agrumes. Then you get the delicacy of lilac and the strength of carnation at the same time, as if they were rivalling to let the other pass, never to intend to overcome the mate - mind you, the mate not the rival. Then you have the quietness of woods and spices, as if they were fallen asleep on your skin after seeing their companions playing and dancing in a long long show that lingers on your skin regaling magic, gifting you with beauty and class. Ladies, let's go and discover (or re-descover) and love Le De!!

I bought my first bottle of Le De perfume back around 1970, in college, at the perfume counter at Filenes Boston. (Not Filene's basement. ) I remember loving it's pure elegance, but then I got side-tracked with sexy perfumes (Bourrasque by Le Galion!!!). Now at age 72 I just bought from Ebay another bottle of the vintage parfum. I find it still not sexy. But it is sublime. To me it smells clean and green and fresh and pure. Delicate and elegant and graceful as a ballerina. I smell green, fresh, celeriac high notes; then a mellow sweetness; and after about 4 hours I am left with a musky honey-mustard! In it's purity, it reminds me of Je Reviens. But greener. Simpler, and less dense. It is a bit less fleeting than Je Reviens (parfum). Sillage: minimal. Longevity: modest. Je Reviens seems a bit denser and more intoxicating, but this Le De is so far my most elegant perfume.

Le De Givenchy Was My 1st Fragrance That I Began To Wear When I Was 14 Years Old & I Absolutely Loved Wearing It! I Also Wore Muget De Bois As Well In My Teens. They Were Light & Easy To Wear & Didn't Seem To Add To Any Allergies, Thank Goodness! & Now In My 60's I Still Love These Green Scents That Range From Light To Dense & Earthy, So Very Much! The Le De Part Of The Name Makes Me Wonder If This Was To Be Considered An Eau, As In Fragrance Waters, Splashes, & Tonics Meant For Summertime &/Or Early Morning Or Just Out Of The Shower Type Of Fragrances.

Based on the description and history of this fragrance, I really wanted to like it. While it has many delicious notes (bergamot, jasmine and others to start, then sandlewood, amber, musk in the drydown), to me it smells powdery and old fashioned similar to Chanel 5, a fragrance I like on others but not on me. This is one of the few perfumes that gives me a headache. When first sprayed, there is a lot of alcohol and harsh floral scents; later dies down to "old lady" powder - mild but not especially pleasant.

Eek! Alcohol alert! Soooo green to begin with it gave me a sharp headache right away...then, as I tried to bear with it & understand it, it eventually becomes a herbal bath soak complete with gallons of freshly drawn water. The coriander, tarragon & bergamot save the floral assault - but it stays far too sharp for far too long on my skin. This is not my kind of fragrance at all, but I do understand it defines a time. Freshly polished wooden staircases & G&T would go well with this ol' gal.

THis reminds me of my youth.LIke a walk down memory lane.THe bergamot and jasmine remind me of hop scotch and hula hoops.THe staircase going up to my room.so red,with age and polished from my hands holding on as I climbed up to my bed and dreams of THE WIZARD OF OZ.THe smooth hardwood floors,scratched now,from my toys.YET,its modern enough to please even the most descerning taste.Smells like memories.

I have a couple of mid 1960s minis of Le De - thankfully in decent shape. My overall impression - it smells like the original yellow Vaseline Intensive Care lotion. That lotiony, musky, vaguely floral smell of freshly moisturized hands. For me, this is the smell of my grandparents. Not Le De itself, but Vaseline Intensive Care. The "clean girl smell" of the mid 20th century.

It's quite soft and powdery. Tarragon, Coriander, Mandarin Orange, Bergamot, and Brazilian Rosewood are the top notes; Lily-of-the-Valley, Lilac, Jasmine, Ylang-Ylang, Orris Root, Carnation, and Rose are the middle notes; and Oakmoss, Musk, Sandalwood, Guaiac Wood, and Amber are the base notes. Beautifully balanced, rich and bright, modest and subtle. Super stunning.

I wore the pure parfum in the late 60s early 70s and just bought a small micro mini to remind me of my earliest exploration of perfume as a young girl. While it still smells amazing, it does remind me of how I've moved past this to other more complex perfumes. It is so much a perfume of the 50s and the golden years.

I recently purchased a mini vintage and my first impression is that it reminds me a lot of Nina Ricci's L'air du temps. Green, floral, woody. I read somewhere that it was Bette Davis' signature fragrance, so I have always wanted to try it. It really gives you that 1950's fresh and clean vibe.

I still don't know what to think of Le De. It's too weak for me, but I love it. Classy and ladylike. It makes me feel elegant. Unfortunately it melts so perfectly with my skin that after 15 mins I can't smell it anymore. Why is it not more popular? It should be.

I am slowly using the last bottle of this - it was given to me by someone who wasn't going to use it. I'd give anything for this to make a comeback. I used to buy the bath oil and it was strong enough and lasting and prob. more economical too. KalmniaB