Parfum d'Ete 1992

The smell of an ever-warming spring. May is fast approaching and soon the ground cover will include that of lily of the valley in bloom, but also that of the less-celebrated but beautiful smelling Canada mayflower (Maianthemum canadense) with their aroma reminiscent of laundry taken in fresh from the line and imbued with light indoles. Also in May, there blooms the starflower (Lysimachia borealis) on the woodland floor, which have little fragrance of their own, but would make for a great spring floral fantasy note for their beauty and adjacency to the aforementioned. Parfum d'Ete (1993 version) smells to me like all three flowers together, quite watery, crisp, and brisk. I also smell a peony accord, smelling fresh, plump, on the verge of overripe, with rosy overtones. Truthfully, it's one of the best peony representations I've encountered thus far. I can almost envision the industrious little ants scurrying around their blooms, taking part in the mutualism between the two organisms. The peony provides and the ants protect. Parfum d'Ete is really a garden taking us from the height of spring into summertime, hinting at the humidity, dew, and fecundity of the season. There is a languid quality that persists through the dry down, the lily of the valley carrying all other flowers like a chaperone into ever growing heat and restlessness of the approaching summer. As they begin to wither, they pass their reign to ever fleshier, leafier, abundant woods, fading into moss, roots, woods, and undergrowth, swallowing all until next year, growing ever more humid and sensuous. Moments of the dry down are reminiscent of honey and beeswax scented soap. Sadly, this version was replaced by a 2002 version that, while nice, has nowhere near the impact as the original.

Parfum d'Ete came into my life in the '90s (original formulation). It took me time to fully appreciate this gem. You see, it starts off as a slightly baffling watery green jasmine, admittedly perfect for warm weather. So what? The beauty of this is the way it develops, moving through three distinct phases. The marketing really wasn't kidding: this perfume describes a summer's day/hot day. 1) Freshness: the 'morning' starts off in a soft way, with the green notes of dew on grass, the dots of white flowers, moving to 2) Languid heat: a midday of lily and what seems like a lotus note (not listed), radiating in the hot sun. There's an aquatic feel, recalling a pool or a river. 3) Sensuous dusk: the base notes reflect the earthiness and muskiness of a park or wooded area that's been heated all day and is now taking its turn to release its own fragrance. I've sat in the garden at dusk or walked in the park later afternoon on a summer's evening (UK) and noted how the scents changed: grasses and trees giving off great waves of a dark musky green that wasn't present in pure daylight. Parfum d'Ete behaves like that. But the jasmine comes back, echoing the innocent start to the perfume and saying "I'm different now." In spite of the wild aspect to it, it is a soft, well behaved and romantic fragrance. But it's clever, too. It's three perfumes in one, taking you from commute to desk to night out (in a non COVID world). It's one of the masterpieces in my collection, but the frosted teardrop bottle has gone slightly funky. I started buying the new leaf bottle in the 2000s and naively thought they'd just changed the design, then realised it didn't smell the same. I didn't fully understand about reformulations at the time.

I also have the old original and it is nearly empty now, alas. I still have several minis of the glass leaf bottle--(Kenzo's bottles are gorgeous!) For such a fresh, wet, green fragrance, I find it quite lasting and it does absolutely invoke summer for me. I also like Kenzo's original fragrance, in the round-ish bottle, altough that was a more sophisticated and dressy mood for me. I once sold a bottle of Kenzo's men's scent, the one in the black bottle shaped like a tree with a sculptural bark finish and the fresh, unisex quality, to Carly Simon when I worked for "Cosmetics Plus" in NYC back in the early 90's. I love his scents and his packaging--they are both very original and artistic! The closest thing I have found to Parfum D'ete, is Jennifer Lopez's "Love and Glamour"--although it is no where near as long lasting!

I was given a mini of this awhile back, it was the original version, and UGH I ADORED it!!! so fresh, dewy, green and clean with a damp mossiness to it and a coy, yet luscious white floral sweetness that makes it smell so feminine, innocent and rounded. I went to store and they only had the new reformulation for sale. They had no tester, so I had to purchase it blind. When I got back home and tried it, I wanted to hurl! It was so coarse, shallow, dry and flat in comparison to the lush dewiness of my mini, simply like mowed grass, nothing more. So I went and returned it the next day. The old version was so beautiful, the clean, lush, nostalgic vibe I got from it reminded me of another discontinued favorite, Oceanus perfume oil from The Body Shop.

A very feminine green floral. Verdant and juicy, with a subtle natural sweetness from peach. It makes me think of lush green meadows, wet leaves, warm rain, soft sunlight, and sweet smelling flowers drenched in dew. There is also a hint of 'luxury shower gel' in it that makes me think of being pampered at day-spas. It's from the early 90's, but it doesn't smell dated at all. The most beautiful spring/summer scent I've ever owned, and it belonged to my mother who passed it down to me. Moderate sillage, and longevity is excellent for a warm weather scent. Unfortunately I can't find this in shops, so I've resorted to buying good quality imitation oils. I'm happy enough with the fakes I have for now.

My godmother gave me an almost full bottle of this. This specific one, with the gorgeous bottle, released before I wad even born. It is clean, soapy and floral but still smells like perfume. It does smell a tiny bit vintage, BUT in the coolest most expensive way possible. It projects beautifully, it blends with my skin scent, an overall fantastic fragrance. Such a pity it is discontinued. I also have to note. It is such good quality, nothing like designer scents nowadays. I don't know what they did back then, they need to do it again.

Fresh, cool, youthful. Received a test sample with a purchase I made years ago. I keep them all in a sealed container in a dark cool closet. Going thru the testers and decided to try it. I love this. It is exactly what I was looking for. So light and clean and a little sweet. Little wifts of clean sweet flowers all day. Makes me feel like I am in my garden, even when I am not. For a light clean scent it really lasts, 6 hours and counting! This will be my summer day scent this year - as soon as i find it.

I just love this perfume. On my third bottle since about 1995. Unavailable in Australia for many years it reappeared like an answer to prayer. Because I love it! Ofcourse it was in a new bottle but still a leaf and still the same delightful, uplifting scent. Reformulated? I didn't notice. Have a long way to go to be able to explain what it is about Parfum d'Ete that both soothes and elevates me so, but it does, and no nasty after-effects unlike most mood-altering substances.

Please, Kenzo people, bring it back in its original version. The newest edition of leaf is a completely different perfume. p.s. this is a perfume which puts you directly in a fresh garden after rain (somewhere close to the pine tree forest). I recently discovered Diptyque l'ombre dans l'eau, which has the same quality of putting you directly in a fresh garden, but the composition of flowers are different. That is also not a sweet one, which I find a plus.

Springtime bottled. This is the best lily of the valley blend I've experienced. Not usually one for greener scents, this one smacks of sunshine and all the lovely blooms spring brings. This has nice longevity, sillage with a sexy sassyness. The bottle is adorable, as well. This is multi-seasonal; great for spring, refreshing for summer, even fine for fall or winter as a gentle reminder that spring will come again.

I used to wear this in 1997 and bought it again last year. However, I was warned of the formula change and was able to get a bottle of the original on ebay. It still smells great. And although this is more green and less sweet than what I usually go for, I just love it. It smells fresh and sexy. I don't think I'll ever get tired of it. I just hope I can find the original formula again when I run out.

I have my vintage one from my mother. This is a fresh, beautiful and joyful fragrance. I can sense the hiacynth and lily of the valley and they smell gorgeous. I very much like the smell of hiacynth flowers and this perfume contains them in their essence form. It is soapy and a comfort smell. Energetic and happy Honey sweet and delicious Sunny clouds in candy land ❤

I received my vintage version today and could not be happier!!! It is a little on the sweeter side than I usually go for flat out, but it is DIVINE! I will cherish and respect it for the occassions when I choose to wear it. I only have 75% of the 1.7oz bottle. YUUUUUUMY!

Herbwitch, you can try Iceberg Twice - it's cheap, greenery fresh, it really might evoke similar feeling to Parfum d'ete ... "Clean sweet flowers '' just as you said... I have both of these fragrances. They are both distinct but overall somehow feels similar.

Aahh the beautiful green perfumes from the 90s. I can smell lily,Hyacinth and Peony. I just wish there was more pronounced green leaves note but somehow it smells very floral for me. The bottle is beautiful too.

WHY do they so often change the formula of perfumes that are a success?? I really dont get it! Make a New perfume instead! I LOVED this one and the changed version doesnt interest me at all!

This is my signature for almost 20 years on and off. I am waiting for a new vintage opaque bottle to arrive. This is way more sophisticated than a new tansparent bottle of juice.

I used to have the original formulation- and loved it a lot. I find the original bottle very subtle and perfectly complimenting the smell. Great memories, great scent.

OK, I am now sad :( Picked up small bottle for the summer but want something easier to obtain. Can anyone recommend something that smells similar? I really love this.

no matter how many editions Kenzo come up with, this original kenzo with the very special leaf-like bottle and unmistakable scent is simply the best among them

I loved this perfume, light and fresh but sweet and classy at the same time without being cloying. I wish, wish, wish I could find a perfume like this again.

my mum had this edition, and must say this is still better then the reformulated version.. so i want this as well ;-p for me THIS is spring in a bottle!

Oh how I miss this beauty. It was my Spring/Summer signature scent back in 1995. Missing so many of my fragrance from the past...

The fragrance family this belongs to is: 1. Burberry Weekend 2. Fleur D'Interdit 3. Iceberg Twice 4. Kenzo Parfum D'Ete Vintage

my first olfactory love... the new one is nice too, but not so sheer, poetic and self-sufficient as this parfume

A very pretty peony fragrance! soft oakmoss, and mild fresh green notes. Very feminine and beautiful!

It's a nice scent.It is a little soapy in a good way-at least on my skin- The lasting power is great.

Beautiful scent, the original bottle is gorgeous and it's just a perfectly balanced floral scent.

This is one of my favorite perfumes, and I need a new bottle as soon as possible!

WHY did they reformulate this 😳 It was just magical❤️

Fyi my review of this is for the vintage perfume

i really love this perfume it is so romantic

i really love this perfume it is so romantic

I must start this review by saying that I can't be impartial when it comes to this perfume, as it's the fragrance my mother wore back in the early 90s, when my little brother and sister were born. For me, it's the scent of embodied tenderness, and I bought a mini just to put it when I miss my family, now that we all live in different countries. You can say it's my olfactive photograph :) On my skin, the scent itself is very green and opens sharp (I'm guessing it's the LOTV, but I'm not familiar with this particular note), but soon the sweetness of the peach picks up and balances it. The middle phase is characterized by this concoction, which screams SPRING. The sillage is ok and the staying power is brutal, I put 1 drop on each wrist yesterday before lunch, and this morning before my shower I could still smell it, loud and clear. This very late dry-down is more on the woody side, with sandalwood and iris being prominent. All in all, I enjoyed wearing this, though it's not the kind of fragrance I gravitate to, so I'll use it sparingly only on melancholic occasions (and mum's visits). 7/10

That was my firs perfume at 17. I used up two bottles of it. Now, 17 years after, I'm a perfume enthusiast and a collector and I bought it again as a nostalgia piece. So. If you loved it and you miss it, but not ready to pay a fortune I have a suggestion for you. Get yourself a super budget friendly bottle of Monotheme White Gardenia. I have both and they smell 88 percent similar. The opening is the same, the trail is the same (95 percent), the heart is where they are a bit different but still similar, and in the drydown they get more similar again. I'd say that Kenzo D'Ete is deeper, bit more complex, has a little bit of that mossy salty note in the drydown, and the White Gardenia is a bit sharper. But honestly, if i'm blindly trying to smell one without comparing to the other, i can't tell which one is it. I'd say 88% similar.

"I`m not a girl - not yet a woman" - it`s about Perfume d`Ete.Sweet little things...Running barefoot through the grass, splashing in the rain, the sweetness of Mom`s lipstick stuck on your teeth, sucking the nectar out of petunia flowers when noone`s watching... The base is a little bit more mature - the appealing mossy-woody notes come forward, and while the top and the heart still linger, it is not all innocent anymore, it even becomes warmer! I admire the perfumer that could create such weightless wonder with such sensual components.There is really nothing sexual about this lovely, sparkling,all-natural scent.It is pure and brings to mind a forest spring surrounded by wildflowers - the sweetness of the cold, clear underground water.

Just bought a 5 ml miniature of this perfume from an online shop. I think i got an old, fermented miniature, since it's launched over than a decade ago, I was a mere young girl then. Well, when I first opened the bottle, a whiff of very strong alcohol and old drawer hung in the air, this actually taken me aback. I rushed washing my hand. I almost hate this perfume. Maybe the unpleasant smell is because of it's been 'fermented'. Then this afternoon I give a second chance for this infamous perfume. I already prepared my nose for that old alcoholic granny smell. And waits.. As time goes, the actual smell revealed. Sweet, fresh white flowers. Soapy, indeed. I havent smell the drydown notes though. hope it'll be great too.

Wonderfully familiar scent....... Highly likable:) White floral and musk to my nose mainly: jasmine, Lilly of the valley, peony and musk. I notice how green notes are rated as top notes, however I find it in very small amounts. This is primarily warm, lotion like/creamy fragrance. Huggable and comforting. It's excellent for anytime wear really. If you like something along the lines of cashmere mist by DK, then this one is a must try Its a definite keeper! This was on my want list for a longest time and thanks to the excellent swap with RkrChk , now I have this lovely gem in my collection :)

A beautiful floral/green fragrance. It is very unusual, in my opinion. The top notes, in particular, are unlike any perfume I have sampled. Difficult to explain and I am not very adept at describing scents, but I think it is the peachy topnote mixed with the huge variety of flowers that give it a really heady opening. This is a strong perfume yet somehow perfect for warmer weather. It lasts for a very long time on the skin and it dries down to a very pretty cedar/sandalwood. I love this one and have worn it for years. Another great perfume from Kenzo--and the bottle is lovely.

The natural sweetness of peony in company with iris and fresh moist greens. This fragrance is persistent and long lasting, and just in time for sunset it has morphed and revealed a wonderful base with a somewhat different personality. The light flowers now come to rest on a attractive slightly musky base of woods and moss. Its almost "two for one" with this quality composition. Nothing silly about the lightheartedness of this "summer" - it's plain happy with a beautiful sensual base. Some sillage, very good lasting power.

This is my mum's signature scent along with Samsara. I used to "steal" it when I was in school but could never wear it as beautifully as she did. It smells of dewy jasmine, lily-of-the-valley and iris on her, not fruity nor green, just pure sweet floral breeze after rain. The thick, heavy ground glass bottle itself is a piece of art, much better than the new cheapie one.

The classic original leaf bottle is definitely different and better than the reformulated version in the clear leave bottle. I love this in summer - very fresh with subtle sweetness and light spice. I wore this years ago, and it still works today. I also love the L'eau D'Ete, although it is much more citrusy and unusual. I switch back and forth.

This is a gorgeous Summery fragrance, so very aptly named! Kenzo perfumes are a bit hit or miss with me, as are green fragrances but this is a big hit all the way! It starts out fresh, sparkly and zesty, then the florals come through with lots of lily of the valley. It dries down to a mossy/woody base. I love it.

I guess I'm lucky I have a nearly full bottle of the vintage one. It was one of my favorites in the 90's, went through a few bottles then moved on. Then I found it again a few years back and thought I'd pick it up. Instead of perfume of summer it should be perfume of spring. So pretty .

Airy meadow and dew on grass blades. Cloudy sky and sun rays. It truly smells like summer and works as a mood lift. It is close to impossible to recognize separate notes, they create a new quality. Duende by Jesus del Pozo is similar. Also Erawan by Dusita.

I love the bottle and the smell is quite nice. I like the blend of aldehyde and peony, with hints of hyacinth. Unfortunately, there is a very strong note of lily-of-the-valley that I pick up, making what could have been an extraordinary fragrance only nice.

I loved this fragrance so fresh I bought my fisrt bottle in 1995;I used to wear it in Spring and Summer times ;I liked the leaf shaped bottle; sadly they 've changed some of the notes and the new one has nothin from the old smell at all ;so bad ........

okay it is reminds me of OH Moschino. But better Kenzo d ete. it is very beautiful scent for green lovers. Very soaply, fresh scent. but in my skin it is for just 4 hours. 7/10

I just found an old version at antique market at a funny price! I am very happy. Reminds me the good past...I feel a little honey and spring wind is coming...Just wonderful!

Summer in a bottle. Light, romantic, sensual. Reminds me of a Misa dress; floating and pretty. I am not a fan of florals, especially white florals. But this has dimension.