Arpege Pour Homme

An Ars Poetica of Fragrance, in the Context of Lanvin’s Arpege Pour Homme As Virtual Boutonnière An iconic Olivier Pescheux floral gourmand, Arpege Pour Homme is a composition in soft, creamy pastels and watercolor notes, buoyant and serene; but beyond the illusions of its surfaces lies endless chasms of darkness. Exactly as I like things. This is my first choice of fragrance in what for myself is a special use category; to act as a virtual boutonniere and let me bring my home and the gardens it is set among into the world with me. The world in which I must live beyond the borders of my refuge is neither beautiful nor serene, and I need both to balance the flaws of our humanity and the brokenness of the world. Here perfume can help us in unique ways, for it immerses us in previous states of being and creates realities, dreams, illusions, and a Wilderness of Mirrors in which we dwell through our unique memories and sensory associations. Fragrances forge an interior space of being within our palace of memories, histories, and identities which we create like the shell of a fantastic sea creature, akin to what Gaston Bachelard called coquilles au parole or shells of speech. Fragrances also work their magic upon us as what Foucault called truth telling or parrhesia, for they bear the power to return to us our true selves in reflection and to reveal those truths immanent in nature and written in our flesh. Always there remains the struggle between the masks that others make for us and those we make for ourselves. This is the first revolution in which we all must fight; the struggle for ownership of ourselves. It is also a sacred calling in pursuit of truth, like all art. All of this lies within the realm of the senses and of fragrances, and one thing more; for fragrances are unbound by the limits of our form, ideas we each of us attach to the invisible molecules which surround us and provoke and disturb us in our ongoing creation of ourselves. Scents inform, motivate, and shape us, but we create through the stories we have lived how we perceive them and construct and assign human being, meaning, and value to our experience. This idea has many names in many systems of thought; Coleridge called it the Primary Imagination, and Jung constructed his idea of the Collective Unconscious on the frame of Coleridge’s philosophy, but the idea is as old and universal as the human capacity to wonder. These include ibn Arabi’s Alam al Mythal, the Bardo in Tibetan Buddhism, and the Logos in Greek philosophy, the Gospel of John, Plotinus, and Neo-Platonists like the novelist Iris Murdoch. Are we not the stories we tell about ourselves, to ourselves and to others? Fragrances as bearers of stories, memories, histories, and identities act as signs and metaphors within the dark mass of the Unseen of which our worlds are but shadows of our own design and making; herein doors open in the heavens, letting angels through, or devils. For myself, such imaginal figures are equally welcome; sometimes we must let our demons out to dance. As Umberto Eco teaches us in his studies On Beauty and On Ugliness, both the beautiful and the terrible can bring us rapture as exaltation and defilement, and seizures of power as reimagination and transformation of ourselves. Of art I ask only that it conveys an authentic human event and potentia in which I can share, though fragrance as an art specifically allows us to interrogate idealizations of masculine and feminine beauty free from the limits of our form. All art, and all truths, defile and exalt us. So for my ars poetica of fragrances; which brings us to my subject today, what is my ideal Garden which the semiotics of Arpege Pour Homme represents for me? This, friends, is the primary question of all perfumes and possibly of all art; what memories and feelings does it bring forth for you, what lived truths does it reveal and represent to you in your uniqueness? First, a universe utterly in balance, a chiaroscuro of warm and engulfing jasmine like the diaphanous embrace of the enormous mink coverlet on my bed in counterpoint with the remote and devastating ice queen of iris. This iris is not the glorious and liberating song of the Ice Queen in Frozen, but the speech of Galadriel on being offered the Ring of Power by Frodo; “All shall love me and despair!” In the balance with this we have jasmine; a narcotic, seductive echo of warm nights beyond the boundaries of the Forbidden and memories of glorious sins. This is the heart of Arpege Pour Homme, a Pandora’s Box which opens with the boldness of its peppery topnotes, temptations which capture our attention like the promise of a lover who declares that whatever you desire and now imagine, I can match it and bring you one step further beyond anything you have known or can now dream, as a sharp pepper and bitter orange versus sweet-spicy neroli and pimento. Heart notes unfold next, the ravishing silken jasmine-powdery iris accord mediated with suggestions of nutmeg and cinnamon hovering on the edge of awareness and layered within the Tango dance of South American yerba mate tea, exotic and intoxicating. A change in stress from the first to the second syllable in Spanish transforms the bitter herbal tea into the declarative, “I killed”; the Brazilian name for the tea, chimarrão, derives from the Spanish cimarrón, meaning brute or feral, which also describes the kind of dance offered us by the transgressive secret side of the delicate and refined Arpege Pour Homme. Behind the cloak of its gorgeous florals a matador lies in wait, fearless and robed in glittering beauty. In the final act the base notes present themselves, having like kabuki theatre stage handlers invisibly set the scene for the main characters who now bow offstage; a creamy vanilla in foreground, gourmand and aromatic like a vanilla liqueur within a bonbon, Tonka beans, hints of deeply resinous patchouli, and honeyed sandalwood. As to similar fragrances, Dior Homme famously recalls its iris heart as a top note versus orange, but Arpege has none of the lipstick associations of its near relative, and Dior Homme replaces the iris-jasmine heart with a rose-leather duet. My direct replacement and second choice in the category of virtual boutonniere is Guerlain’s vintage Apres l’Onde, a near-feminine floral with the singular redeeming quality of having no sweetness whatever. In summation; Arpege Pour Homme, now sadly out of production, is elegant, refined, with a fragile beauty which conceals a wildness without boundaries, and the courage to surrender to one’s own desires. Who could refuse, at least once, to try such a thing and discover where it might lead, and to what new truths? Antonio Banderas - Take the Lead https://youtu.be/6lAKlYTQVKY The Mirror of Galadriel https://youtu.be/WeQDTj1UllA The Poetics of Space, Gaston Bachelard https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13269.The_Poetics_of_Space?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=RB19bvuUls&rank=1 On Beauty: A History of a Western Idea, Umberto Eco https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/790594.On_Beauty?ref=nav_sb_ss_2_17 On Ugliness, Umberto Eco https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/520738.On_Ugliness?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=o7gr1mx4VT&rank=2 "Discourse and Truth" and "Parresia", Michel Foucault https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41591201-discourse-and-truth-and-parresia?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=5XUnEJ3Vig&rank=30 Coleridge’s Philosophy: The Logos As Unifying Principle, by Mary Ann Perkins https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1898852.Coleridge_s_Philosophy?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=P1bVqSKavy&rank=197 The Red Book: Liber Novus, by C.G. Jung https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6454477-the-red-book?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=d9wXRI4nKC&rank=1 Luminous Emptiness: Understanding the Tibetan Book of the Dead, Francesca Fremantle https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/208126.Luminous_Emptiness The Sufi Path of Knowledge: Ibn Al-Arabi’s Metaphysics of Imagination, William C. Chittick https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/157129.The_Sufi_Path_of_Knowledge?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=hYN9Fn0JOq&rank=14 The Good Apprentice, Iris Murdoch https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/234069.The_Good_Apprentice?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=MH9tYaPkmz&rank=23 The Philosopher's Pupil, Iris Murdoch https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11238.The_Philosopher_s_Pupil?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_22 July 2024 Gardens at My Cottage, Dollhouse Park: a photographic album https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1434229447972378&type=3

Olivier Pescheux has created a gem with this offering! The opening is a wonderful combination (to my nose) of fresh-ground pink pepper, nice neroli (personally, I don't think too much), fresh-squeezed mandarin orange juice with some of the orange rind. Awesome! I absolutely love the top notes here - fantastic, masculine and rich but segueing into a powdery iris within a few minutes on the skin (this is a very particular scent in "where" you spray it.) I love Iris as a note and it blends beautifully with the Jasmine here - along with a dusting of nutmeg (but thankfully, not too much) or we would be heading towards a gourmand. The excellent vanilla, sandalwood and tonka bean drydown is a bit dusty (but another key note, patchouli, sharpens the finish - kudos to the brilliance of the perfumier...again, lifting and 'focusing' the scent). I, personally, don't feel this is uber-masculine throughout its development, and I could see this as borderline unisex at certain times (most notably, the powdery iris/floral middle) - but as an overall scent, it is firmly masculine for the full wearing. This bottle exudes class, sophistication and quality! Here is the key, going back to "where" to apply this. The top note of pink pepper fades pretty quickly on my skin. I actually loved it so much and, poof, it was gone in 10-15 minutes. So, leaving the 3 full sprays rubbed together on my inner wrists (now resonating the beautiful iris and jasmine dusted in nutmeg), I reapplied 2 full sprays to my shirt and...BAM - pink pepper that will stay with the neroli/orange notes for a while (still going at 45 minutes and should be there on clothes for a good couple of hours (much slower evolution in scent, for those of us who love to get the top and middle notes longer). One key, too, is that it does not turn nearly as powdery on my shirt, but you still get the nice iris/jasmine heart. The vanilla is there with the sandalwood, but the patchouli actually holds its own even more on fabric. When wearing this, I will probably apply at least 3 full sprays to my shirt, jacket, etc. to get the effect that Lanvin Arpege gave me today. It also lengthens longevity, as we all know, but it is retaining the notes that is key for me... I am extremely happy with this bottle of fragrance - Lanvin Arpege Pour Homme is very chic and, in my opinion, rather unique. It has similarities, but the pepper/iris accord along with the green patchouli mixed into the vanillic base makes this truly stand-out! My final score: 8.5+/10 and a strong recommendation! I also want to mention that I bought the 100ml EDT gift set with a 150ml all-over body shampoo and a 150ml after shave balm - for those of you who love this fragrance...get the full experience from shower to shave to the wonderful fragrance!

Lanvin is not known for beeing a great fragrance house nowadays but it's definitely one of the greatest for his history. Arpège, My Sin, Scandal, Rumer, are very important releases. Unfortunately I never smelled any of them. In the masculine isle, there's nothing groundbreaking and, the only one still available is the 97 Morillas creation simple called L'Homme. Basically 212 without the green cut grass. But in 2005, the same year of Dior Homme, Olivier Pescheux created a iris based scent for men, but for some reason, this became a shadow of the Dior and was discontinued a couple of years later. This starts off with a fresh mandarin note mixed with the iris. A bit sweet and fresh. Different from the Dior which starts more powdery. The structure is different and don't expect this as a similar experience rather a different side of a coin. This became more creamy and sweeter, and also more floral bit due to the added neroli. The drydown is more about tonka. Dior is woodier and drier, and the bergamot makes it more fresher in the opening. This is more about a creamy Tonka with a sweeter opening (not cloying neither a contemporary sweet bomb) and a slightly powdery and defined floral iris-neroli. Fantastic and remarkable, but overshadowed by the (superior) Dior Homme, which is a masterpiece and a must have, although, I think this is an example of a good iris scent and it's a pioneer of this genre along with Dior, so, for that reason, and because it's damn good, I recommend it, if you can find a bottle for a good price, like I did. Usually this one is not very pricey in the online second hand market and it's a great addition to your collection, so picked it up. Longevity is ok. I get a moderate projection and 6-8h of longevity. The quality of the composition is fantastic and the bottle is cool. There's nothing wrong about this scent, only that is discontinued a long time ago. But you can still find good deals on it. A pioneer of masculine iris based scents, and brother of Dior Homme with a different facet that needs more attention

A soft, seductive oriental... why discontinued? Why discontinue something like this? Arpège pour Homme is a wonderful soft oriental for men that is a mix of tonka bean, iris, pink pepper and vanilla... with touches of jasmine, sandalwood and amber in the base. It's so soft and sexy, I can't see anyone who wouldn't like it! Right from the beginning I get Mandarin Orange and Pink Pepper... followed by jasmine and settling into iris and tonka bean (a lot of tonka bean), before turning into a sandalwood & vanilla combination. I think it's innovative and unique enough to stand out from many of the male fragrances... it's sexy in an edible, yummy way (like you almost want to eat it)! When I wear this I think of one thing... smooth Jazz music! Imagine being in a blue-lit underground jazz bar with a smooth, cool sound playing in the background... a little Miles Davis perhaps? There's a guy sitting at his table, enjoying a cocktail with a female friend... the band keeps playing, never too loud. They are enjoying the company, the conversation, the soft mood, the unique atmosphere of the place... and I think this is a fragrance that would create that atmosphere. Some have said it's similar to Dior Homme ... well I would say there is a 60-70% similarity, but this is more "oriental" (it has more tonka bean and vanilla). Also the pink pepper makes a nice touch which wasn't in Dior Homme. The main difference is the leather that was in the Dior which is absent here. I actually find this one more similar to L'Instant de Guerlain pour Homme in the "soft oriental" category. A lovely, pleasurable and non-offensive, seductive fragrance. Why was this discontinued? We may never know. Smooth, soft and sexy. R.I.P. Arpège pour Homme !

Today was a good day - the rain fell in sheets, the wind blew ever so sweetly, and a gentle chill settled throughout the land...these are my truly favorite days. Often, in the wind and cold, I find myself looking for answers to questions I have held for nearly a decade and a half - most concern the meaning of life, love, and the curiosity of connection (to music, to scent, to people, to places, and so on). I spin through these questions and thoughts endlessly only to arrive where began - such frivolous toil! I chose a strong companion to aid me in this brief journey - Lanvin Aprege Pour Homme. This is another stunning beast in my collection - and one that is sadly discontinued... Well, it is very potent to start off with - a sharp citrus laid over the rich heart of spiced iris and nutmeg and the always present base of a thick, musky vanilla and honeyed amber. This is truly narcotic - I cannot smell myself enough and it brings me such resounding joy when I catch wafts of it in the air surrounding me....it is a gentle yet powerful beauty - much like the perfect woman (or man). I catch whiffs of a peppery iris now and again accented with a honeyed woods and resins - some of my favorite notes in gourmand fumes all playing a beautiful harmony. This fume takes me to the arms of the perfect lover I never had - it illicits extreme joy and profound loneliness - a truly unforgettable experience that I couldn't do without! May you all find the answers to your burning questions and may you have a true love to cozy up to on these cold, rainy days! Day 14 - The search for meaning Listening to: Agnes Obel - Under Giant Trees

arpege is a very classy, well-made edt. in the opening the smell is a bit citrusy, then the iris became the protagonist of the drydown. u can also find something similar to tea(maybe the mate) and vanilla. for me arpege is close to dior homme. arpege is softer, dh is denser and stronger with powderiness so in arpege there isnt the make-up bag taste. in this juice u can detect something in common to prada l'homme(for the clean.flowery vibe) and l'instant de guerlain(for the gentle creamy-citrus note). now there are many iris-based fragrances on the market so arpege is still wearable and modern, i dont know why it was discontinued so quickly. it didnt sell well so u can still find on dusty shelves for a good price, and also there are many alternative available on the market so dont spend crazy money on it. the performance is just ok, on my skin dior homme works definitely better, both in longevity and projection. but i have to say the sillage of this fragrance is very nice, clean and pleasant. for spring and fall, too soft for winter and not so fresh for summer. the softness of the fragrance allows u to use it in every situation, cinema, dinner whatever...for 25 and up, not for teenagers. profumo di lanvin molto piacevole e soft. è basato sull'iris ed è simile a dior homme, ma più leggero e con qualcosa di diverso. non un gran performer, la sua piacevolezza unita alla sua leggerezza permette di usarlo in ogni situazione senza essere invadente. scent-8 long-6,5 sillage-7 uniqueness-8 bottle design-6 versatility-8,5 compliment factor- 7 rebuy?no my vote-8 in one word- softness alternative- dior homme

I just tried this very much under-rated fragrance today (after all these years) and I cannot believe I didn't buy it so long ago! I bought a bottle inexpensively online as a 'tester' as I don't usually get the full impact from a spritz at a department store nor pharmacy stand and although I'd tried it before, I just didn't feel pressed enough to buy it; but what a fool I've been! This is an elegantly packaged fragrance, a beautiful and simple bottle design which I read was designed with the House of Lanvin and it's heritage in mind and based on the original 'Arpege' bottle legacy. I know that some reviewers dislike the design, but it really is quite unique. The perfume is deliciously warm and sensual with a great lasting strength and sillage that completely impressed my olfactory senses ..... Very much an Oriental, it reminds me of the potency of JOOP! Homme, A*MEN, BalMan and the original KOUROS, but without the high concentration of these sweetly masculine fragrances. It's sophisticated, hyper sexy and a good fragrance to wear when you want to impress those around you and make an entrance. You'll be remembered for it! Great to wear on a date, a formal occasion, an intimate encounter,lightly for the office, etc; but definitely not what I'd consider a casual scent. I will buy this fragrance again, as I've worn it for more that 4 hours now and it still smells like I've just applied it not long ago. A high 'thumbs up' and don't hold the stops. Serious parfumistos, do yourself a favour and get a bottle as soon as you see it, you won't regret buying it for your collection!

Arpege pour Homme is somewhat a variant of Dior Eau Noire other than Dior Homme. It is, for sure, even a more sophisticated, higher completed, further decorated composition relative to Eau Noire. Arpege PH opens with what you might mostly get from Eau Noire: some herbal woody aromantic accord with a touch of coffee note. Notice the difference in the coffee notes: to be specificly, it blended in a well-crafted and subtle way so that its synthetic trace cannot be easily found as it does in Eau Noire ( where the coffee smells like a chemical coffee flavor chewing gum as you can find in a drugstore ) and even some really expensive niche offerings that also use the coffee. Eau Noire freezes at here, but Arpege PH does not. It soon envolved into a oriental woody phase. I do get some comparison to Dior Homme as some reviewers mentioned, but more precisely it reminds me of Dior Bois d'Argent, just with a quasi-fougere twist, as well as a deja vu of Serge Lutens Gris Clair-ish sweet woody base, just without the prominent lavender note. So think about mixing one drop of Bois d'Argent, one drop of Gris Clair (lavender-filtered) and a half drop of YSL Opium Homme (PPR-Gucci Era), that is basically how it goes, at least to some extend. Arpege PH is surely more than what I expected from the house of Lanvin. A solid, interesting, sexual and elegent frag within the genre. If you were into Eau Noire and Gris Clair, you'd better get yourself a bottle of this before full extinction in the market. Rating: 8.0-8.5/10

Arpège Pour Homme is a class act - sophisticated but playful, and supremely elegant. The distinctive bottle is a visual indicator that this masculine version of Lanvin’s iconic ladies perfume, is modern, rather than an homage to tradition. A dynamic chameleon of a fragrance that evolves beautifully: opens with a gentle pepper-orange-neroli with a subtle hint of coffee. The effect is quite intoxicating as the citrus is smooth, offset and balanced by pimento to create a curious, but pleasing effect. Then iris takes centre stage, teasing us with a dance of seven veils before finally revealing her beauty as one of her most aesthetically pleasing incarnations ever, which intrigues me as iris is not something that I usually find appealing. (nor is orris for that matter) The final stage through to the dry down is truly magnificent: a resinous dry vanillic patch-tonka-sandalwood. A delight to the senses for wearer and entourage alike. Some people respond to this in the most remarkable way. Maybe it's something to do with the dry-not-sweet vanilla in the dry down but even though Arpège pour Homme isn't exactly a beast mode performer, it seems to have some voodoo magic that seems to elicit pleasure and cause random people to act like crazed stalkers. Arpège pour Homme is a superlative example of the fine art of perfumery: like a stage show in three acts - innovative, elegant, sophisticated and seductive. With similarities to Dior Homme and Prada L’Homme, Arpège pour Homme is an outstanding iris fragrance.

I got a sample of this a few weeks back and after wearing this for over 15 days, I'm considering this to be in my top 10 (possibly top 5) (out of many, many fragrances sampled and own/owned). This is one of those special fragrances which, on my skin, I can smell so clearly and distinctly the transformation from the opening, the heart and finally to the base (drydown). The notes pyramid are so spot on I feel like I need to give an award to that person! :) The Opening: Bitter oranges, mandarin peel and this dirty neroli note (I think the pink pepper gives it this maturity vibe). I DO NOT like this opening, but for me it goes away in 20 mins, then comes my favourite part - the rest of it! The Heart: Very well blended Iris (giving it that lipsticky vibe, this is WAAAY smoother/less pronounced than Dior Homme Intense) and there you get the first hints of smooth Vanilla (this is like the smell coming from the lid of a vanilla pod container) and very little jasmine and nutmeg (not sure about nutmeg, its less pronounced). Lasts for 4 hrs on my skin (almost every time) and projects good (not excellent though) The Base: TO DIE FOR! Tonka Bean and Vanilla held together with a very slight note of Patchouli. Damn! Lasts for about 5 hours and becomes less projecting but this is ok, it is mine to enjoy!

I am in a quandary... I bought this fragrance and love it. Initially my wife expressed her liking for it, but it was not long before she started to express revulsion. She says it is just too strong and is like some chemical cleaner. I, on the other hand, really admire the sweet, peppery, spicy opening to this one - it is really distinctive. It is much more potent than fragrances I have with similar ingredients (say for instance Xeryus Rouge)and retains its strength unchanged for much longer. More than any other fragrance I have tried so far, this one can be smelled by others when I have got used to it. My wife was telling me she could smell it long after I could no longer smell it. So I tested her. I put one small spray on a sock and left it in the bedroom, "You've been spraying that stinky stuff again" was the immediate response, when my wife entered the room. Rats! The patchouli and wood support the pepper and spice and mean that it is warm (actually hot would be a better description) and robust for most of its life. I would like to give a better review, but unless I build a concrete bunker in my backyard where I can wear this, I won't be applying this again anytime soon. Pity. I bought two bottles.

Arpege Pour Homme is seduction in a bottle. The bright opening of pink pepper, citrus, and brilliant florals beckons you closer, exhorts you to press your nose against skin and take in the sensuality of vanilla and the warmth of sandalwood. The smoothness of Arpege is so, so good. I’m no synesthete, but the overwhelming sensation of this fragrance is that of a deep, royal blue, perhaps with a fringe of rich cream, the shade of jasmine blossoms bathed in starlight. It is soothing but intoxicating; elegant, but in the most thoughtless way possible; rich, but restrained. This is probably one of the best blind buys I’ve ever made. From the first sniff I was totally in love. This is an oriental, floral gourmand par excellence, masculine but definitely on the metro side and could feasibly be pulled off on a woman. I purchased my 30ml for around $20, but it appears that the price has shot up considerably since then, similarly to Lanvin's other erstwhile cheapie banger Avant Garde. It's not worth the asking price on Ebay imo, but if it can still be found for a bargain, Arpege Pour Homme is a lovely, unique designer scent that shouldn't be missed. 8.5/10

My current favorite fragrance, is a such a joy for me to wear it. It is sweet and powdery but way more masculine that DHI or MIP for exemple. The vanilla is absolutely the most dominant note so keep that in mind. If you hate vanilla stay away of this fragrance. The iris note is very natural and is not come off smelling like lipstick or makeup. The bitter-sweet citruses and floral notes are always in the background and the spices give a nice and balanced dimension to the fragrance. The drydown is to die for, so well blended and intoxicating! The lasting power is great, 10-12h and is still projecting(not a lot but still enough to attract some compliments). The only negative part is the bottle, I find it ugly and cheep, the cap is very lose and light. Excellent night time fragrance, I will need a bigger bottle, I think this fragrance is the only one from my collection for which I will buy at least one back-up bottle. For me is a 10/10!

To be able to wear men’s fragrance out in the public for a couple of days without any layering is quite rare for me but with ARPEGE POUR HOMME, it is possible. Oh my gush, this is beautiful!! The top powdery iris note is pretty strong and masculine so, reapplying outside, I prefer only in the ladies room. In about 7 minuets, it quickly settles into mellow vanilla and tonka beans and good to go. The projection is quite modest. It creates powdery cocoon kind of atmosphere around me. This creator Olivier Pescheux is the current main perfumer of Diptyque Boutique. The young SA there I chat with was so impressed to know that LANVIN ARPEGE POUR HOMME was his earlier 2005 creation. She said she’s gonna get it ASAP while still sold online. I’ve noticed the newest Diptyque FLEUR DE PEAU also has this prominent powdery almost smoky iris note at the beginning but honestly speaking, LANVIN ARPEGE POUR HOMME is way way better.

What can i say? I totally hook up on the review of my dear friend EricRico! A truly great soft'n silky sophisticated scent for the romantic moments in your life. I find it very well balanced and the vanilla is amazingly well blended with the iris and tonka!! I feel cozy when i wear arpege pH and i think this is S3X in a bottle! while wearing this at night time you cannot believe the positive comments you get from women and sometimes a look is enough to see they sniff their noses to your direction. As Givenchy Pi and Versace Dreamer are OVER-rated (they are good in a way but..) Lanvin Arpege pour Homme is very,very UNDER-rated. The black circle in the bottle design is truly minimalistic avant garde together with the plastic cap. My best pour homme Lanvin till date! please keep this scent in production

The most understated of WMDs. The most effeminate straight-masculine fragrance out there. Extreme staying power - expect a hint of drydown after not wearing a seasonal jacket for almost a year. Nighttime, winter, business casual dress, sophisticated/flirty demeanour. VEEEERY relaxed. Old world upper class. Very dominant yet utterly unaggressive. Definitely not for Jaegermeister/Coors/Zinfandel drinkers. Your beverage of choice is something to the tune of a DOCG Soave. PS Women will line up to profess to hate it, in long monologues punctuated by constant entirely unaccidental physical contact and damn near snorting your lapels. Expect sudden infatuations and the occasional unexpected affair.

Orange, Mandarin, Pink pepper, Nutmeg, Jasmin, Patchouli and Vanilla: they are responsible for this bomb! Arpège is so well blended that is, at the same time: elegant, sexy, refined, different, sweet, warm and unique! Sometimes, I feel a little bit of "Boss Soul" in it. But is just a little moment and then, I feel the other notes and combinations of its evolution. This scent has just one problem, in my oppinion: its bottle! It is difficult to hold it and spray and I can’t see beauty on it. But the most important is the pleasure of wearing it. The bottle is just a piece of glass made to be inside of my wardrobe.

Pleasing and masculine in an old school way; Arpège is less sweet than it is spicy, leaning towards incense notes, though Lanvin (Olivier Pescheux) still achieved a great synergy of ingredients here. The dry down is not overpowering or cloying, yet it is assertive, lasting and projects well without an ostentatious sillage. An aristocratic powerhouse reminiscent of the classics à la Givenchy Gentleman. Although the composition of Arpège and Gentleman (the original - not the sickly new version) is different, both exhibit a perfect balance of elements that embodies class and panache.

This reminds me a lot of Burberry's For Men, circa 1990's (the blue "Knight" cap), but more appealing. BFM has this vegetal/herbal accord in it that feels more like a niche experiment than a production fragrance. The "powdery" quality is fairly strong in Arpege Pour Homme, but doesn't dandify the aroma too much. It's wearable by both men and women, AFAIC. The drydown is sublime! Arpege Pour Homme was unfortunately discontinued not long ago, so there's still some inventory floating around, sometimes at a nice discount. Get some while you can! Fragrance: 8.5, Value: 9

It's very high in the iris/powder area - rather light and sweet. It's very much on the line between masculine and feminine, this scent. I think it's a very attractive opening, but the dry down is a warm floral that's not really suited for me. On my skin, it becomes very sweet and the iris begins to smell more like blueberries or apples. I think this would be a great scent for women, and really should be marketed that way (unless the ladies would like to keep this as their secret.) If you like good quality powder/dry floral, this perfume is for you, definitely.