Esnc Crefeld: Ozonique – Floral – Solaire

In my second part about the old "Lanvin" men's fragrances, I dedicate myself to "Vetyver Lanvin". This vetiver scent fits well into the chronology of French competitors: in 1957 "Carven", in 1959 "Givenchy", and in 1961 "Guerlain" released a men's perfume of this name. From 1964, "Lanvin" also had one in its repertoire. Vetiver scents do not make it easy for me. The perception on others can sometimes be sensational. I personally wear vetiver scents rather reluctantly. With one small exception: "Vetyver Lanvin". As with many vetiver scents, the top note here is initially very fresh. A cooling effect sets in immediately. One reason why I like this scent so much in summer. A slight minty note mixes in, and while usually the path to the base becomes woody and herbaceous, this vetiver takes a floral route. Typical for "Lanvin" of its time: the clove. It plays a dominant role here, perhaps even the leading role. A fine blend of floral and light woody ingredients lingers for a long time, giving the fragrance excellent longevity. In the dry down, the wood, specifically cedarwood, dominates. I find myself repeating. The floral aspect, paired with the refreshing opening, is likely the reason why I like this scent so much. I perceive it as timeless, and I can well imagine that it would have found a firm place among vetiver lovers. Unfortunately, it was also banished from the shelves in the early 80s. I find it interesting that "Lanvin" wrote in its house brochure at the time that although it was composed as a men's perfume (the line was also accompanied by an aftershave), the ladies had long since claimed this scent for themselves. I also still remember well the words of Apicius, who immediately associated it with a flower shop. If it is seen anywhere on the worldwide web: grab it! In 2003, an attempt at a relaunch was made. Unfortunately, this failed, and officially the new Vetyver is no longer listed. For those who want to know more about the bottles, the sprayers, and the effusers, I refer you to the first part of my reports on old Lanvin fragrances - "Monsieur Lanvin".

I’m a vintage perfumes lover, and fortunately, thanks to a friend of mine I was able to get a tester of this discontinued beauty. When we consider vintage masculine Vetiver scents, we tend to assume they all have some kind of connection with Guerlain’s masterpiece of 1964, but this is absolutely not the case. This one is a different and brighter take on the note. After the initial blast of aldehydes, I can fell a lot of flowers blossoming amidst the fruitiness of oranges, lemon and bergamot (lots of bergamot). Jasmine, Iris, Ylang and a very smooth Rose, with a hint of clove to spice it up… just heaven. A base of Cedar, Sandalwood, labdanum and vanilla, give it a rounder effect. After 4 hours on my skin it is still projecting, and I keep being reminded of something else I’ve smelled a lot this summer… yes… Bortnikoff Amber Cologne! No, it doesn’t have any vetiver, and this one lacks the ambergris, but they are very, very similar to my nose. So, once again, this one is an absolute BANG! Excellent projection and performance, a bright fragrance for all year round, very classy, I would recommend it for all genders. If you find it, don’t let it escape! 9/10 Updated on 08/19/2022