Wild Fern

The war is over, I've worked in pants in an arms factory and cleared rubble in my town. My girlies and I did it all without the help of men. Now society wants us to go back to the kitchen. But I keep a spirit of freedom and joy in my soul in this spring of our lives. Some of my friends wear l'Air du Temps, which came out a year apart. We are young and the new era is full of promises. A new wind, tenderly green like a young shoot, is sweeping up the past. If I were a young woman in 1947, this would be my perfume. It bears an air of kinship with Hermès Iris Ukiyoé (Ellena, 2010) while not being the same. I'm testing the vintage and the current side to side. Difference wise, the vintage has a more proeminent galbanum in the opening. This use of galbanum at such a high concentration was a first with Cellier being a ceiling breaker in the world of perfumery. Without being flippant, yes, the vintage is better. My favorite vintage so far in testing some of Les Cent Onze Parfums Qu'il Faut Sentir Avant de Mourir. Smells like the colors: green and orange. Vibe: light, young, and cheerful. Updated on 05/03/2025

I have to hand it to Calice Becker: she was faced with the formidable task of reformulating what was at the time a certified classic, limited to the restrictions in perfumery as they were in 1991, and she had succeeded in preserving the spirit of the Cellier original. This is still Vent Vert, still has a fair share of bitter, stemmy yellow-green galbanum (even if it isn't quite as much as the original), and there's that trace of asafoetida (I only elsewhere have seen this note in the other Balmain classic, Ivoire, and Carven Ma Griffe). The asafoetida has that minute hint of sulphurous pungency that really brings green note alive. On a side note, onion essential oil in extreme dilution has been known to be used in traces to create a similar effect, however, asafoetida is considered easier to work with. This chlorophyll pageant with all matters of herby, leafy, vegetal, is soon joined by, naturally green florals, like hyacinth and lily of the valley, but its most worth noting the presence of marigold. This flower is not for its fragrance but it doesn't necessary come to mind for most as one that we put in a vase and take in its aroma. The scent of the essential oil is reminiscent of ripe apples, green leaves, bitter herbs, almost acrid in nature. But a wafts of the flower bring a smile to my face, and as an accent, a modifier, as it were, only makes sense in exalting the ultra-verdancy of Vent Vert. I almost get the sensation of chicory in the heart as well, fresh, bitter and astringent. I must reiterate, this 1991 version is by no means a slouch, as it continues its radiance through its dry down, seamlessly transitioning to shades of violet, vetiver, orris root, and a touch of styrax presumably to fix the galbanum resinoid deep into its base. Only as a skin scent do we eventually have its greenness recede into the woods, and a warm, winsome woods at that. 1991 Vent Vert is not "a shadow of its former self." The 1999 version, however, that's an entirely different story, which I cannot yet tell.

Unforgettable Vent Vert, the most carefree of the green florals. The blast of bitter galbanum is strong and swift, but the freshness of lemon and the powdery sweetness of muguet and rose make this fragrance far from stiff upper lip. Not a Miss Dior or a Bandit - a L’Air du Temps type, signaling a springtime and a new feeling of hope after the war.

Balmain's lovely Vent Vert is my signature perfume. It is a fresh, sharp, sweet composition that smells of new greenery in the springtime, blue skies and daffodils. Longevity is good to very good, and projection is medium. Anyone who longs for the feeling of an early spring day will love VV. Very green, lots of galbanum in the opening. A favorite of Brigitte Bardot as well!

According to Cambridge University Dictionary ‘evergreen’ means something ‘always seeming fresh and popular’. Vent vert is one of the best green fragrances I have met. I love Chanel No 19, a beautiful green with a lot of sharpness and good floral heart. I adore Tendre Poison, a favourite for many years with its sweet, floral take on the green. I admire Isabella Rossellini’s Manifesto, a blast of green on a spring day. And I sometimes crave SJP’s Covet, a mix of green and chocolate. All four wonderful and appreciated in my collection. But Vent Vert… well, that is a totally different story. Vent Vert is a fragrance with many faces. At first spray it has the chalky note that I love so much (galbanum). It boosts the whole fragrance - wonderful lift off. Another thing I notice is that whenever I wear it, I experience moments when the flowers become dominant. In whiffs. Suddenly I think that I am wearing a different fragrance. It surprises me every time. Even though this is not the most long lasting fragrance it still makes me pay attention due to the complexity. Always. Now that’s a good perfume! Wonderful bottle! I love the top detail with the grass-like shape. Not feminine - not masculine. This, in my opinion, could be unisex. The bottle tells you what you are about to experience. If I had to choose between my greens - I would choose Vent Vert. Year 2, 32/365 Updated on 04/04/2026