Le Chypre by Lanvin, launched in 1923, emerged during a pivotal time in fragrance history. This period was marked by a burgeoning interest in sophisticated, complex scents as perfume houses began to experiment with new olfactory structures. In the early 1920s, the fragrance industry was captivated by innovations in scent composition, moving beyond simple floral blends to explore more nuanced and layered profiles. Le Chypre, classified as a floral chypre fragrance for women, was part of this evolution, aligning with contemporary trends that favored rich, multifaceted fragrances.
The name "Le Chypre" reflects a strategic choice by Parfums Lanvin. "Chypre" is French for "Cyprus," a name used to categorize a specific type of fragrance structure that originated from a perfume created by François Coty in 1917, which was inspired by the island of Cyprus. This fragrance type is characterized by a sophisticated blend of citrus top notes, a floral heart, and a rich, woody base. By naming their perfume "Le Chypre," Lanvin positioned their scent within this trendy and sophisticated category, indicating a fragrance that offered depth and complexity.
Women of the time would have responded to Le Chypre with an appreciation for its elegant and nuanced composition. The name evokes images of classic sophistication and refinement, aligning with the sophisticated lifestyle and tastes of the 1920s. The term "Le Chypre" would likely have been interpreted as a promise of luxurious, exotic experiences, aligning with the era's fascination with new and sophisticated scent profiles.
The history of chypre perfumes is notable for their pioneering approach to fragrance construction. The chypre structure is known for its distinctive blend of fresh citrus notes, floral middles, and warm, mossy bases, creating a balanced and enduring scent profile. As one of the early adopters of this structure, Le Chypre by Lanvin played a role in popularizing and shaping the chypre genre, which remains influential in the fragrance industry to this day.
Fragrance Composition:
So what does it smell like? It is classified as a floral chypre fragrance for women.- Top notes: calamus, bergamot, cassie, petitgrain, verbena
- Middle notes: jasmine, rose, tuberose, orris, hyacinth, geranium,
- Base notes: patchouli, sandalwood, tonka bean, vanilla, civet, castoreum, musk, ambergris, labdanum, oakmoss, vetiver, storax
Scent Profile:
al sharpness with a refreshing burst. Cassie, with its sweet, floral, and slightly powdery essence, introduces a soft warmth, creating a comforting backdrop. Petitgrain brings an invigorating, herbal quality with a subtle hint of bitterness, evoking the fresh scent of orange leaves. Verbena rounds out the top notes with its zesty, lemon-like aroma, offering a crisp and clean edge that invigorates the senses.
As the fragrance evolves, the heart notes of Le Chypre unveil a lush floral symphony. Jasmine exudes a rich, opulent aroma, its sensual and heady scent enveloping the senses like a warm embrace. Rose adds a classic, romantic touch, with its velvety, sweet fragrance evoking images of blooming gardens in full summer bloom. Tuberose introduces an intensely creamy and narcotic quality, its powerful scent lending an exotic, intoxicating depth. Orris contributes a soft, powdery elegance with a hint of violet, adding a sophisticated, almost ethereal nuance. Hyacinth offers a fresh, green floral aroma with a hint of sweetness, reminiscent of spring gardens. Geranium introduces a rosy, slightly spicy facet, adding a touch of complexity to the floral bouquet.
In the base notes, Le Chypre settles into a rich and complex foundation. Patchouli imparts a deep, earthy aroma with a hint of sweetness, its robust scent grounding the fragrance with a sense of exotic mystery. Sandalwood adds a creamy, warm, and slightly woody note, contributing to the fragrance’s smooth and sensual finish. Tonka bean introduces a rich, sweet, and slightly spicy aroma, its complexity enhancing the overall warmth of the base. Vanilla brings a creamy, comforting sweetness, enveloping the fragrance in a soft, gourmand embrace. Civet adds a musky, animalic quality, its deep and slightly wild aroma lending an intriguing, sensual edge. Castoreum provides a leathery, slightly smoky note, adding a rugged, natural facet to the composition. Musk contributes a warm, animalic softness, enhancing the fragrance’s sensuality. Ambergris imparts a rich, marine warmth with a subtle sweetness, its elusive and complex nature adding depth. Labdanum provides a resinous, slightly balsamic quality, contributing to the fragrance’s rich, opulent character. Oakmoss introduces a damp, earthy aroma with a hint of woodiness, grounding the fragrance in a natural, forest-like richness. Vetiver adds a smoky, woody note with a touch of earthiness, enhancing the fragrance’s depth and complexity. Finally, storax contributes a balsamic, slightly sweet, and resinous quality, rounding out the base with a warm, comforting finish.
- Top notes: calamus, bergamot, cassie, petitgrain, verbena
- Middle notes: jasmine, rose, tuberose, orris, hyacinth, geranium,
- Base notes: patchouli, sandalwood, tonka bean, vanilla, civet, castoreum, musk, ambergris, labdanum, oakmoss, vetiver, storax
Scent Profile:
al sharpness with a refreshing burst. Cassie, with its sweet, floral, and slightly powdery essence, introduces a soft warmth, creating a comforting backdrop. Petitgrain brings an invigorating, herbal quality with a subtle hint of bitterness, evoking the fresh scent of orange leaves. Verbena rounds out the top notes with its zesty, lemon-like aroma, offering a crisp and clean edge that invigorates the senses.
As the fragrance evolves, the heart notes of Le Chypre unveil a lush floral symphony. Jasmine exudes a rich, opulent aroma, its sensual and heady scent enveloping the senses like a warm embrace. Rose adds a classic, romantic touch, with its velvety, sweet fragrance evoking images of blooming gardens in full summer bloom. Tuberose introduces an intensely creamy and narcotic quality, its powerful scent lending an exotic, intoxicating depth. Orris contributes a soft, powdery elegance with a hint of violet, adding a sophisticated, almost ethereal nuance. Hyacinth offers a fresh, green floral aroma with a hint of sweetness, reminiscent of spring gardens. Geranium introduces a rosy, slightly spicy facet, adding a touch of complexity to the floral bouquet.
In the base notes, Le Chypre settles into a rich and complex foundation. Patchouli imparts a deep, earthy aroma with a hint of sweetness, its robust scent grounding the fragrance with a sense of exotic mystery. Sandalwood adds a creamy, warm, and slightly woody note, contributing to the fragrance’s smooth and sensual finish. Tonka bean introduces a rich, sweet, and slightly spicy aroma, its complexity enhancing the overall warmth of the base. Vanilla brings a creamy, comforting sweetness, enveloping the fragrance in a soft, gourmand embrace. Civet adds a musky, animalic quality, its deep and slightly wild aroma lending an intriguing, sensual edge. Castoreum provides a leathery, slightly smoky note, adding a rugged, natural facet to the composition. Musk contributes a warm, animalic softness, enhancing the fragrance’s sensuality. Ambergris imparts a rich, marine warmth with a subtle sweetness, its elusive and complex nature adding depth. Labdanum provides a resinous, slightly balsamic quality, contributing to the fragrance’s rich, opulent character. Oakmoss introduces a damp, earthy aroma with a hint of woodiness, grounding the fragrance in a natural, forest-like richness. Vetiver adds a smoky, woody note with a touch of earthiness, enhancing the fragrance’s depth and complexity. Finally, storax contributes a balsamic, slightly sweet, and resinous quality, rounding out the base with a warm, comforting finish.
Bottles:
The perfume was housed in the standard Lanvin square flacons with the black glass stoppers and the "boule" flacons of either black or clear crystal with the raspberry stopper.
Limited editions were made of Sevres porcelain boule flacons. They were made to order and contained extracts of Lanvin's leading perfumes - Lajea, La Dogaresse, My Sin, Le Chypre, Comme Ci Comme Ca, J'En Raffole and later, the most famous of all, Arpege.
Fate of the Fragrance:
Le Chypre, a seminal fragrance from Lanvin, was discontinued around 1935, marking the end of an era for this classic scent. The discontinuation of Le Chypre was part of a broader trend in the early 20th century where many fragrances were being redefined or retired to make way for new innovations in the perfume industry. As tastes evolved and new fragrance trends emerged, Le Chypre, with its distinctively rich and complex profile, gradually faded from the market.
Today, finding a bottle of Lanvin’s Le Chypre is a rare and challenging endeavor. The fragrance's rarity is due to its limited production run and the passage of time, which has only increased its allure among collectors and perfume enthusiasts. The difficulty in locating a bottle is compounded by the delicate nature of vintage perfumes, which can be prone to deterioration over the decades. As a result, surviving bottles of Le Chypre have become prized collectibles, representing a snapshot of early 20th-century perfume artistry. For those fortunate enough to encounter one, it offers a unique opportunity to experience a piece of perfume history that remains elusive and cherished.
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