Jeanne Lanvin, Coffret Set, Arpège, Mon Peche, Prétexte, Scandal, 4 x 7.5 ml. or 0.25 oz. Flacons, Parfum Extrait, 1936, 1970, Paris, France

The story of the house of Lanvin started with the founder of the fashion house, the milliner Jeanne Lanvin, who was born on the 1st of January of 1867 in Paris, and was the eldest of 11 children born to the poor family of Bernard-Constant Lanvin and Sophie-Blanche. Luckily for them, Jeanne's grandfather, Jacques-Firmin Lanvin, was friends with Victor Hugo who helped them along every way he could.

At the age of 13, Jeanne entered the workforce as a seamstress and milliner. As the years passed, her work became greatly admired, and she earned her apprenticeship at Félix and later at Cordeau's, working in Barcelona. Upon returning to Paris, Jeanne Lanvin became mistress of her own affairs, and she founded her own millinery fashion house at rue du Marché Saint-Honoré. Her next address upon expanding her headquarters would be 16 rue Boissy d’Anglais, while the final destination for her business, still standing to this day, is at 22, rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré.

Arpège .. this famous perfume was made by Andre Fraysse for Lanvin in 1927. The name was chosen by the daughter of the perfumer, since she had been involved in music, and she chose the name “Arpège”, as it related to the musical term ‘arpeggio'. The original 1927 formula incredibly corresponded to its musical term, where the notes of the perfume play their theme alternately. In 1993, the perfume was reconstructed and that also highly successful. The composition was mostly well preserved, and it resulted in a second great perfume. The bottle was lovely, too. The beautiful figures on the black misted background representing mother and daughter .. wife and daughter of the perfumer .. who are getting ready for the ball.

Top notes are are Bergamot, Peach, Orange Bloom, Lily of the Valley, Honeysuckle, and Orris
The heart notes are Rose, Jasmine, Ylang Ylang, Coriander, Tuberose, Violet, and Geranium
The base notes are Sandalwood, Vetiver, Patchouli, Nutmeg, Vanilla, and Amber

Mon Peche .. My Sin .. was created back in 1924 by a mysterious Russian lady called “Madame Zed”, who worked on several more Lanvin fragrances. My Sin was, perhaps, the last of a series of fragrances created for Jeanne Lanvin by the mysterious Russian perfumer, Madame Zed, about whom we know nothing.

Top notes are Aldehydes, Lemon, Bergamot, and Clary Sage
Heart notes are Neroli, Jasmine, Clove, Rose, Muguet (Lily of the Valley), Jonquil, Ylang Ylang, and Lilac
Base notes are Vetiver, Vanilla, Woods, Tolu, and Styrax

Prétexte .. was launched in 1937, and was created by Andre Fraysse. It is classified as an ambery floral perfume with woody notes for women. “Lanvin, always a great champion of femininity in her scents, offers Pretexte, which was first put together just before the war and almost immediately had to be withdrawn.”

Prétexte is a stunning, resinous, powdery, floral chypre with a strong animalic, soft leathery base. The opening has an unmistakable aldehyde note, immediately follows by two distinct scent accords of equal strength .. the first, a creamy soft white floral found in the narcissus and iris married with the sandalwood and sweet tonka, and the second, a rich chypre base of patchouli, and oak moss, with leather, and woodnotes. As the scent develops, it becomes a soft sandalwood floral perfume. Overall Prétexte smells rich and creamy.

Top notes are Aldehydes, Bergamot, and Narcissus
Heart notes are Hay, Rose, Carnation, Hawthorn, Opopanax, and Iris
Base notes are Leather, Patchouli, Rosewood, Ambergris, Sandalwood, Tonka Bean, Vetiver, and Oak Moss

Scandal .. was launched 1931 as a leather chypre fragrance. The nose behind this fragrance is Andre Fraysse.

Top notes are Bergamot, Lemon, Neroli, Mandarin, and Clary Sage
Heart notes are Leather, Iris, Rose, and Ylang Ylang
Base notes are Incense, Oak Moss, Vanilla, Vetiver, and Benzoin

Offered here is a lovely set of four famous Lanvin perfumes in a charming presentation box. Each bottle contains 7.5 ml. for a total of one ounce of perfume. The strings on three have been broken, though none of the perfumes seem to have been used, but the string on the Arpège remains in tact, and I believe this flacon came from another set. Really lovely .. a pristine set, with a few spill marks on the interior box ..