Van Cleef 1993 Eau de Parfum

Version from 1993
Van Cleef (1993) (Eau de Parfum) by Van Cleef & Arpels
Bottle Design:
Serge Mansau
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7.3 / 10 85 Ratings
A perfume by Van Cleef & Arpels for women, released in 1993. The scent is floral-sweet. The longevity is above-average. It was last marketed by Inter Parfums.
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Main accords

Floral
Sweet
Spicy
Oriental
Fruity

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes Top Notes
GalbanumGalbanum TagetesTagetes NeroliNeroli RaspberryRaspberry BergamotBergamot
Heart Notes Heart Notes
HeliotropeHeliotrope Ylang-ylangYlang-ylang CarnationCarnation JasmineJasmine Orange blossomOrange blossom RoseRose
Base Notes Base Notes
CedarCedar Tonka beanTonka bean MuskMusk VanillaVanilla

Perfumer

Ratings
Scent
7.385 Ratings
Longevity
8.569 Ratings
Sillage
7.764 Ratings
Bottle
8.074 Ratings
Submitted by Kankuro, last update on 07/17/2025.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to
Van Cleef (1993) (Eau de Toilette) by Van Cleef & Arpels
Van Cleef (1993) Eau de Toilette
Van Cleef (Concrète Parfumée) by Van Cleef & Arpels
Van Cleef Concrète Parfumée
Reflet Sur L'Okavango by Ella K Parfums
Reflet Sur L'Okavango
Safari (Eau de Parfum) by Ralph Lauren
Safari Eau de Parfum
Golden (Eau de Parfum) by Al Rehab
Golden Eau de Parfum
Ciara (Perfume Concentrate) by Revlon / Charles Revson
Ciara Perfume Concentrate

Reviews

3 in-depth fragrance descriptions
4
Bottle
9
Sillage
8
Longevity
9
Scent
JBirb

14 Reviews
JBirb
JBirb
1  
Enveloped in green silk
Van Cleef is one of my favourites of this era, and I was pleased to hear that Van Cleef & Arpels are producing it once again, if only as a Paris exclusive. My review is for Van Cleef in the gem-stone-shaped bottle (the move away from which is no great aesthetic loss in my view).
Van Cleef is an interplay between very lifelike green and aromatic notes and a much more abstractly treated blend of others that provide a softening effect. The galbanum and marigold are the stars of the show here. They are both represented very concretely: the galbanum with its vivid greenness and vegetal inflection of raw peas; the marigold in all its funky herbal bitterness. One would think Van Cleef a harsh or at least challenging perfume with these two being the by far most dominant notes, but actually its overall effect is luxurious and alluring, albeit decidedly vintage. Below the marigold and galbanum floats an accord somewhere between creamy and powdery, softly sweet, very plush and pleasing, like pliant silk under an overlay of green tulle. I can see vanilla, heliotrope, and tonka being responsible for this effect from the notes list, but none of them stand out in particular. I do detect a soft woodiness from time to time, less raw and sawdusty than cedar usually smells. I do not smell any of the white florals, except in an ephemeral innocent-soapy character that rounds the perfume out further. The aromatic top notes, especially the marigold, are still present in the late dry down, ensuring Van Cleef retains that balance between sharp and creamy throughout its wear time.
0 Comments
7.5
Bottle
7.5
Sillage
10
Longevity
8
Scent
Sherapop

1239 Reviews
Sherapop
Sherapop
Top Review 5  
A Classic Marigold/Tagetes Floriental with a Greenish Edge
I was initially disappointed upon the arrival of my bottle of Van Cleef & Arpels VAN CLEEF, which I had purchased scent unsniffed from an online discount emporium. As is my custom, I first sprayed some of the perfume on the inside of the top of the box. Turns out that this composition does not show its best side on paper!

Later, when I tested VAN CLEEF on skin, I found that the top notes were a tiny bit sour--as though they had turned--and were reminiscent of my Ted Lapidus BALENCIAGA (reformulated) or perhaps my Ungaro DIVA edt (the edp is much better). Fortunately, the sourness quickly subsides and after a couple of minutes VAN CLEEF is a really gorgeous and compelling perfume! I should say, however, that in order to appreciate this creation, one must like marigold/tagetes, as it is very dominant--at least to my nose.

I am not sure whether the slightly sour shortlived opening is an indication that my bottle is old--I bought it from a discounter, so in theory it could be nearly 20 years old! Another possible explanation is skin chemistry, which might also help to explain why some people dislike while others love this composition. It could be that VAN CLEEF is one of those fickle perfumes which does not express itself consistently from one wearer to the next and one time to the next.

In any case, when this perfume dries down on my skin, it is a consistently beautiful and very sophisticated floriental. It has an old-school feeling but lacks some of the stereotypical notes which tend to elicit cries of "old lady perfume!" from younger wearers. Although galbanum is present, it is not very sharp or marked to my nose. I actually love galbanum, but it tends to impart to perfumes a "pour une femme d'un certain âge" kind of feeling.

I like VAN CLEEF a lot and am happy to have made this purchase. The bottle in which this rich-smelling perfume is housed is also elegant and unique.
0 Comments
9
Scent
Awesomeness

247 Reviews
Awesomeness
Awesomeness
Very helpful Review 3  
A green floriental perfect for Fall
I have difficulty wearing most green florals. Not so with VC. I think I just might have found my perfect green floral, which isn't classified as a green floral at all! :D

Van Cleef is a beautiful, warm blend that's just perfect for Fall days. It has a bit of a green thing going on at top, driven by the galbanum & dry/spicy marigold, which was exactly what I was looking for. As it dries, VC feels like a vanilla- & tonka- based floriental without the spice. VC has a green, balmy & oily character without being over-done. Longevity is amazing - in the 12-hour range, and the scent is persistent and comparatively even top to bottom. Well-done!

Van Cleef seems much older than its mid-1990s creation date, yet does not feel dated to me, if that makes sense. This is a fragrance for those who like & appreciate old-school perfumery but don't want to smell like it. That said, it's not a fragrance for everyone - those whose tastes lean to the modern probably won't like or appreciate Van Cleef.

I purchased VC blind based on 2 reviews at BN from established reviewers who could be trusted. I agree with others that VC is a bit reminiscent of Safari, which I admire but cannot wear (something irritating about it). It also reminds me of Guepard, but VC's florals are not as sharp & spicy as Guepard's and VC is much better quality. However, VC is very different than either of those 2 fragrances due to the combination of Galbanum & Tonka bean, which is truly wonderful to me.

As a side note, the price of this fragrance from online discounters has recently risen. I was lucky enough to get a couple bottles at an excellent price. However, at its current price, I'd recommend sampling over blind buying.

24th August, 2011.
0 Comments

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