Van Cleef Van Cleef & Arpels 1993 Eau de Parfum

It’s true: "Van Cleef" is loud.
And intense.
And somehow indeterminate - a fragrance that can’t decide which direction it wants to take.
It carries floral, oriental, and even gourmand notes.
And although it fits the bombastic late 80s, which the perfumer likely owes his inspiration to, "Van Cleef" for me is one of those scents whose creation I would suspect to be much further in the past.

In the seventies, when I was a child, not-so-young people wore perfumes that "Van Cleef" strongly reminds me of - they were not those classics that find their admirers over decades and are ageless in their own way, but fragrances that were launched in the mid or even lower price segment for somewhat more mature ladies and gentlemen.
Someone wrote that "Van Cleef" smells old-fashioned.
Even though I wouldn’t describe the scent that way myself, I can understand the association well.
Not even shortly after its release in the nineties did "Van Cleef" seem modern - despite its almost flamboyant appearance, it possesses something touchingly nostalgic, a noble core that takes much time and patience to discover.

When, after many hours, the base is reached, and the table fireworks have burned out, gentle and warm notes surprise with only a subtle sweetness.
Nothing here is intrusive, loud, or even shrill - the perfect cuddle scent that easily lasts until the shower the following morning without losing intensity.