The story of Van Cleef & Arpels
It starts with a marriage. Alfred Van Cleef wed Estelle Arpels in 1895 and went into business with her father, Salomon Arpels, the following year. The first boutique opened in 1906 at 22 Place Vendôme, where the house still stands. Fairies, flowers and butterflies became recurring motifs in its workshops. Perfume came in 1976 with First, the work of a young Jean-Claude Ellena, and it is still in the range. Van Cleef, a fruity floral, followed in 1993. The real shift came in 2008 with Féerie by Antoine Maisondieu, which brought the jeweller's fairy into a bottle. A year later the house launched the Collection Extraordinaire, a pricier line built around one material per scent. Interparfums now develops the fragrances under licence. The house itself belongs to Richemont, as does Cartier.
An olfactory signature
At Van Cleef & Arpels the flower is lit from within. Féerie shows how: mandarin and green blackcurrant up top, then a powdery violet resting on rose and jasmine. An iris and vetiver base keeps it cool and almost mineral. In 1993 Van Cleef played a sunnier tune, with strawberry and galbanum over orange blossom and ylang-ylang. Midnight in Paris shows the house can do dark as well. Black tea, styrax and benzoin build a woody amber that ends on a leather note.
Which Van Cleef & Arpels perfume to choose?
Our database holds three Van Cleef & Arpels fragrances. Féerie suits anyone who likes cool violets and powdery bases, in spring or at the office. Van Cleef is fruitier and warmer, better kept for summer or mild evenings. Midnight in Paris is for men who want a quiet amber. Two sprays on the neck are enough in autumn. If you like Féerie, try Prada Infusion d'Iris, which is drier and soapier. For Midnight in Paris the useful benchmark is Le Labo Thé Noir 29, which is far woodier.