First Parfum
“First Parfum by Van Cleef & Arpels is a Floral Aldehyde fragrance for women”
The Quick Read
Well loved by wearers — a floral, powdery composition with a woody undertone. Voted best for year-round wear, leaning feminine.
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First Parfum by Van Cleef & Arpels, launched in 1976 and crafted by Jean-Claude Ellena, is a Floral Aldehyde fragrance that encapsulates the essence of refined elegance. The composition begins with aldehydes, peaches, and black currant, creating an initial burst of freshness and sweetness. This gives way to a heart of hyacinth, Turkish rose, carnation, ylang-ylang, jasmine, tuberose, and orchid, blending into a complex bouquet that is both floral and powdery. The base notes of civet, honey, moss, sandalwood, vetiver, amber, musk, vanilla, and tonka bean add depth and warmth, creating an enveloping, sophisticated scent.
Composition & Character
Notes Pyramid
How It Wears
Application Tips
Apply one or two sprays to pulse points — the fragrance develops slowly over time. The aldehydes in the top notes are bright but fleeting, so it's best to let this scent evolve naturally rather than layering heavily.
Jean-Claude Ellena
Founding perfumer · 104 fragrances · French
As a disciple and close friend of the legendary Edmond Roudnitska (creator of “Le Parfum de Thérèse”), Jean-Claude Ellena began his career with a minimalistic approach to perfumery. Since then, he has developed this approach into his own distinctive style, which is continually informed by his elegant and quiet way of being, and has been compared by his contemporaries to watercolor sketches and chamber music. Jean-Claude says that a perfume must be like “a soft caress; nothing must shock, nothing must shout”.Jean-Claude Ellena was born in Grasse into a family of perfumers. His training began at age 17, in the most prestigious laboratories – in Grasse, Paris, New York and Geneva – where he always saw himself as self-taught. Roudnitska’s minimalism never left him, however, and his compositions remain focused around a single ingredient, avoiding repetition.
Also created
Designer Van Cleef & Arpels
More from Van Cleef & Arpels
Edited by Scentsation Editorial
The story behind the bottle.
The quiet refinement of a private salon where the air is filled with the mingled scents of flowers and powdery woods, creating an atmosphere of lasting grace.
Fig. 01 — First Parfum, Van Cleef & Arpels
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