Jean-Claude EllenaThe nose · 104 fragrances · also made Hermessence Ambre Narguile (2004)Portrait →Will you like it? Mark a few fragrances you own or love and we'll tell you.
Van Cleef & Arpels · Sold as feminine
First Parfum
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.
Full bottle: Premium tier, typically $100–250. Links open each seller's own page. We may earn a commission; it never changes the order.
First ParfumPremium · $100–250
48%Similar accords, often for lessCalvin Klein · Calvin KleinMid-range tier, $40–100 · shares 6 of its 15 notes8 matches →How it wears
From community votes · bars are each option's shareComposition & Character
Notes Pyramid
The story behind the bottle.
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.
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.
Fig. 01 — First Parfum, Van Cleef & Arpels
Where to buy.
Wear it for a week first
A decant costs a fraction of a bottle and tells you how it lasts on your skin.
Live prices aren't shown yet. Each link opens that seller's own search; we may earn a commission.
Not sure it's you?
Five questions, about a minute, no account. You get a shortlist that fits how you actually wear fragrance.
Jean-Claude Ellena
The perfumer of transparencyJean-Claude Ellena is widely regarded as the most intellectual perfumer of the modern era — a minimalist poet whose work redefined what fragrance could be.
“Cézanne's watercolours contain areas of wash that don't overlap. I proceed in a similar fashion.”
Jean-Claude Ellena · The Diary of a Nose (2011) / Frédéric Malle bio
The First line
13 fragrances, compared side by side
Designer Van Cleef & Arpels
More from the house · France
You Might Also Like
Chosen from what wearers say it smells like, what its fans also love, and its notes
Love it, not the $100–250 price?
Matched by accords and notes. Sample first, then decide.
The originalFirst ParfumVan Cleef & Arpels · Premium · $100–250Calvin Klein · 1978Calvin KleinShares 6 of its 15 notes$40–100★ 4.53 (95)
With Van Cleef & Arpels Santal Blanc Le Parfum
Adds amber, aromatic and milky; shares sandalwood and tonka bean and 2 more notes.
Suggested from accords and notes · not yet tried by wearers
What people
are saying.
Well loved by wearers: loved by 48%, disliked or hated by 10%.