Best Van Cleef & Arpels First by Van Cleef Arpels Alternatives & Similar Perfumes

Matilde Bonaparte, niece of Napoleon I, was known for her breasts (“le plus beau décolleté”) and her talent as a painter. She also hosted a celebrated 19th-century Parisian salon attended by the greatest artists and writers of her time. This namesake perfume is an olfactory salon of provocative white florals (ylang-ylang, narcissus, jasmine) given tropical succulence with passion fruit and papaya. Mathilde’s heady brightness is softened by iris and sandalwood.

Inspired by the mythical nectar of the gods, Ambrosia opens with the sweet, delicate notes of plumeria and mango, layered with the lush richness of peach, lychee, and coconut. The heart reveals the creamy depth of heliotrope, musk, and guava, while wafts of French orris, Mysore and Sri Lankan sandalwood, Indian tuberose and vintage Ethiopian civet evoke a divine atmosphere—capturing the essence of heavenly indulgence.

An iconic classic in its own rite, Quelques Fleurs is a true ingenious scent of its time. The French perfumer, Robert Bienaimé, unveiled Quelques Fleurs the first true multi-floral blend ever created, in 1912.

Since then, his perfectly-balanced, refined bouquet has become modern perfumery’s peerless criterion for pure, meticulously-crafted, multi-floral accords. Prior to his bold invention, floral fragrances had been mainly singular flowers, or florals combined with various nuances of herbs and spices. Bienaimé’s singular triumph is remarkable for its secret, mythical formula. Upwards of 15,000 exemplary flowers and 250 prestigious raw materials are diligently-curated in the creation of a single ounce of perfume.

An electrified lily-of-the-valley spark, modern molecules reanacting a vintage theme. Also a romantic scented scetch on kings giving in to the magic of love.

Notes from the brand:

"The curtain rises on a state at the corner of 69 rue des Archives, in the Marais, Paris. A place that is like a frontier, where the old world ends and the new world begins. The pale moon can be seen lowering over the towers of Notre Dame in the distance. A man and a woman are in a perfumery, surrounded by bottles. He has yielded in submission to a fallen sovereign and is condemned to the ultimate fate. She is the new soul, the new role, she is desirable and she has conquered. She is the denunciation, a touch condescending. The fluttering of her eyelashes declares she is the one whose hour of glory has arrived, a scent testing blotter in hand."

Inspired by the weightlessness of a day without plans or obligations. Effervescent top notes of ripe peach and bergamot levitate over wild orchid, crisp linen and sequoia wood. Aldehydes swirl airy musk in a cloud around you.

Almaz, the Arabic word for diamonds, are renowned not only for their beauty, but also for their timelessness as they withstand millions of years of immense pressure in their formation. This EdP references the indestructible nature of diamonds with a powerful blackcurrant-led bouquet. Juiciness is enhanced with raspberry, while powdery heliotrope and musk add padding to the cushiony feel. The ambered base, redolent with vanilla and brown sugar, offsets blackcurrant’s tartness.
 
The jewelled bottle incorporates a poem composed by Elen Jeres Ayoub, portrayed in Eastern Kufic calligraphy. The words have been meticulously placed so that the vertical lines create eight zones on the bottle, representing the lunar phases in each lunar calendar month to represent the passage of time.

The seasons and their times
And pressures and their effects,
Bear Diamonds as their fruit.
-Elen Jeres Ayoub

Olfactory opulance conjures the Palace of Versailles in its heyday when Louis XIV and his Court would amble the Grand Orangery to delight in the flowering orange trees warmed by bonfires. This is a bright orange blossom with a warm, woody background, with notes of orange blossom absolute, pomegranate, honey and firewood smoke.

Ramune is a traditional Japanese soda pop sold in a pale blue glass bottle sealed with a marble. The drink is evocative of Japanese summer festivals, carefree times illuminated by dreamy paper lanterns. This eau de parfum starts with the clear notes of lemon, aldehydes and mint, followed by gentle rose, muguet and magnolia, before drifting into musk and vanilla.

A floral flight of a thousand fragrances from the Pays de Grasse.

Bel Air, in a contemporary interpretation, exalts the most exquisite flowers of Grasse in a sumptuous, luminous bouquet.

A fragrance in which Centifolia rose, jasmine, tuberose, iris, violet, and mimosa bloom sensuously, eternally. A genuine jewel of light, the bottle is a faithful replica of its predecessor, now tenderly tinged with coral. Bel Air, inspired by an idyllic garden, enchants the eye and heart with its petite pastel flask that radiates intensely bucolic beauty.

A bright, multi faceted, spring-like floral with a citrus edge featuring sweet Turkish roses.

Bon Parfumeur open olfactive dimensions and invite you to add your own story.

Try 101 for an effervescent bouquet of pink flowers.

Perfumer: Alexandra Monet