Description
Givenchy III, a classic by the house Givenchy, was introduced in 1970, to mark the opening of a prestigious store by this brand, on the location 3 Avenue George V, Paris. This elegant and feminine bottle contains haute-couture impression of timeless quality. This simple bottle, with a hint of gold on its top, was designed by Pierre Dinand. The perfume opens with aldehydes with bergamot, mandarin, galbanum, peach and gardenia. The heart includes lily of the valley, hyacinth, rose, jasmine and iris root, while the base carries patchouli, oakmoss, amber and sandalwood. Givenchy III is available in all concentrations, as extract, edt, edp, with an accompanying cosmetic line of losions, deodorants and gels.
Givenchy III was created by Jean François Latty and Raymond Chaillan.
kudraviy7 – :
It’s challenging to express how much I love vintage Givenchy III. Whenever I wear it, I think it may be THE perfect 1970’s chypre, and I say this as someone who loves all 1970’s green chypres…Empreinte (1971), Alliage (1972), Dior Dior (1976), Inoui (1976), Metal (1979), Scherrer by Scherrer (1979). Vintage Givenchy III opens fresh and green and juicy with lots of bergamot and galbanum. There is an enticing floral structure within Givenchy III, which I perceive as mostly rose and hyacinth, and the florals have a honeyed quality. Barbara Hermann also writes of sweetness in vintage GIII, specifically a peach note, but I would say the touch of sweetness within GIII in its early stages is unlike the classic aldehyde C14 peach note to my nose: it seems to emanate from the floral ingredients (perhaps it’s the hyacinth?). As it dries down, I am beguiled by GIII’s oakmoss, amber (which radiates a different kind of warmth) and sandalwood incense. I have the vintage EDT and parfum, and I happily wear vintage GIII throughout the year. I’ve never tried the modern reissues, but the reviews suggest that newer GIII is a drier, soapier composition.
vedmac1982 – :
I was given a little bottle of this in the 70’s and wore it to school. It is amazingly multi layered and the nose that created this scent was a master of the art. It’s sophisticated and utterly feminine … and addictive. As someone previously mentioned it’s like walking through the woods after a warm summer’s rain. The earth comes alive… the trees… fallen bark.. moss and something more.. some treasure buried in the earth that releases its scent to intoxicate. This is Art Deco in a bottle but it does not date.. too timeless elegant for that..This is a perfume that haunts you. I can only give my impression of the original as I have never smelled the reformulation.
aleshapopovich – :
Rip + Monsieur Hubert forever nel mio cuore ❤️
love209280 – :
I got this perfume as a pressie from a friend, and, I didn’t like it at all, so later on I gave it away
NeluCR7 – :
My first thought was “It smells like Cabochard”. I absolutely love Cabochard. in my opinion Cabochard is better.
ULKA – :
review based on sample of Givenchy III reissue and also the vintage EDT. this fragrance is all class. it’s green and clean and not too much of either. it is feminine and confident but in a relaxed understated way. very little difference between the reissue and the vintage that I can tell. the vintage may be slightly mossier and a little drier. but both very beautiful. another classic beauty reminiscent of a bygone era.
qwc188bedyWelty – :
How on earth did I go from candy-gourmands like Fantasy and Pink Sugar to vintage greens?? I have no idea… but once I fell down that rabbit hole, I have no intention of going back up! 😉 I’ve always been a fan of Old Hollywood and Art Deco, so vintage perfumes make sense. But why do I crave the beautiful, old, dark, green, animalic, leather, aldehyde/soapy ones? I have no idea, but vintage scents comfort me, make me feel elegant– even in sweat pants in the middle of winter while I’m reading a Jean Harlow bio.
I have several GIII bottles of EDT in vintage form. One sprays continuously (2oz), two darker splashes (2 oz and 4 oz), and a lighter juice EDT (100ml) spray… and I even have the Mythos whatever of the recent formula. (The Mythos captures only the drydown of vintage GIII– which I still like, but the first 10 minutes of vintage GIII is amaze-balls)
This is so woody, it can come across as maple-syrupy and very thick, esp if sprayed heavy. GIII is full of aldehydes, vintage funk-dust, moss, greenery (I love galbanium), and it’s DRY. It’s cold, but there is something comforting (warm-ish) IMO.
I’m obsessed with this… it’s the perfect green aldehyde vintage scent. Sits right there with Madame Rochas, Miss Dior vintage EDT and parfum, Bandit, Vol de Nuit, Caleche, etc…
Ohhh…. the lightest colored juice in a 100ml EDT bottle I just got today is less heavy/green (light yellow liquid as opposed to a dark tan/brown) and I get much more citrus & peach! Very Mitsouko-like, but a happy brighter moss.
elebu – :
Fresh, classic, clean. The green vibe in Givenchy III is sophisticated without being stuffy. Occasionally oakmoss can go a little sour on my skin, however Givenchy III is slightly sweet with delicate florals like small tender buds.
This is a wonderful balance, not too crisp, not too laundry-musk like, just fresh and light. It feels like a cool sunset after a warm day filled with spring air. The soft woody backdrop makes this barely sensual enough to wear in the evening and is cozy enough for colder days; even a fresh contrast for a little black dress.
Easygoing but elegant, this is as charming as the girl next door and as cool as the boss lady at work. Givenchy III is an understated beauty and a versatile, unintimidating chypre with gentle character.
ZloeMaso – :
This review is for the new, reformulated Givenchy III.
In my opinion, it’s very much like the original, and I know this because I have the original and can vouch for its provenance, and I also have the new one.
The opening is where I believe the difference lies. The original opened with much more subtlety, and had an enduring earthiness, a humid green accord, hard to describe it and do it justice. The current version opens up with a slightly quinine/cola sizzle, but then settles into the familiar Givenchy III.
Either way, the current version lives up to the original, it’s elegant, green/woody, enduring and feminine but much more so in an ethereal mossy way, not a girlie floral.
So glad I finally decided to buy it, I had been eyeing it for months and was reluctant to learn its fate.
CHI-CHA – :
Why I love vintages…
As soon as I smelt this one, it took me right back to the reason why you can’t beat a vintage chypre. There’s something about the fresh combination with the oakmoss and delicate florals done right that just allures and entices you. Truly a lot of French fragrances made during this era were exceptional, composed with care and artistry.
I get a lot of the fresh floral & slightly fruity citrus top, with the galbanum and jasmine coming in, balancing the harsh bitterness and the dusty oakmoss with a vibrant hint of citrus and bright floral. The orris root, sandalwood, lily-of-the-valley and even coconut come together absolutely wonderfully here, with a honeyed gardenia note that compliments other white florals and even hyacinch. Really a fragrance which is multi-faceted and extremely well put together and enjoyable. It’s a joy to wear and defies gender classification in my opinion. I’m wearing the vintage eau de toilette and it’s really something else. I can’t speak for modern formulations or versions but if you do get a chance to try vintage and you are a chypre fan just buy it. If you like Mistsouko and No. 19 then this is a great and unique companion to them. One which has to be experienced. Exceptionally good and what real perfumery is all about.
Videosis – :
Beautiful earthy oakmossy chypre. Clearly of its time, completely unisex (not androgynous, unisex) , and clearly beautiful and elegant.
Abstract but not distant, complex but warm-ish while still reminding of earth and mushrooms and moss and bitter plants.
I have tested a sample, so maybe the citruses have disappeared with time. Still, the oakmoss, vetiver, orris root, sandalwood, the galbanum and even the patchouli can be smelled here.
It’s beautiful.
makson41k – :
I’ve had the best luck with vintages heavy on the oakmoss, and this is no exception. Smells wonderful!
ORIREENEICARE – :
I have the original Givenchy III. I wore this frequently in my ’20s which was pretty daring really since this was a much more mature fragrance, but I just loved the earthiness and agro dolce sense of it – like a sombre bouquet.
There is a similarity to Jolie Madame, both are earthy chypres. Longevity is outstanding, and the fragrance continues to evolve and develop from one delicious stage to another.
zhulino – :
Givenchy 3
This is a rather gorgeous green garden scent.
I was impressed with the high-end quality of this perfume back when it was first released in 1970 and wore it through the decade, a decade of many ‘green’ scents, or rather clean green scents with the now banned note of evernia prunastri as in oak moss. The lichen dominates most of the perfume, covering it in a mossy carpet of lush greenery. I detected patchouli early on so I would go as far as to call this a floral patchouli as opposed to a typical chypre.
Opens with distinct aldehydes with a freshness and soapy cleanliness like suds of soap in a bath tub. A citrus note of bergamot and mandarin orange emerge quickly through the watery aldehydes and the gardenia and narcissus. For me the white florals are the stronger floral notes. If this frag came in a scented color it would be a minty green and ivory white two-tone color scheme. At times it reminds me of Ivoire de Balmain with less spice and musk, and it’s somewhat reminiscent of Fracas which was my wedding perfume – more than once. As far as it’s expensive air, it is similar to Chanel No 19, but less grassy. No 19 is almost too much a chypre while this is far more subtle and powdery.
The floral heart is a bouquet of white flowers with that elegant gardenia at the top, verdant with unmistakable muguet or lily of the valley. There is also jasmine. The florals are soapy and clean, leaving an aroma of such pristine beauty that it’s almost divine. It’s a Renaissance painting of the Virgin Mary surrounded by white lilies. Feminine and mature, sophisticated and office-friendly. The scent matches up with suits and blouses. She is conservative and stylish like the wife of a big company executive. Perfect nails, French manicure, perfect skin, and not a single wrinkle or scar. She is all that we like about green florals and soapy scents. If you like Hermes Caleche another big soap fragrance this should be to your liking as well.
Wearable in the spring and summer as a day wear perfume. The frag has great lasting power although projection or sillage is moderate and even soft. In the dry notes I pick up on a warm amber or myrrh, resinous to a degree but not terribly smoky. The warmth becomes like your own skin as if heated by the sun. Givenchy III really does smell of fabulous Givenchy creations but had for it’s time a modern touch. It’s straight out of the 1970’s with it’s penchant for green perfume. Absolutely gorgeous. I still wear this fragrance as fortunately it’s never been discontinued. You might buy it online from various sites including eBay. Highly recommended for fans of vintage green fragrances.
avtai66 – :
Fragrance Review For Givenchy III
Givenchy
Top Notes
Aldehydes Bergamot Mandarin Peach Galbanum Gardenia
Middle Notes
Rose Iris Orris Root Jasmine Lily of the Valley Carnation Narcissus
Base Notes
Coconut Patchouli Oak Moss Sandalwood Amber Myrrh
Givenchy 3 (1970)
An absolutely beautiful floral chypre in the style of Guerlain Chamade, Yves Saint Laurent Y, Chanel No 19, and to a lesser degree, Fracas. It’s a calm, soothing herbal aroma, exactly like walking into a greenhouse in an English country house, or a small garden, catching whiffs of fresh dewy flowers in the early morning hours while there is still a morning fog or dew on the lawn. Though coming out of a French fashion house, this is a rather sedate, conservative perfume, blue-blooded, aristocratic and English. She is lady-like, puts her pinky up while drinking tea, never smokes, never swears, hardly speaks her mind in fact hardly speaks at all, has a distant air, and lives in her interior world. Although I adore vintages and classic floral fragrances that are considered mature because they are so classy, this one blew me away, and surpassed my expectations, humbled me, and I felt that even I was not ready for her. She is most like a retired lady living in her garden. She has a green thumb and makes the flowers grow as she passes the flower beds.
Givenchy III opens with aldehydes, fresh, citrusy, with all the green and orange notes of bergamot orange, mandarin, neroli, and galbanum. A galbanum note that starts off early is not a bad thing. It was very green, like cabbage leaves, or tea rose leaves. It speaks of day time, white dressy blouses, the morning, a walk through a flower market in Paris. The citrus dissipates and the greenery persists but now it is a green-floral and the flowers that unfold consist of jasmine, lily of the valley, carnation, rose, hyacinth iris, narcissus and gardenia. It’s quite a lot of flowers, stacked one atop the other, so you have to analyze what you are smelling here. They are all there and no one flower dominates. This is a well blended and very dense floral aroma. The white flowers come through first, redolent with Grasse jasmine, narcissus, lily of the valley bulbs, white rose, and a beautiful distinct gardenia.
As the fragrance dries, the patchouli leaves emerge and they are tempering the flowers and keeping them from becoming too sweet. They are just the right amount of sweet but never excessive. A myrrh note in the base keeps this whole thing warmer and huskier, a tad smoky, but never Oriental in nature. The patchouli is not dark, nor weed-like. Oh no. No weeds grow in this well cultivated garden. The oak moss is the dominant note in the end. This is a very green mossy scent, grass, like grass in a garden, but not wild grass. Manicured lawn grass. The feelings this perfume gives me are relaxing and casual but formal at the same time. She is so elegant that she reminds me of Audrey Hepburn, Julie Andrews, Deborah Kerr, and Angela Lansbury. These are ladies that you’d never see at a sex shop buying vibrators or going to a biker bar smoking cigars and cussing, nor a woman who stays up past 9-10pm. Alright so this is not entirely suited to my personality but she is so beautiful nonetheless, like a fragrance that makes you feel ten times more special and she is all class, old money, and though not glamorous, her modesty is very attractive.
Givenchy III is also a fragrance that was a product of it’s times. All the perfumes were going ‘green’ in the 70’s – i.e. – Chanel No 19, Aliage, Charlie, and at the tail end of the 70s Ivoire de Balmain. This is a clean green scent, fresh, old timey and very pretty. It’s great for wearing after a shower or bath and matches up with verbena lotion and green soaps. It’s as pristine and clean as it can get without even a hint of musk or dirt. If you like Fracas without the tuberose, or if you like Chanel 19 and Y, this is for you. It’s a perfume that smells like the most expensive soap in the world, with a flowery garden aroma to take with you all day. Sillage/longevity is remarkable and this goes on all day. A spring and summer floral for the lady that dares to be a lady in a world where ladies are becoming extinct.
Кубинский Ракетчик – :
This is the princess of greens, chanel no 19 being the queen! If you love moss than chances are you will love this. It smells like if you are walking through the woods after it rained and you pick up a giant handful of wet moss and big chunks of black soil is falling off and dangling from the moss. It’s soily, mossy, with a nice dose of bergamot. Sparkly aldehydes and galbamum. Myrrh gives this a dark smoky touch. It’s strong at first then smoothes out and softens. Very dense, dark, green, and bergamot adds some freshness lightening some of the darkness. Very earthy and very beautiful. I find it unisex. Longevity is about an hour , it’s possible i become nose blind. Sillage is moderate at first then sits close to the skin making this appropriate to wear in just about any situation. 🙂
epb – :
A bit strange – if using a light spritz, it disappears almost immediately. 2 full spritzes and OK, finally enough to get a good impression. Then it retires quickly to barely above a skin scent.
Immediate impression – it reminds me of Chanel 19 Parfum from way back when. Longevity is not the same though. Silage is gentler. (None left to compare-darn!)
Green-ish, followed briefly by slightly spicy with a touch of powder. Now a bit floral. It keeps evolving. Very comfortable to wear. I quite like it and will wear this again and again.
Good for dressy, and very nice for feeling good lounging /slobbing around. Not a makes you smile fragrance, but a feel good.
This is one most can easily wear almost anywhere.
comanche2012 – :
Fragrance Review For Givenchy III
Givenchy
Top Notes
Aldehydes Gardenia Mandarin Galbanum Peach Bergamot
Middle Notes
Carnation Narcissus Orris Root Jasmine Hyacinth Rose Lily of the Valley
Base Notes
Sandalwood Amber Patchouli Coconut Oak Moss Vetiver Myrrh
Givenchy III is a beautiful vintage masterpiece, a green floral Oriental from the fashion house of Audrey Hepburn’s preference. I wonder if she wore this as I’m sure it would have smelled wonderful on her. The bottle resembles some of the same type of bottles which were selling for both men and women in the 70’s and reminds me of Givenchy Gentleman. Some would say that because of the green notes, the patchouli, the oak moss and myrrh, this is strikingly unisex especially at the dry down. For guys who wear greens (even if they are marketed for women) like Blue Grass Estee Lauder Chanel 19, Aliage Estee Lauder and Ivoire de Balmain, Givenchy III might be up your alley. The name itself Givenchy III is definitely unisex. The scent is itself very green and autumnal, with that opening of soap courtesy of aldehydes and followed by fresh citrus courtesy of bergamot and mandarin. A galbanum note is present early in the performance. I love galbanum and it’s a pity it is not more commonly used in today’s fragrances when it was the staple of green chypres. Galbanum smells great every time I experience it in perfume. It’s lovely in Givenchy III.
The florals in this fragrance are exquisite. A rather shy gardenia, beautiful but tender, mingles with a lady like jasmine, a fresh aquatic hyacinth, rose and carnation, narcissus and iris. Green bushes with lily of the valley embrace powder notes of iris flower. The florals in this fragrance are more on the green side. They come off as graphically real, like putting your nose to actual bushes with flowers. No one flower seems to dominate the other. The flowers that would normally protrude in woman’s typical florals like rose and jasmine are not doing so here. They are all sort of bunched up together in a sweet but not too sweet bouquet, keeping with the green theme and smelling more soapy than anything else. A soothing and very clean scent that makes my skin glow!
The dry notes are amber, oak moss, patchouli and vetiver. It was hard to make out the myrrh (incense) and coconut. These notes are normally found in Oriental fragrances and although I sensed a light incense and definitely some sandalwood, this is not a heavy Oriental. It’s a dry down of green. The patchouli leaves come through as does the moss. If you like mossy dry downs this is a gorgeous green moss as it concludes. It suits the chillier autumn or winter months. It matches up with pea coats and leather jackets, scarves and mittens. Neither too sweet nor too animalistic (no musk or leather) it’s a very old fashioned floral moss scent. Beautiful.
I’m happy to have experienced this fragrance and so many others in my life. I thank God daily for giving me a nose and I would hope that even when I’m in my 90’s and about to die that I don’t lose my sense of smell. I’d rather go blind than nose-blind. This fragrance, despite it’s age, is still selling online and is accessible. It is the same formula and smells terrific. This is for those of us who love vintages or unisex greens or want to wear Givenchy!
SomeSpeciaL – :
I wish everyone could just give their opinion of a fragrance without disputing other reviews. The “reminds me” choices are not supposed to be “exact duplications”. They are “reminders”. And people wouldn’t say it reminds them of something if it didn’t. We have to keep in mind that noses all work differently. We all smell different things. Certain notes are more amplified to some and less to others. Some may be anosmic or hyposmic to certain notes so it makes it smell differently. Scent is very subjective and unless we can jump into someone else’s body, we don’t know how it smells to them. But if you don’t agree with the “reminds me of” just click no. That is why it is there. Everything doesn’t have to be a battle of who is right.
Sorry, I just needed to get this off my chest.
Anyway, Givenchy III is a perfectly orchestrated and balanced chypre and one of the great aldehydic chypres of the 70s. If you are a fan of this style fragrance and haven’t tried it, you’re really missing out.
inhaseOrina – :
This was my Mum’s favourite perfume and I think it’s why I adore floral or green chypres now. I have literally just realised this.
All of my perfume reviews have been about chasing that perfect floral/green chypre, and the feeling of ‘coming home at last’ when I find ‘The One’. I remember Mum had the glass bottle with the gold stopper, in a cream and navy box. She adored it and even though I have not smelled it for 30+ years I can remember this gorgeous chypre scent like it was yesterday…sadly my Mother is no longer with us so I now must buy a bottle and bring back all those wonderful, lovely but painful memories of my dear Mum.
I used to sneak sprays of this when I was little, which did not go down well. It was an expensive scent for Mum and a real luxury, and used very, very sparingly. I think she would rather I had sneaked some of her Tweed or Panache of which there was always loads. Happy days.
nediko – :
A beautiful green chypre.
My mum’s favourite. I also love it, but like a spoilt child I’ve appropriated enough of her scents for my own and so will leave this one for her.
A perfume that is more complicated and sophisticated than you may at first think. But then I think Mothers generally are?
I’m a life long perfume lover but cannot pretend to be a “nose”. Here are my thoughts.
Green, woody, shy woodland flowers and a little bit of suede. I don’t get any loud notes.
Lady like but also radiates sexual confidence.
Whoops I’ve just talked myself into buying some for myself!
ritochkka – :
My first purchase at an fragrance auction ended two days ago and today the vintage bottle of GIII, a 100ml splash EdC, came in the mail. I could not wait to try it and it was even better than I hoped for. I have a new one too but, and I am glad ofcourse for this purchase, but also a bit sadened of what has happened to all the remakes of some of these classic brands.
As I now have the vintage one on my left arm and the new on the right I can now compare after waiting 15-20 minutes for both of them to get warmed up by my skin.
The vintage one is so warm, there is nothing harsh, I do not know how to describe it other than it´s “seamless”. I love this! The new one is sharper and more in your face. Even as it warms up it takes much longer time to get to the pleasent stages of the composition. I am glad to have both but I will keep this vintage for those “rainy days and mondays” when I it´s just me, my dog and the open fire.
ist997speagoessenda – :
Givenchy III smells nothing like Metal or Alliage.
Cialenga is also v much different.Y is also far away.
At least in the old formulas they are v much different.
Might be the new ones.Who knows ?
The list above with fragrances which are supposed to smell alike is the wrongest on the entire site ,I guess.
Not that I know the entire site ,but it can’t get worse than this comparison list .
Love Givenchy III ,love Cialenga,like Metal,love Alliage,dislike Y. Could they be v similar ? 😀 😀 😀
qwertin – :
Givenchy III Story note…
After I told my story I realized people would relate my tale to fake fragrances. Yikes!!! I did do all my homework before this adventure began. It’s just an oddly fun story so let’s just keep it at that…
I can see a slight comparison to Mitsouko. It’s not a strong dark frag like M. I find it lighter in the oakmoss base without the peach. A wonderfully defined green floral in that old classical perfume style. The blend of the notes are amazing. You have to put quite a bit on to really smell the depth of it. A time machine in a bottle kind of fragrance. When I first smelled it I thought of Chanel No. 5 cologne since it has that earlier time period scent. A totally different fragrance though. But that time machine DNA is there. (Referring to the vintage).
ozzyw11 – :
Hello Fragrance friends!
A STORY TO BEHOLD:
A few weeks back I met two wonderful women in a TD Bank parking lot in Burnaby, BC. This was in regard to an ad I answered online. One of the women sold her Spa business in the area. As they pulled into the parking lot with their quaint blue Yaris, the trunk of the vehicle popped open. Inside was something that made my mouth agape. I nearly fell backwards! What was before me was a car trunk stuffed with pristine vintage bottles of Givenchy III from the 70″s. I did take a photo!!! There in front of me was a fragrance that is quite grandly famous in the name of Givenchy. I stood there in awe and proceeded as we say to “NOT BEAT AROUND THE BUSH”.
It was a fine spring like day in Burnaby, BC. I could hear the voice of Don Corleone in the distance say “Let me make you an offer you cannot refuse”. Givenchy III is just that offer.
Liomana – :
Pierre Dinand’s creation of a simple bottle is all that is needed for this scent. The treasure is in side. You dont need a fancy bottle if the contents are extraordinary. GIII makes a lot of modern perfumers concoctions rank ameteaur attempts.
When you hear of French perfume supremacy, vintage GIII EDP is one of the best examples of timeless couture.
This is so smooth in its transitions it recedes into the next level softly. The spices softly begin to emerge in the drydown until the grand floral heart recedes when its time is over. This is a masterpiece. The ultimate French perfume house love letter of all time. Greatness is timeless. I’d make it my signature only its discontinued and I’m forever chasing vintage ghost bottles.
amd262InsuffBooni – :
So yesterday I was in a big Sephora here in Paris and I was delighted to see that this one actually had Givenchy III (EdT). I have a mini vintage sample of the EdT and I love it, very 70s, very galbanum-rich and wonderfully fresh. I was stunned by the “new” Givenchy III (I think it was reformulated in 2007?). The opening wasn’t green at all – intense, yes, but in a different way than the original. I’m not that good at describing notes yet, but to me it smelled almost like it was the notes of the original in reverse. It started very growly and animalic and eventually dried down to beautiful floral with a very light amount of galbanum. It was shocking and actually beautiful in its own way, but what a strange surprise! When I got home, I tested my vintage one again, to make sure I hadn’t been mis-remembering it. I hadn’t. My sample is super green, and smells related to, but quite different, than the new one. Is this just my nose being weird or has anyone else noticed this?
cadocoleale – :
@Le_Coeur_Goth The best piece I’ve read. Thank you.
NityBiort32 – :
I always love Le Coer Goth’s reviews and good to see this wonderful,(in my opinion the best)chypre has caught his attention. Mossy ropes and green devils indeed!
alexa1604 – :
I don’t know about you, but for me the most mysterious and enthralling place in the house I grew up, was always my mother’s chiffonier. Everything on it looked like it came straight from a fairy tale, or from the far-flung palaces of the Far East. Especially the small collection of her perfumes. I was totally convinced there was a genie living in one of the bottles, waiting to grant my wish and make me a grown-up in no time. All I had to do was finding out in which one it dwelled. So one of my most daredevil antics was to secretly infiltrate my parents’ bedroom and dab myself with whatever was lying within my reach. My “commando” tacticts were of course immediately exposed upon exiting the room, cause the monsters my mother was keeping in there were traitorous enough to give me away every single time.
My mother was always giving me funny looks after each accomplished mission, but I fancied they were about my glasses being dirty or my hair being uncombed.
Until one accursed Saturday evening, a huge 240ml splash bottle of Givenchy III decided it had enough of abuse, and tried to kill itself by falling from my hands. It failed. I dont know if you’ve ever handled such a bottle, but rest assured its glass is thick enough to stop a bullet. My mother came flying upon hearing the thud and found me aghast, with the golden stopper still in my hand, watching half of the golden soul of Givenchy III escaping its body and speading on the floor. The other half was already spilled on my clothes. Although I was sure a legendary chiding was seconds away from being yelled at poor me, she didn’t say a word. What she did however, was leaving me with the perfume reeking clothes on for the rest of the weekend. Till Sunday night I was 1000% sure that I would prefer having my 8 years old butt kicked and be spared the olfactory torture. It felt like I was tied for ages with mossy ropes to an oak, while green devils wearing gardenia leis were frenziedly dancing all around me, poking me with pointy sandalwood sticks and throwing orris roots (with all the dirt still attached) on my face. I was seriously pondering over begging my mother for a beating in exchange of a bath. But not being stoical enough, I just asked for the bath. She replied “Why? I love the way you smell!”.
Amnesty was finally granted at late Sunday night. I felt like a sinner been cleansed from all his wrongdoing. After she scrubbed me redder than a beetrot, my mother left me standing ecstatic in the bathtub and went to bring a towel. When she came back and approached me I threw my hands happily around her neck in order to kiss her and show her my gratitude. Imagine my horror upon realising that she was the one reeking with Givenchy III now…
Many years later I found a very old 60ml splash bottle of Givenchy III in a tiny backstreet shop. I guess the nice lady behind the desk is still wondering what my huge smile while buying it was all about…
v.vpopov – :
Exploring the Mitsouko / Givenchy III comparison again, the Givenchy is astringent and dry whereas Mitsouko is lush. It was 35 degrees in London today and I turned to Givenchy III for cool refreshment. Mitsouko could be too heavy on a really hot day.
Actually, what Givenchy III reminds me of most of all is Cabochard, but Cabochard as it was, not the thin stuff we get nowadays.
The other day I went out with Givenchy III on and a woman approached me in the street to ask what I was wearing – she said she’d never smelled anything like it!
chel.wik – :
I tracked down Givenchy III having read about it but never smelled it, so when I opened the box and took out the bottle I was a little anxious. Then I sprayed a tiny burst onto my wrist.
Wow wow wow wow!!!! So beautiful! I have worn Mitsouko for 30 years along with many, many others, but Mitsouko is the one I always go back to. Givenchy III is completely distinct and has its own identity, but as a Mitsouko lover it felt like coming home.
It’s drier, it’s fresher, but the great chypres touch the psyche in the same way: they speak to the intellect as well as the senses.
Givenchy III tells the world to take me seriously; that I am a woman with a brain; I put style before fashion; I keep my sensuous side under wraps at work and oh boy do I have a sensuous side but only the luckiest will ever experience it. Now I’ve found my way to it I don’t think I’ll ever want to be without it.
ypo227speagoessenda – :
What can I add to Givenchy’s praises? This is one of their greatest accomplishments, unique even to the great classics.