Le Dix (1947)
by Balenciaga

Le Dix is an elegant and charming fragrance.

I haven’t had the opportunity to sample a vintage version, but am perfectly happy to smell the current EdT formulation—which I would describe as being in soft focus.

I smell violets, aldehydes, green jasmine, iris, and what I think might be orange blossom. Le Dix settles down quickly and produces moderate sillage for around five hours. I don’t smell anything specific in the base (before it fades away) beyond some powderiness from the iris.

It has some similarities to Chanel’s No. 5, but is, to its credit, more interesting and less formal than No. 5.

As a huge violet fan (I regularly wear Green Irish Tweed and have a soft spot for Montale’s Louban) smelling Le Dix makes me smile. I would recommend Le Dix to any woman who likes violets and elegant fragrances.

I really love the parfum version of this wonderful, heady scent. The edt is not enough like it to matter, unfortunately. I would fall for an almost impossible to find product! It is somewhat like Chanel #5 which I used to love, but with more personality, depth and interest.

Quite a heavy, aldehydic floral fragrance… And of the florals, violet is the dominant one… Aldehydic violet makes quite a memorable scent, and I remember this one from when I was kid – my favorite aunt wore it back in the early ‘50s. I remember that my parents gave her a bottle of #5 one Christmas, and to my knowledge she never wore the #5 – she always smelled of violets. My memory tells me that Le Dix used to be a better scent than this Le Dix that I’m smelling now. The present Le Dix doesn’t seem to come off with the clarity of aim or the competence of mission that the Le Dix of the past did. Today’s doesn’t sparkle as yesterday’s used to… it’s just rather heavy now. Le Dix gives off a lot of sillage that, while nice, just seems a bit ponderous and not as refined and well blended as it used to… or maybe my disappointment is simply because it’s not my aunt who is wearing it now.

Le Dix is a heavy, aldehydic old-fashioned floral with a lot of powder and some wood. I can see some similarities to Chanel #5 but Le Dix just smells inferior to me. I personally don't care for Le Dix or its sister, Rumba, but then I am generally not a fan of heavy floral or oriental perfumes. Le Dix is definitely more of an evening perfume and would be more appropriate for an older woman. Stylish bottle.

I recently purchased a vintage 3 fl.oz flacon of Le Dix Parfum that is still sealed with black silk chord and a waxy membrane surrounding the finial & bottle lip. About half of this gorgeous 'jus' has been lost to antiquity through evaporation. Housed in original coffret with the flacon sitting snugly in it's raised presentation dais. Most impressive indeed ! I imagine it's now more 'Extract' than 'Parfum'.

My memory of this fragrance is permanently seared into my olfactory hard-drive as this perfume was worn by my beloved Grandmother for as long as I can recall.
The bottle always fascinated me with it's umbrella shaped stopper & the way light would refract through the highly polished chiseled panels of the base.

For me this delicious perfume connects me to the past evoking childhood memories of freshly made strawberry sorbet, lemon meringue pies and my Grandfather's lovingly tended rose gardens hedged by ferns and soft velvety mosses.

Not quite sure what to do with this odorous 'Jewel', although I'm sure the urge to keep it for posterity will be overridden by the desire to liberate this most fragrant catalyst and reminisce from time to time. . .
The integrity of this liquid gold is perfectly intact as a smudge of evaporated 'jus' from just under the stopper held for a good twelve hours without aberration on my skin.
And Yes ! the dry-down is completely seamless, a symphony of Hesperides, Herbs, Florals and rare Resins. Magnificent !
The only concentration presently available I believe is in the form of the Eau de Toilette ?
Le Dix endures !

Merci' . . Monsieur Balenciaga !

I love this, it's classic, sophisticated, full and vibrant, and by god you really know you're wearing a perfume! I really couldn't compare this with Chanel no. 5 - other than to say it's HEAPS better.