L'Interdit (new) (2002)
by Givenchy

I wore this in the '70s and liked it. It doesn't smell the same now, and I do not like it. The new bottle was donated to the Goodwill. In the '70s it smelled dry, and a bit like leather to me with enough sweetness to be comfortable. Now, there is a blast of something I can't quite describe. It smells kind of like celery, leather and the clothes hamper and doesn't improve as the minutes pass.

I’ve had a hard time figuring this one out. Set beside the re-released Insensé, Vetyver, Le De, and Givenchy III, L’Interdit seems shy, tame, and conventional. The top notes are extremely soft, sweet, “perfumey” aldehydic florals that make L’Interdit smell more like a period piece than any of the other Givenchy Les Parfums Mythiques reissues I’ve tried.

The powdery aldehydes, the prim white flowers, and a musky, mossy foundation make for a frankly dowdy heart accord. A previous review describes the scent as “dusty,” and I concur. There’s something flat and stale at the core of L’Interdit that my nose just can’t get past. Mind you, it’s possible that I’m anosmic to a large portion of this composition: it becomes extremely hard for me to detect L’Interdit after only ten or fifteen minutes’ wear.

L’Interdit – at least what I can smell of it – becomes more palatable to me with age, as the aldehydes and powder retreat and some woods, spices and vanilla emerge from underneath them. After an hour or two with L’Interdit what I experience is a very pale floral-oriental with an old-fashioned face powder accord of talcum and moss. In short, nothing special. I have not had the opportunity to try either the original 1957 scent or the 2002 reformulation, so I have no idea how the current version stands up to its predecessors. Perhaps they were more impressive.

Givenchy has produced many of my favorites, and L'Interdit is certainly one! Originally created for Audrey Hepburn in the mid to late 1950's, it was re-released (slightly altered I believe) in 2002. The top notes are definitely ALDEHYDE!!! They dominate - speaking loudly as if to say "Hey, pay attention here, something wonderful is brewing!". The reward for your attention is a multi fruit and floral blend with spice - probably carnation, which I love. This symphony of flowers and fruits (maybe even some vetiver?) crescendo into a powdery softness, that never loses it's spice. When wearing this scent, I have always received compliments! From men & women, young & old! I haven't found many who choose to wear it though...I guess one would have to have a distinct preference for the blend of this unique elixir! (as an added note, I prefer the original, but also appreciate this reformulated version)

So this one seems to be the modern reinterpretation of the original one, the all-new-revived composition to the new generations.
I’m not against creating new scents, but labeling one very beloved older scent on some other very different scent, changing its formula in full, and marketing it as the out-with-the-old- in-with-the-new feels a bit like an insult to both our ages and our noses. If you want to release a new scent, then do so but do not discontinue the older one.
That said, I like this scent, so much so that I got one for myself (even though it’s very feminine ( i like to collect and smell as much as I can), but Givenchy must get a big slap in the back of the head for discontinuing the older version.
I liked very much the old version too, but it wasn’t meant ot be for my skin chemistry, found it just too creamy, too “thick”. So this new reformulation feels just right, but of course, it doesn’t smell the same: on this one I get mostly the bergamot on top, the white peach and rose and vetiver, and not so much the amber nor the rest of the notes, green leaves, or jasmine, or whatnot.
There’s a certain “strawberryness” to it but it’s not too strong. Does this one has Lily of the valley? Maybe it’s the combo of flowers and green leaves.
For people that are not put off by the major re-working, people who love flowery but very fresh scents that have a green basenote (like,say, Balmain’s Iviore but less ambery), this is a must-try.
I will give this one a thumbs up only because i happen to like this scent, BUT i also give this a thumbs down for messing with the older release.

I have been wearing this for an hour and some parts of my wrist smell dusty. If you want to know what I think it smells like, I might describe it like this: 2 drops No.5 edt + 2 drops L'Instant + 3 drops Aperge, 1 drop honeysuckle room spray, 1/18 drop of Mitsouko parfum, and 1/18 drop of vetiver essential oil... stir... maybe sprinkle some caster sugar on top.

L'Interdit is an inoffensive, sweet, fruity, floral scent. I don't think this is anything remotely similar to the original (discontinued) scent that Audrey Hepburn wore. I remember reading a biography and Mel Ferrer (her son) said that after she died he went through her closet to sort things out and everything smelled like talcum powder. L'Interdit does not smell like talcum powder.

It is nice but that's really all it is - nice. Nothing spectacular. Nothing "l'interdit" about it. If you like this scent you will like Insolence - also another inappropriately named fragrance (nothing Insolent about that one either.)

The new one's nice enough, I suppose, but I saw no need to mess with a classic. What next -- shall we insist that the Mona Lisa get a rhinoplasty in oil?