First (1976)
by Van Cleef & Arpels

This has been around for a long time and now I know why. This is a full bodied, glamorous fragrance for the big girls. I don't usually ascribe to scents for day or night, but this makes me think of a big night out. Opens with orange to my nose then moves on to a HUGE floral bouquet of jasmine, rose, iris?. Lots of civet. Animalic drydown that never loses the floral bouquet. Is it just me or is this almost identical to Amouage Dia woman, another JCE creation. This is just unbelievably good, but you have to enjoy this type of full blown, aldehyde laden, technicolor beauty. I do and am thankful I've tried it. If it's been reformulated, it doesn't smell like anything that's been stripped down and modernized. Just beautiful. I also don't usually worry about application and suggest people who don't like it get out of my way, but this one is old school. One spritz is all it takes, it radiates for miles and hours. Think I have to get another bottle to hoard. This is of the EdP.

20th January, 2012.

In the middle of the way between the  talky-floral Chanel N.5 (which is more radiant, fruity, frosty and clean- in the sense of more sunny and white but less velvety with its patchouli initial rootness- in my opinion), the laundry and bathroom kind YSL Rive Gauche and the soapy and leathery Caleche (which is slightly less floral and animalic but equally leathery), this aldehydic, romantic and conceptually old-fashioned  chypre is another pillar of the womanly parfumery and in the years gave the signature to thousands of temperamental women all around the world. First masterfully combines a faintly mild bouquet of flowers as the detectable muguet, rose, jasmine, narcissus (the bunch is indolent, potpourri, botanic and royal on the side of decadent hesperides and a touch of shadowing blackcurrant), the radiance and expansive power of aldehydes and hedione, the laundry touch of soapy synthetic elements, vanilla, honey and tonka, the animalism of civet, labdanum, musk, amber and leather, the stableness of woods, the boise' feel of vetiver and moss. The final outcome is a luxurious and silky floral-leathery-chypre that ends soapy and laundry with a moderate powder, a remote undertone of tobacco, the right dosage of honeyed smothness and with the botanic pungency of flowers. This issue is opaque, velvety, aristocratic, decadent very autoritative and balanced with an aldehydic kind of radiance and hints of dissonant animalism. A classy timeless.

16th October, 2011. (Last Edited: 15th November, 2011.)

This is a new type of scent for me. Big, and thick, and rich. "The composition is floral and built of aldehydes and essences of galbanum in top notes, Egyptian jasmine absolute and Bulgarian rose in a heart, with base notes of vetiver and cotton essences." I think the best way to experience this might be to try it right after a round of Chanel No.5 and/or Estee Lauder White Linen or your favorite aldehyde bomb. That is the company that First belongs in, and might help you pick out some subtle differences. If you are a lover those, you will probably lilke this. A glorious, timeless, evening gown of a fragrance, and wonderfully economical these days.

15th August, 2011.

First by Van Cleef & Arpels, is in my opinion very classy and timeless. It is perhaps a little too old for me, but in regards to the future and much older me, I will be re-visiting First.

There is an obvious powdery aspect to First, rather aldehydic and along the lines of another Chanel No.5. However, the powder is not all that sharp. It tends to be quite soft and elegant.

Towards the drydown I detected an odd yet beautiful sweetness, which I now relate to the honey and vanilla notes. This subtle sweetness when blended with the delicate white florals, smells absolutely divine.

The powdery-ness does diminish ever so slightly when settled on the skin, making way for a more soapy finish. First to my nose, smells like an old-fashioned bathroom complete with scented soaps and floral-printed shower curtains. Strangely quaint, yet very likable and familiar.

One thing that we must acknowledge is the fact that this fragrance has lasted for over 30 years in the industry and has been crafted by the very talented Jean-Claude Ellena. I'd recommend this fragrance to anyone that loves powdery, clean or classic scents along the lines of Sicily by Dolce & Gabbana, Chanel No.5 or Lanvin's Arpege. The quintessential fragrance for a true lady.

5th July, 2011.

I am seldom at a loss for words, but sampling First brought me close. Most white florals are restrained and polite or at least focused, but I feel Caligula would have applauded the excess in this one. The top is so laden with fruits it should collapse under its own weight. While this is going on, the base already begins to establish its sweet self. Add labdanum and this would be called a chypre, and a dense one, at that. The heart is a farmer's market of indistinguishable yet formidable flowers: a phalanx of flowers strong enough to attack the eyes and nose of the wearer and anyone else in the room. The base is the classic 'feminine sweet,' woods, musks, sandalwood, honey, and a civet note that should have saved this for me but instead became rather intimidating.
This is the same approach VC&A took with their flagship male fragrance- 'Put it all in.' They probably figured they would generate a dense and endlessly diverse masterwork like they had before, but this one came out a bit monstrous. There's too much of everything. It's loud, lasts ages, and requires no less than four washings to completely remove. It is a potent scent that will only serve older women possessed of limitless confidence or a smoldering sensuality. It's not bad in any regard. It's just a bit too much.

13rd April, 2011.

Let us examine two version of aldehydes VC&A First &
Chanel no 5 VC&A First has a harsh Aldehyaic opening
synthitic and volumed then chanel with it's more discreet and diluted silage In a few minutes V.C
turns to a soft floral scent with accords of black
current raspberry that leaves a sparkling texture
Chanel dries with neroli the note of bergamot dos'nt
overwhelm but still defind the senses ylang ylang
brings the velvety feel of no 5 orris root gives it
an earthy touch, V.C Is Chanel for the 80's a bit
Multi layered then Chanel no 5, A fruiter and outgoing sister aldehyde to Chanel which is reserved
and refind V.C and Chanel has the same Civet note
but Chanel adds a richer and deeper note of civet
then V.C.

Chanel exemplifies the grounded and pragmatic view of femininity while V.C is the Airy more romantic head in the clouds view.

1st March, 2011.