Lys Méditerranée (2000)
by Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle

Frederic Malle Lys Mediterranee

In 2000 when Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle came into being they hit the scene with eight scents. Six of these were impressions of specific floral themes. Lys Mediterranee is Edoaurd Flechier’s, of Dior Poison fame, take on lily as inspiration. Right from the top this is a lily blast. The top is a mixture of lily of the valley which keeps it sweet but is cut by an astringent, but spicy, partnership with ginger lily. As you transition into the heart there is a whiff of saltiness befitting a scent with Mediterranee in the name. It is subtle and is soon mixed with the lighter citrus of orange blossom and the slight muskiness of angelica root. The scent ends on a base of sheer white musk which pairs with the floral remains of what has passed before quite nicely. Lily can be a tough act to pull off without bringing to mind funeral parlors with badly recycled air. M. Flechier has done quite the opposite as he has brought to life a sun-drenched garden in a villa overlooking the blue of the Mediterranean. This never gets too heavy on me and the muskiness added by the angelica and white musk keep this solidly in unisex territory. This is another winner from Frederic Malle for me.

Leans more toward sweet lily of the valley than true, heady lily on my skin. A very nice, clear, ringing muguet floral dappled with honey that for me suits cool, sunny days. Lovely, but not quite me (I like but don't love lily) and just a little too sweet (I'm twitchy about sweet). Since I realize sweetness is mostly a personal preference and find it otherwise quite pretty, I'm going thumbs up.

Ah, lilies! For me, this is still better than Donna Karan's "Gold". The scent of lilies blends so much better with the salt water component that it becomes one accord. With "Gold", I cannot get by the cucumber smell. (I seem to be one of a very few who have this reaction.) Don't wait for the drydown, because what you experience initially is pretty much IT. Very nice, but a little pricey as are all of Malle's creations. P.S. I am waiting for summer to give Serge Lutens "Un Lys" another try. To me, it is a much more literal oriental lily fragrance, but it doesn't seem to stay with me. And the drydown is a little too sweet.

Horray for lilies! A nice, soft bouquet of lilies that's soft and cuddly.

The opening is a pure hit of lily of the valley and for a moment you might think back to Diorissimo, but just as your mind reaches for that comparison, a gorgeous lily in full bloom takes over and Lys Méditerranée settles to a very nice true lily fragrance.

On my skin, the lily becomes honeyed and the drydown becomes too sweet. I find Donna Karan Gold less sweet and as it's another full-on lily - perhaps a little more of a fantasy lily in bloom than Lys - I prefer to wear that one.

Lys Méditerranée is a beautiful olfactory essay on the lily. As reviewers here and elsewhere have noted, it smells like the rush you get when you open a florist’s cold refrigerator full of fresh white lilies and stick your head for a deep sniff. As the perfume develops, it becomes slightly tempered with a touch of a “green stalk” note but regardless, the lily note always stays true and clear. For comparison purposes, I also tried Serge Lutens’ “Un Lys” on the other wrist. It is a creamy warm lily whereas Lys Méditerranée is a cooler, slightly more shimmering lily. Last but not least, it has just the right amount of sillage.