Hi there Happy Huffers,
Early in 2014 Michael B and I went and visited Hugo and Franck of Oriza L Legrand at their 18 Rue Saint-Augustin, Paris store. We had an excellent time going through their collection with them, having some laughs and I purchased some soaps and a bottle of Jardin d’Armide. The space is gorgeous and chock full of fabulous fragrant delights. Soaps, candles and fine fragrance. Did you know that Oriza L Legrand patented the idea of solid perfume?
Hugo is named as perfumer on Basenotes but I think he is a curator, overseeing the creation process. I may be wrong but that was my impression.
Muguet Fleuri by Hugo Lambert for Oriza L. Legrand 2014
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Green leaves, grass, lily-of-the-valley
Heart : Galbanum, angelica, violet leaf, lily-of-the-valley
Base: Lily-of-the-valley, oakmoss, lily
Firstly, what welcome relief, a new niche house that is affordable. Bravo to the boys that they’ve managed to recreate this beautiful old fragrance house and keep their prices down to a very reasonable level. I, and my wallet, thank you boys.
I love the wetness, the cooling and calming feeling of a Lily of the Valley fragrance, dewy and air conditioned. The opening so often feels slightly plastic to me, so perfect as to be unreal if you know what I mean? Cool and slightly mentholated, of grass I get nothing but I get the impression of squeezing the juice our of Aloe Vera plants, that soft, fresh, ultra green oiliness that smells like it could cool the world. Flore by Carolina Herrera has a very similar Lily of the Valley note but in Muguet Fleuri I find it subtle and refreshing, the angelica keeps everything soft focus green and of galbanum my skin throws it as a very background player here, a presence that helps lift and frame the Lily of the Valley.
Photo Stolen Wikipedia
It’s excellent to me how they keep the focus so firmly on Lily of the Valley in Muguet Fleuri, one of my favourites in the Lily of the Valley lineup is Muguet de Bois by Coty (yes, I know it’s a shriveled, castrated, bastardised version of itself currently but I still like and wear it), I love the way that Oriza L Legrand makes the scent feel luxurious and refined while creating a thick and luscious fragrance that has a very nice silage for the first hour or so. Fairly linear througfhout its life, there are slight increments of difference and a gradual earthing of the scent towards the end.
Photo Stolen DailyMailUK
If you often, or even sometimes, wish for a fragrance as true to cut Lily of the Valley stems from the florist as possible but still interesting and beautiful then I would send you immediately to try Muguet Fleuri. It does last but only the first two hours are super fragrant, then it hums along quietly as a wash. I find Muguet Fleuri serene, calm, cool and dewy: everything you’d hope for in a fragrance about Lily of the Valley.
Further reading: The Smelly Vagabond and Kafkaesque
First In Fragrance has €90/100ml
Oriza L Legrand has a €20/7 x 2ml Sample Set (delivered worldwide)
Are you a Lily of the Valley fan? Do you have a favourite?
Portia xx
Australian Perfume Junkies 
Hey Portia!
Sounds fantastic! Thanks for the review, I must try it! My absolute fave is vintage Diorissimo but since the reform, it’s a shadow of itself so I can only dream. How I wish I could transport myself back to 1989 and buy gallons along with Miss Dior and Diorella.
M x
LikeLike
Heya Madeleine,
If only we had known then…..
This is a much cleaner muguet according to all the reports I read.
I didn’t know you were a LOTV fan. Did you ever try Bois Muguet by Coty?
Portia xx
LikeLike
I totally get what you mean by an aloe vera vibe – it’s that cool cucumber thing! Lovely review 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you Smelly Vagabond. Yes, totally cool like a cucumber, wet, crisp and dewy.
Always nice to see you.
Portia xx
LikeLike
I’ve just ordered their samples the other day including this one. Now I can’t wait to try.
I’m so interested in their great selection of soaps as well. Have you tried any of them?
LikeLike
Heya ThinkingMagpie,
I have a set of three of their soaps, as yet unwrapped. When we were in Paris I also grabbed some singles which have gone out as very gratefully received giftsa.
Portia xx
LikeLike
Lovely review. I have to say that when I tried this I realised this was a smell I really didn’t like. Lily of the Valley is my nemesis!
LikeLike
Oh Dear MeganInStMaxime,
What a shame. I wonder if one day a LOTV fragrance will ever be your gateway.
How do you like regular lily?
Portia x
LikeLike
Lily is definitely better. I really like Lys Mediteranee from Frederic Malle and Lys Soleia but I have to admit my lily searching has been limited. I hear that Shanghai Lily is good so i’m going to give that a whirl. Any more suggestions?
LikeLike
Oh yes, I love a lily.
Baiser Vole by Cartier is excellent, Un Lys by Serge Lutens and Donna Karan Gold (mixed in with other flowers here) are among my favourites.
MMM Happy huffing.
Portia xx
LikeLike
LotV is my mother’s favorite flower. I’ve gotten her bottles of Muguet de Bois (not vintage, I think) and a cheap Yves Rocher edt, as well as a sample of modern Diorissimo. None of them seem to have grabbed her–the YR is actually her favorite of the three, although it doesn’t last more than 20-30 minutes. A sample or decant of this may be in order for her birthday in May. I think the greenness might be just the ticket. She used to grow lily-of-the-valley years ago when we lived in the Midwest (US).
LikeLike
What a wonderful idea LaurelS,
You may want to grab her a sample of the Guerlain one too. It could be the one
Portia xx
LikeLike
I love lily of the valley – both the flower and the note – so I’ll definitely try it when I get a chance.
LikeLike
Hey there Undina,
Are you well?
YAY!! Another fan. The flowers don’t do so well in Sydney but I think they do in cooler climates of Oz. What is your favourite LotV scent?
Portia xx
LikeLike
Extremely busy but fine, thank you, dear.
I really like Diorissimo, Penhaligon’s Lily of the Valley and Guerlain Muguet (but the last one is too expensive for what it is so I do not buy it 🙂 ).
LikeLike
Hopefully it’s happy busy not stressed out crazy busy.
I have never tried Penhaligon’s version. Thanks for the heads up Undina. I will get a decant.
Portia xx
LikeLike