Givenchy III by Givenchy

I love green fragrances, so when I discovered this Givenchy III, I fell for it immediately. It’s earthy, shadowy, and deep; in its apparent sobriety, it reminds me faintly of Chanel 19, perhaps due to the galbanum, though this one is much warmer and mossier. It’s a severe and elegant scent—exactly what a refined, self-possessed woman could desire. It’s not for the timid, but the powdery floral notes of jasmine or lily of the valley soften the whole, as if rays of sun were breaking through a beech forest. It’s a pity it doesn’t get more recognition; it’s way above others from the house that are stuck in being cheesy. If there’s any unbiased guy out there, he’d wear it perfectly. P.S.: This review is for the 1970 Givenchy III; I know nothing about the current reformulation and it scares me a bit to try it.

Hi, I’m new to perfume collecting, so please forgive me if I say something silly 🙂 To me, this fragrance when dry reminds me a lot of Ange ou Demon… Does anyone else experience the same? Greetings to everyone.

In a world rushing for the latest innovation, we sometimes forget something fundamental: our emotions. There are perfumes that have made history, great feminine classics loved by millions. The curious thing is that today, men can wear them without hesitation. It’s a classic green floral chypre that evolves harmoniously, reminding us of what has been lost in modern perfumery: the power to evoke emotion. It speaks to the heart, like a black-and-white old photo or a song on a vintage record player. Givenchy III is almost perfection. It starts with greens and citrus (galbanum and mandarin), fruits and flowers (peach and gardenia) that add juiciness to the dry greenery. Almost hypnotized by its flirtatious shine until it dries down into a woody, powdery, and warm base, like a dance of scents where one note replaces another without a hitch. The heart is floral; I only notice rose and carnation, and that’s when the exquisite elegance of a bygone era emanates. It’s an excellent option to keep for special moments. Refined but accessible, it’s like a beautiful woman lowering her guard and letting out a laugh. Great perfume.

One of the best historical perfumes from Givenchy is also one of the most unknown; its archive up to 2004 is full of jewels before they started releasing cheap imitations. Givenchy III has an austere and avant-garde name, without evocative poetry, just elegant discipline in the title. I was about to write ‘strict’ instead of ‘disciplined,’ but it’s not. It’s precise and intellectual, yet it knows how to relax; that delicacy appears when it dries down, much more feminine than the insolent opening. Watch out, I say feminine, but it’s unisex, without a random powdery dry-down, but rather natural femininity, with a delicious herbaceous and floral sweetness. To sum it up: Opening. Aldehydic/mossy punch. The oily tone of the aldehydes makes my stomach shrink, but they last a breath before giving way to an insolent and wild moss. Maybe something acidic and turpentine-like, but in rhythm with the aldehyde, that’s what it is. Heart. Very green via languor, dominated by galbanum, a note that reminds me of vetiver; both have that tender, dead consistency that makes the hair stand on end. I don’t really like this phase; the promising nuances to flirt with seventies green florivegetal waters are lost, those faded green formulas. The remnants of the aldehyde help that soft consistency of withered grass. Dry-down. GLORIOUS, I put it in caps because it leaves you hypnotized. The flat body disappears and mutates into a woody, talc-like paste of flowers, rich in narcissus, hyacinth, and iris. Both narcissus and hyacinth have lost their bravado, they are tamed and take on earthy and effervescent nuances, a dreamy consistency. It’s the most feminine phase, but nothing a man couldn’t wear, given that it holds memories of youth rather than sexuality. Givenchy III perfectly represents the house’s styles, more intellectual than Dior or Balmain, less sexual than YSL, and less arty than Courrèges. Hubert de Givenchy stood halfway, elegant and refined, with artistic and avant-garde interests, but natural in the organic. He advocated for precision and functionality, stripping away the superfluous without losing grace. These American concepts are enclosed in this precious green floral chypre. P.S. I keep a vintage 130 ml splash, though the version I’d love to own is the one in the square Gentleman or Pour Monsieur bottle, whose packaging enhances discipline and functionality. The current formula, needless to say, is colored water at seventy euros.

Givenchy III is cataloged as one of the perfect green chypres in history. Another iconic ’70s fragrance, the first from the house to be distributed worldwide. It’s a potent floral chypre that already smells good straight from the atomizer without spraying. The peach and moss remind me of Mitsouko or Femme, but unlike them, Givenchy III gives more power to its herbal/green accords and is more sparkling due to its aldehydes. Upon application, the greens are similar to Chanel N19: penetrating, slightly metallic, somewhat acidic, ‘sharp’ in English. It’s not bad, but it’s piercing. Instantly, we feel its beauty; then, as patchouli, coriander, galbanum, and vetiver lower their influence, everything settles. That’s when the floral accords are reborn from the depths, emerging on top. An exquisite lily of the valley note begins to pulse in the center, embellished by the herbal and spicy side. We shouldn’t be surprised; early Givenchy fragrances have a lot of lily of the valley. Hyacinth accompanies the lily of the valley, and gardenia is shy but there. The fragrance leaves that initial acidic and metallic side to give us all this beautiful floral herbal scent with spicy touches. It becomes warmer, amber-like, soft, talc-like, and sweet after a few minutes. I appreciate the rose over time, and bergamot too, but it’s later where it shines the most. The green/herbal, spicy, floral, and citrus combination is incredible; each part has its moment and fits together harmoniously. What I appreciate most are its floral accords, which shine openly here. After an hour, only a green, talc-like, and sweet lily of the valley is felt. Exquisite. This review is about the extract.

I’ve never been able to understand why they discontinued this perfume; it made you feel a bliss of joy combined with the sensation of being someone with class. Truly a pity.

I used this perfume in the ’70s and I’m a man. I liked it a lot; it was like the B-side of Givenchy Gentleman. And as pablOSO says, it seemed appropriate for both sexes.

I used this perfume in the seventies and I’m a man. I loved it so much; it was like the B-side of Givenchy Gentleman. As another reviewer said, it seemed appropriate for both sexes.