Lavandes, originally launched by Lancôme in 1938, was the creation of Armand Petitjean—a man deeply rooted in the traditions of French perfumery but unafraid to reinterpret them for a modern audience. The name Lavandes is French for “lavenders,” pronounced "lah-vahnd". The word evokes visions of rolling purple fields under the southern French sun, the hum of bees, and the clean, herbaceous scent carried on a summer breeze. In the collective French imagination, lavender was more than a flower—it was a cultural emblem, associated with purity, countryside charm, and the timeless elegance of nature’s simplicity.
The late 1930s was a transitional moment in history. Europe hovered on the brink of war, yet the Parisian fashion world still pulsed with glamour from the Art Deco era. Women wore sharply tailored suits, bias-cut evening gowns, and cloche hats, while beauty leaned toward refined sophistication rather than excess. In perfumery, however, the winds were shifting. Petitjean lamented the decline of what he called fragrances clairs—clear, single-flower perfumes such as lavender, rose, lily of the valley, carnation, violet, and gardenia. He believed these understated compositions had been pushed aside by the rise of couture houses, whose fragrances were increasingly opulent, layered, and forceful. These bold scents captivated women who had grown accustomed to perfumes with the same dramatic flair as their couture gowns.
With Lavandes, Petitjean chose to celebrate restraint over opulence. The fragrance fit squarely within a long tradition—lavender waters and perfumes had been popular across Europe since the 19th century, found in nearly every perfumer’s repertoire. Recipes for such scents, often based on natural lavender oil, appeared in countless formularies of the time. High-quality lavender oil was typically obtained by steam distillation of freshly cut blossoms from Lavandula angustifolia or Lavandula latifolia, harvested at their aromatic peak in Provence. While the earliest lavender perfumes were composed almost entirely from natural extracts, by the late 19th century perfumers began incorporating synthetics such as linalyl acetate and coumarin. These materials either substituted for costly naturals or enhanced them, giving the fragrance longer life and more vivid projection. Petitjean likely employed both natural and modern materials, using the synthetic components not to mask nature, but to refine and elevate it.
In the crowded marketplace of the late 1930s, Lavandes was not revolutionary in its theme—many perfumeries offered their own interpretation of lavender. Yet Petitjean’s approach made it stand out. It was not simply another lavender water, but an elegantly balanced fragrance that paid homage to the traditional while embracing contemporary refinement. It represented a deliberate return to French olfactory roots at a time when the world was about to change irrevocably.
During the Second World War, this dedication to simplicity became not only an artistic choice but a necessity. Material shortages and disrupted trade routes forced perfumers to work with what was locally available. Lavender—abundant in France and symbolic of its heritage—became a natural choice. In 1943, Lancôme released La Vallée Bleue, followed in 1945 by an updated Lavandes. These wartime creations reaffirmed Petitjean’s belief in elegance through simplicity, preserving the memory of the sunlit fields of Provence even in the darkest years of the century.
Fragrance Composition:
- Top notes: Provencal lavender oil, French spike oil, Calabrian bergamot, Amalfi lemon
- Middle notes: Mitcham lavender oil, Alpine lavender, Spanish geranium oil, Italian rosemary oil, Mediterranean red thyme oil
- Base notes: Mysore sandalwood, Penang patchouli oil, Tibetan musk, musk xylene, Venezuelan tonka bean, coumarin, benzyl acetate, Borneol, terpinyl propionate, phenyl ethyl butyrate
Scent Profile:
Lavandes by Lancôme opens with a sudden, sunlit rush of lavender from Provence — the region’s famed oil captures the very soul of lavender fields at full bloom, their purple-blue waves shimmering under the Mediterranean sun. This particular oil is richer and more rounded than others, with a velvety, herbal depth that speaks of the rocky, mineral-rich soil and dry, golden climate. Alongside it, French spike oil (lavandin) arrives with sharper, camphoraceous brightness, lending an invigorating lift. Calabrian bergamot joins in with its sparkling, green-tinted citrus, a note both bitter and sweet, drawn from fruit grown in southern Italy’s Ionian breezes. Amalfi lemon, vivid and mouthwatering, cuts through with crystalline clarity — less sugary than other lemons, with a bracing seaside tang that makes the lavender glisten with freshness.
In the heart, Mitcham lavender oil from England unfurls — cooler, more refined, and intensely floral compared to the sun-warmed Provence variety, its crisp, almost metallic edge contrasting beautifully with Alpine lavender, whose high-altitude growth yields an ethereal, airy aroma tinged with wildflowers. Spanish geranium oil enters with rosy, mint-like facets, its spicy green warmth threading through the lavender’s herbal weave. Italian rosemary oil, resinous and pine-bright, deepens the fougère character, while Mediterranean red thyme oil, intense and earthy-sweet, grounds the bouquet with a sun-baked, aromatic heat that conjures images of coastal hillsides in midsummer.
The base is a softly glowing warmth that clings to the skin long after the initial freshness has subsided. Mysore sandalwood, creamy and milky-smooth, brings a sacred, meditative richness that softens the sharper herbal tones. Penang patchouli oil from Malaysia introduces a velvety darkness, with sweet, damp-earth nuances distinct from the heavier Indonesian type. Tibetan musk adds a rare, animalic warmth, here paired with musk xylene — a vintage synthetic musk whose powdery, clean-linen qualities polish the natural musk into something more luminous. Venezuelan tonka bean, with its almond-vanilla richness, wraps the lavender in a gourmand glow, while coumarin — both natural (from tonka) and enhanced synthetically — intensifies the hay-like, slightly toasted undertones. Benzyl acetate lends a light, jasmine-like fruitiness, borneol brings a cooling, almost medicinal sweetness, terpinyl propionate gives a juicy, sparkling pineapple-tinged lift, and phenyl ethyl butyrate adds a lush, honeyed floral depth. Together, these notes transform a simple lavender soliflore into a full-bodied, aromatic fougère with both sparkling freshness and enveloping warmth — a fragrance that feels as if one is walking through lavender fields from sunrise to sunset.
Bottle:
The “Le Carafon Vanneries” bottle created for Lancôme’s Lavandes is a refined example of mid-century French perfume design. Made from frosted glass, the bottle exudes a soft, misted appearance reminiscent of René Lalique’s famed glasswork. So convincing is the likeness that a vintage advertisement once credited Lalique with the design—a claim that has since been corrected. The true author of this elegant form was Georges Delhomme, Lancôme’s longtime creative director, while the manufacturing was executed by Verrières de la Bresle, a glassworks known for producing finely made perfume bottles for luxury houses.
The flacon’s most notable feature is its elongated neck and a raised braided motif encircling the body, evoking the texture of handwoven wicker. This design element gives the bottle its name—“Vanneries,” French for “basketry.” Beyond its aesthetic appeal, the motif holds symbolic significance. It serves as a visual homage to the traditional harvesting of lavender, where field workers gathered the aromatic blossoms in woven baskets. By echoing this utilitarian object in the glass design, Delhomme artfully connects the flacon to the origins of its contents, grounding a luxurious product in the poetic imagery of French rural life.
These bottles were produced in limited quantities, further increasing their desirability among collectors today. Known sizes range from approximately 10 cm to 13.5 cm, with a larger format measuring 19.5 cm, all likely released around 1938. Each variant carries the hallmarks of careful craftsmanship and conceptual coherence that characterized Lancôme’s golden age of perfumery.
Taken as a whole, the Lavandes “Vanneries” bottle illustrates Lancôme’s dedication to artistry, elegance, and sensory harmony—principles championed by the brand’s founder, Armand Petitjean. Georges Delhomme’s ability to translate fragrance into form is especially evident here: the cool, herbaceous quality of lavender is perfectly mirrored by the frosted texture and refined surface relief of the glass, making the bottle not just a container, but a true extension of the perfume it holds.
Display World, 1956:
"Lancome's Lavandes toilet water." The bottles blended with the overall design of the display, being frosted glass with blue tops, and with the toilet water a shade of turquoise."
Other Bottles:
The Sport Series, introduced in the 1945 Lancôme catalog, was conceived as a practical yet refined presentation for the house’s Eau de Cologne and Lavender Waters. These were scents associated with refreshment and simplicity, and the Sport Series aimed to offer them in a format well-suited to active lifestyles, travel, or casual daily use—without sacrificing the brand’s high aesthetic standards.
The bottle design was both utilitarian and elegant. Created by Lancôme, the flacon featured a flat profile and was topped with a secure cap, making it easy to pack or slip into a bag. Its defining feature was a series of horizontal molded ridges, which added not only visual interest but also a tactile grip—ideal for handling during travel or after physical activity. The caps were made of Pollopas, a high-quality plastic of the time, each one stamped with the Lancôme seal, ensuring brand identity and a sense of luxury even in a sporty format.
Each fragrance in the series was distinguished by its own unique pairing of cap and label design, creating an instantly recognizable appearance for each scent. Ref. 83, Lavandes was topped with a Venetian green cap and a soft, harmonious label in white, mauve, and gold, evoking the calming nature of lavender. The bottles came housed in protective cases, each decorated with the Lancôme Parfums mark. This packaging served both a practical and visual function, reinforcing the brand’s commitment to elegance even in its more casual offerings.
Fate of the Fragrance:
During the mid-20th century, Lancôme’s Lavandes stood as one of the house’s most authentic expressions of French botanical perfumery, rooted in the landscapes of Provence and the Alpine slopes. In 1945, Pro Arte described it as “the flower of flowers of lavender,” capturing the plant’s purest freshness “against a base that remains delicious.” It was positioned not as a blend where lavender played a supporting role, but as a soliflore where multiple species of lavender were layered to create depth, brightness, and an enduring aromatic signature. The composition showcased not only Provence’s famed Lavandula angustifolia but also spike lavender and Alpine varieties, each contributing distinct aromatic nuances—camphorous sparkle, soft floral sweetness, and herbal clarity—over a refined, lasting base.
By 1948, Art & Décoration presented Lavandes among Paris’s festive offerings, noting its refined presentation: a black label accented with a blue seal, suggesting both traditional elegance and a distinctly French identity. The bottle itself became part of the experience. In the U.S. market debut of 1954, Cue magazine highlighted the new basket-weave bottle—an evocation of the wicker baskets used by Southern French flower pickers. This tactile design element, combined with the gentle blue-black branding, reinforced the fragrance’s artisanal and pastoral roots. The American press emphasized the difference between French and English lavender: French lavender was “lighter, yet sweeter,” its defenders insisting on a more delicate, sunny profile compared to the drier, more medicinal English type. The description aligned with the composition’s inclusion of multiple regional oils, each sourced from areas with unique terroirs influencing aroma profile—Provençal lavender with its balanced floral-herbal harmony, Alpine lavender with crisp mountain freshness, and spike lavender lending resinous, green depth.
In 1954, The American Perfumer and Essential Oil Review detailed its pricing—$7.50 for four ounces, $12.50 for eight, and $20 for sixteen—placing Lavandes firmly in the premium category for lavender waters of the period. The New Yorker described it simply as “stimulating,” underscoring its invigorating aromatic lift and suitability as both a personal fragrance and a refreshing splash. By 1958, The Horse & Rider’s Year counted Lavandes among Lancôme’s suite of twenty or so refined scent offerings, noting its authenticity and exquisiteness alongside the house’s colognes, scented waters, and toilet waters. This recognition, in both lifestyle and trade publications, reflects its dual nature: part perfumed luxury, part timeless French grooming tradition.
Fate of the Fragrance:
Lavandes by Lancôme, once celebrated for its refined interpretation of French lavender, was quietly discontinued around 1975. For three decades, it had been a hallmark of Lancôme’s dedication to quality botanicals and artisanal distillation, offering a fresher, sweeter, and more luminous profile than its English counterpart. Packaged in its distinctive “basket-weave” bottles—evocative of the woven baskets used by flower pickers in the lavender fields of Provence—it stood as both a perfumed tribute to Southern France and a symbol of mid-century elegance. Its discontinuation marked the end of an era for one of Lancôme’s most authentic soliflore fragrances, leaving only vintage bottles and fond memories for collectors and enthusiasts.
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