L.T. Piver Eau des Princes via the brand

 “Inspired by the elegance of dandies, statesmen, princes, and crowned heads navigating the intricate structures of power in mid-19th century Europe. Reimagined for the modern era, Eau des Princes delivers uncompromising masculine freshness in its eau de parfum version, where woody notes of Ambrox and Cashmeran gain greater depth and character.” ~ L.T. Piver website

1807 School of Jacques-Louis David via Harvard Art Museums Ida’s photo

The fragrance house L.T. Piver, founded in 1774 – has been around since the French Revolution and the Restoration. It has been garnering a good deal of attention from the perfume public lately; I had had the opportunity to explore their revamped fragrance line at this past year’s Esxence. At Printemps NYC (the well-known French department store, and its first American location), L.T. Piver staged a pop-up event last month, from October 7-11. A good friend of mine who attended gifted me her sampler when she came up to Boston to visit – and I’m basing my review of L.T. Piver Eau des Princes upon this sample.

 

Leavitt & Pierce tobacconists Harvard Square via their website

 I first encountered L.T. Piver in 1972 at Harvard Square’s renowned tobacconist Leavitt & Pierce, which was established in 1883. In addition to fine tobacco, cigarettes and cigars, they carried handmade carved meerschaum pipes, exquisite combs and brushes, hair ornaments – and a rather exclusive selection of eaux de colognes from all over the globe: one had to know where to look. Some of the bottles available appeared old and dusty, but their testers were in reasonable condition – including such beauties as Le Trèfle Incarnat, Cuir de Russie, and Héliotrope Blanc. I was surprised by their quality – fully expecting simple barbershop toiletries for the price. Fast forward to the present, where I experienced them this year in their newer eau de parfum.

 

L.T. Piver fragrances via brand website

“L.T. Piver is a[n] historic perfume house founded in 1774. When she chose to take it back, Nelly Chenelat had one objective: to continue to value a French century-old know-how and a heritage still alive.” ~ quote from June 25, 2025 via bpifrance newsletter

 

LinkedIn photos of Nelly Chenelat-Durand and Joëlle Lerioux-Patris

When entrepreneur Nelly Chenelat-Durand acquired the L.T. Piver brand in 2022, she enlisted French perfumer Joëlle Lerioux-Patris in her mission to revitalize the famed house and introduce it to a wider, 21st century audience. Nose Joëlle Lerioux-Patris (ISIPCA educated) had been employed by MANE, and later founded her own company, entitled Le Parfumeur Français. It is never a simple task to undertake such an established historic perfumery and maintain its heritage while renovating it in a manner which will appeal to the contemporary olfactory palate. Many of the original components are verboten in the current climate – and a great many are extremely costly, to boot. Today’s fragrance lovers may harbor a certain degree of nostalgia for les temps perdus, but their expectations demand increased longevity, more potent sillage, and other factors which the originals did not possess.

 

L.T. Piver Eau de Cologne image Eau des Princes via the brand

I chose L.T. Piver Eau des Princes for several reasons – not the least of which is its reputation as the Emperor Napoléon’s personal cologne: he was rumored to have drenched his handkerchiefs in it. L.T. Piver claims that it was one of the first colognes in the world (per their website) – and that, in 1850 – it was the favorite fragrance of the English court (please bear in mind that this is what is professed by the company, and is not my personal assertion.

Let us step aside from copy, and consider  L.T. Piver Eau des Princes for what is is today: a vibrantly tonic mint for winter. Granted, this variety of extreme fraîcheur is delightful during summer’s swelter – but in the brisk temperatures which make us catch our breath, it is stunning and intemporal; a mirror of the season and inestimably elegant. I may not concur with the concept of Eau des Princes being a primarily masculine scent, because I’m not invested in masculine vs. feminine when it comes to classifying fragrance; I firmly believe that that particular notion is passé, and I’m happy to see it go.

Herbs French bouquet via pixabay

The bouquet of herbs and mints employed here are a tonic joy to behold. The kitchen garden holds sway, embellished with floral/herbal lavender in all its suavity. There is no doubt that a rather tenacious musk contributes to Eau des Prince’s lingering trail, and that the tenderness of cashmeran contributes a velvety texture which is offset by the drier, more mineralic presence of ambroxan. For me, the initial stages of this eau de parfum are enchanting, and I wish that they were longer lasting. I happen to enjoy ambroxan when it is seamlessly incorporated into a fragrance (as it is in Maison Francis Kurkdjian Absolue pour le soir), but I find that, in the eventual drydown of Eau des Princes – it lends a distinctly spiky facet that isn’t present in the original version. I am likely in the minority here; I feel that this distracts me from the other aromatic materials which I so enjoy in this fragrance. Personal preferences aside, these are the elements which provide an increased substantivity to what had been a more ephemeral scent. Eau des Princes will surely find a wide and appreciative audience in the years to come – and that is a very positive thing indeed.

Notes: Ambrox©, Cashmeran© (IFF), curly mint, lavender, musk, peppermint, rosemary, sage, spearmint, thyme (per website)

~ Ida Meister, Deputy and Natural Perfumery Editor

L.T. Piver sampler was a recent gift from a friend in NYC; my nose is my own…

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