Rive Gauche, created for Yves Saint Laurent in 1970, is a warm cloud of silver dust slowly settling to reveal a beautiful form. The starched crispness of aldehydes foils the metallic facet of the composition, all the while as if suspending the development in time. Like Rodin’s marble sculptures, Rive Gauche presents a tantalizing contrast between the polished ivory smoothness of its main accord and the rough haze surrounding it. The two extremes complement each other perfectly, resulting in an arrangement of breathtaking elegance. ...
The abstract quality of Rive Gauche recalls the aldehydic florals underpinned by pronounced woody notes, such as Lanvin Arpège and Madame Rochas. The aldehydic crispness accented with geranium and rose absolute, which softens the harshness of the metallic accord, slowly fades into the velvety oakmoss. The character of the composition is derived from its ambery woody notes, which hit its sculptural form like a soft glow of setting sun.
The metallic note that links Rive Gauche with its avant-garde predecessor Paco Rabanne Calandre is quite extraordinary, given that this elegant accord is fashioned out of rose and diphenyl oxides, which have a harsh, green synthetic quality. Diphenyl oxide with its strong metallic geranium odour is particularly difficult to imagine in a fine fragrance, and yet in the hands of the perfumers Jacques Polge and Michel Hy, it lends a liquid silver effect to Rive Gauche. As an example of a daring and unexpectedly refined composition, Rive Gauche is unparalleled.
The fragrance was reformulated in 2003 under the creative direction of Tom Ford. Although I never fail to be impressed by Ford’s ability to influence one successful creation after another— Gucci Envy, Gucci Rush, Estée Lauder Youth Dew Amber Nude, to name a few, I regret the modernization of Rive Gauche. The characteristic woods and vetiver base notes have been retained; however the floral heart was altered, and the aldehydic impact reduced. While this alteration caters to the modern tastes, the result is that the composition has lost some of its sculptural quality and the perfect harmony of the accords.
Rive Gauche has been pulled from the US market, yet I recently learned that once again it is available from most retailers carrying the Yves Saint Laurent line. The masculine version of Rive Gauche is likewise fascinating.
Auguste Rodin. Danaid, 1889. Photo by A. Rzepka, Musee Rodin.
poetic and interesting review, thank you. and again the question popping up again and again. Why touch the formula. Why not simply leave it and move on doings something entire different?
Posted by: Andy | June 02, 2006 at 00:56
Well my favorite categories are oriental and floral and I *do* consider myself a collector of perfumes, so maybe I fit some of that,lol!
Posted by: Christina H. | June 02, 2006 at 07:54
Thank you for your lovely review. It is an unusual fragrance that has stood the test of time, although I'm sorry to read it's been reformulated.
Posted by: marchlion | June 02, 2006 at 08:31
Dear V - I have not tested Rive Gauche in years. I might be more open to it now than I was in my more radical anti-aldehyde days, but mostly I just wanted to thank you for the picture of my favorite Rodin sculpture. ;)
Posted by: Liz | June 02, 2006 at 08:48
Hello! I always enjoy reading your beautiful comments, which truly fascinating. As for Rive Gauche, it was a my favorite scent when I was as a late teen (to early 20's). I did not know that was reformulated by Tom Ford. I will try new one when visiting the boutiques. The fragrance has sentimental value for me.
Kaori
Posted by: k-amber | June 02, 2006 at 09:07
Dear V., this is what I'm wearing today! I wish I knew if I have the pre-2003 version. You described it perfectly, "a warm cloud of silver dust" it truly is. :)
Posted by: Ina | June 02, 2006 at 09:17
You beautiful review pushes me towards the online stores... Again! :-) Thank you for such lovely article.
Posted by: Marina | June 02, 2006 at 09:54
PS. I re-read the artcile and saw that the fragrance was reformulated in 2003 under the creative direction of Tom Ford. That reminded me that one of the Russian-speaking forums Ford is often called something like "mogil'shik parfumernyh domov [gravedigger of perfume houses]" :-)
Posted by: Marina | June 02, 2006 at 09:56
Dear Victoria,
Ehat a lovely walk down memory lane! Rive Gauche I have always loved for its' lush chypre burst ! It is so feminine and so reminiscent of the recent days gone by -in the 70's and 80's .I never used it tough always falling back of my beloved Opium, then Paris ..
I do not generally like reformulations - though. I'm going to Montral next week - so I'll check out the parfumeries and also Olgivy's and Holt Renfrew - to take in their scented treasures. Any thoughts on Canadian perfume formulations vs. American ?
Besy To you dear Vicroria ?Still waiting to receive my $105. sample bottle of Musc Ravageur !
Madelyn E
Posted by: Madelyn E | June 02, 2006 at 11:17
What a walk down memory lane. I loved Rive Gauche and wore it often throughout the early and middle seventies. It's an original, the likes of which are a rare find these days.
Hugs!
Posted by: violetnoir | June 02, 2006 at 12:56
V, I have not smelled it in years, and perhaps I am best off ignoring the new version? Never smelled the men's at all and will have to do that.
Posted by: Robin | June 02, 2006 at 13:24
ahhhh, I loved the parallel drawn to the metallic quality of
Calandre ... "silver dust slowly settling." Wow. That image should hold me for a while. Beautiful. xoxo
Posted by: mireille | June 02, 2006 at 18:59
Andy, thank you. As for the reformulation, especially when it is a matter of modernization, I agree with you completely. I find that few "modernized" versions are really modern enough, but they would certainly not please those who loved them in their previous incarnations.
Posted by: BoisdeJasmin | June 02, 2006 at 19:34
Christina, you are probably referring to the article about scent and personality. Yes, sounds like it is quite accurate for you. :)
Posted by: BoisdeJasmin | June 02, 2006 at 19:48
March, I think that just about everything gets reformulated one way or another. At least, we know the year when this one was reorchestrated, which makes it easier to track down the original version.
Posted by: BoisdeJasmin | June 02, 2006 at 19:51
Liz, I love this sculpture as well. When I first visited the Rodin museum, I was struck by it. The Rodin Museum in Philadelphia also contains a number of beautiful marble pieces.
Posted by: BoisdeJasmin | June 02, 2006 at 19:57
Kaori, thank you very much. I would be interested to hear your take on the reformulated version, since you have worn Rive Gauche for a long time.
Posted by: BoisdeJasmin | June 02, 2006 at 19:59
Trust me, the new version is a pale, pale, pale substitute for the real thing.
The real thang is really, really, real.
I wore it in the 70s. It's one of the bottles I forced myself to finish off when I thought I had to in order to buy another bottle of something.
Even my current vintage juice, a gift from a friend, seems to pale in comparison to my memory, so I suspect that some of the initial burst is gone.
But it is a lovely, lovely fragrance, even being ~36 yrs old.
None of the fragrances I've owned have ever gone bad on me, so imagine if I had a couple of bottles of the real thang! I suspect the original owner of the bottle I now enjoy didn't keep it as protected. Maybe.
Posted by: Karin | June 02, 2006 at 20:04
Ina, you should go back to the boutique and compare. I recall that you liked the modern version we tried there. It is very nice, although I definitely prefer the original.
Posted by: BoisdeJasmin | June 02, 2006 at 20:06
Marina, if you like aldehydes, you are guaranteed to fall in love with it. Even if you do not, you will definitely admire it.
Posted by: BoisdeJasmin | June 02, 2006 at 20:08
M, I am laughing over "mogil'shik parfumernyh domov." That is rather harsh, although in case of Rive Gauche and YSL Y, I cannot agree more.
Posted by: BoisdeJasmin | June 02, 2006 at 20:09
Madelyn, burst is the best way to describe how it unfolds at first, a burst of silver dust. Amazing! I think that there is no difference between US and Canadian formulations. They are the same.
Posted by: BoisdeJasmin | June 02, 2006 at 20:11
R (violetnoir), it is indeed very original. Paco Rabanne Calandre is even more so, being more avant-garde, but Rive Gauche has a more immediate impact.
Posted by: BoisdeJasmin | June 02, 2006 at 20:16
R, go for the men's version instead. The new one is so pale in comparison to the original that it is frustrating.
Posted by: BoisdeJasmin | June 02, 2006 at 20:21
Mireille, thank you! It is the image that came to mind as soon as I smelled it. A beautiful perfume.
Posted by: BoisdeJasmin | June 02, 2006 at 20:26
Karin, I cannot agree with you more! It is very pale. The problem with aldehydic fragrances is that the top notes tend to break down easily if the bottle is not stored properly, thus losing the intial sparkle. I wish Rive Gauche were left alone.
Posted by: BoisdeJasmin | June 02, 2006 at 20:29
Dear Victoria,
I went to a Yves Saint Laurent boutique(snooty!) in Tokyo to sniff the scent. I found new one is totally different from the original one. I am not sure I can tell the fragrance is Rive gauche without looking the bottle. The new Rive Gauche loses sharpness and bitterness somehow. Probably the original scent matched free-sprited era...
All the best!
Kaori
Posted by: k-amber | June 04, 2006 at 09:48
Dear Kaori, thank you for your impressions. I also found that the lack of bitterness ruined the entire composition. It was such a perfection.
Posted by: BoisdeJasmin | June 05, 2006 at 14:07
i have a lot of this in vintage formulation because my mother wore it. unforgettable.
Posted by: sdn | August 10, 2006 at 19:24
i have a lot of this in vintage formulation because my mother wore it. unforgettable.
Posted by: sdn | August 10, 2006 at 19:24
I am so glad to hear so many echoes of my sentiments about the ´new´ Rive Gauche....
Why on earth did they do this? it´s like giving the Mona Lisa a moustache to improve her looks!
I have worn Rive Gauche for years and it always conjured up associations of Parisian cafes, gitane and french teachers! The ´bitterness´and ´sharpness´were what made it unique and special,and the way it evolved by the end of the day was magical...
Now...it´s like any other cheap mono-faceted ´modern perfume´(I think Calvin Klein et al!)A true tragedy!
Does anybody know if their is any hope of a u-turn and the fragrance being restored to the origional? I will stop wearing it now as I longer enjoy it and don´t want to support this horrible new version.
Finally, does anybody know how one would go about posting a more direct complaint?! Who could be contacted? And is it still possible to buy the original version anywhere?
Lee
Posted by: Lee Forster Robinson | February 28, 2007 at 06:27
I had to buy the Rive Gauche Intense when I sampled it! You know, I wore this in the 70s and loved it. I associate it with the financial district in downtown Boston for some reason!
The composition of the current RG (Intense) is wonderful! I can't tell you what this means to me!
I can't recall if it is less or more than what I remember. I only know it's YSL's wonderful RG!
Posted by: Jeannemarie | June 15, 2007 at 21:14
Ahhh.....Jeannemarie...your memory and your nose fail you if you feel that any of the current incarnations of Rive Gauche can hold a candle to the original....it is a masterpiece lost and never to be rivalled by it´s replacements....!! I am in mourning...!!
Posted by: Lee | July 06, 2007 at 07:55
omg...the burst of silver dust is so true. My mom wore this when I was young and up till now I can STILL smell it just by reading your lovely review. :)
Posted by: twix | August 21, 2007 at 20:25
omg...the burst of silver dust is so true. My mom wore this when I was young and up till now I can STILL smell it just by reading your lovely review. :)
Posted by: twix | August 21, 2007 at 20:25
omg...the burst of silver dust is so true. My mom wore this when I was young and up till now I can STILL smell it just by reading your lovely review. :)
Posted by: twix | August 21, 2007 at 20:25
omg...the burst of silver dust is so true. My mom wore this when I was young and up till now I can STILL smell it just by reading your lovely review. :)
Posted by: twix | August 21, 2007 at 20:27
I am not at all a professional in regard to the making of perfume. However, when I began to wear Rive Gauche, in the 70's, there was not a man I knew socially, or not at all, that did not comment on it-- bus drivers, cab drivers, ticket takers on trains, and in depots,businees associates, airline personnel, my young sons, former husband and current husband who brought home everything he could find in all sizes from dusting powder to bubble bath as well as the perfume and the toilet water or cologne , women friends, store personnel and on and on -- . When I ran out, I restocked and although not a professional knew at once the complete perfection of that fragrance for me was gone.
It was a horror and someone should inform Tom Ford as it was a travesty.
Please let meknow any clues to finding some of the original formulation if it still exists. I have been duped several times.
I understand now why, when I was younger I was so attracted to Arpege. Has that also undergone a hideous transformation. Verty grateful for an informed response to the above two questions. Thank you.
Posted by: Jean Shepard | October 04, 2007 at 18:55
There are few things in life that are everlasting - a beautiful scent is among those that we can recall forever. Thank you for reminding me of how lovely Rive Gauche was through your beautiful review. Wearing this from its debut, I must share wolf whistles, second glances, and certainly second dates with Rive Gauche because men adored it, and thus I was the beneficiary. My husband of over thirty years (years of marriage, not his age ;~) still recalls the name and asks me why I no longer wear Rive Gauche. After it became difficult to locate, I went with other fragrances, much to his dismay, and to hear that it has now been reformulated is disheartening and disillusioning. Why must everything be "modernized"? There are certain things of beauty that should never be changed. You wouldn't change a piece of sculpture to "modernize" it! You can always create new, but once a work of art is gone....... How fun it would be to give my husband an anniversary to remember - one wearing the original Rive Gauche.
Posted by: Paula | January 15, 2008 at 22:20
I was about 13 years old when someone gave my older sister a gift set of Rive Gauche, which included french-milled soap! I thought it was the most gorgeous scent ever. The new version is horrendous, a travesty.
I recently had the great good fortune to find a small vial of Rive Gauche parfum from an e-bay seller, who was sharp enough to spot it at an estate sale. It arrived today. It is as gorgeous as I remember.
If I could lobby Tom Ford to return to the original, I'd buy a boatload to have for the rest of my life.
Posted by: Confuzzled | May 11, 2011 at 20:18