Lanvin – Avant Garde: Overview, Smell, Notes & More!

Avant Garde by Lanvin is an intense yet chic oriental woody fragrance for men.

Sophisticated, stylish, and innovative, this scent truly embodies its name. 

Despite being one of France’s oldest fashion houses, Lanvin has proven itself to be bold and forward-thinking through this intriguing collaboration with perfumer Shyamala Maisondieu.

Top notes of Madagascar pink pepper, Italian Bergamot, and juniper blend with a heart composed of natural delights such as beeswax, warm cardamom, spicy nutmeg, and fresh lavender.

A warm and sensual base of musky tobacco, benzoin, amber, and bright vetiver top off this enticing blend.

If you’ve taken the leap and blind bought this fragrance online, you’ll probably want to know what to expect before it arrives.

So, keep reading to discover the olfactory delights hidden in this elegant cologne.

Overview

• Brand: Lanvin
• Fragrance: Avant Garde
• Release: 2011
• Gender: Men
• Perfumer: Shyamala Maisondieu

Fragrance Notes

• Top Notes: Pepper, Pink Pepper, Juniper, Bergamot
• Heart Notes: Beeswax, Cardamom, Nutmeg, Lavender
• Base Notes: Tobacco, Benzoin, Amber, Vetiver

What Does Lanvin Avant Garde Smell Like?

Avant Garde is the essence of everything the modern man embodies; confidently combining sweetness, spice, and musky amber, it’s sensual while retaining a sense of playful sophistication.

The distinctive sweetness of gorgeous beeswax perfectly complements this amber tobacco combo.

Some might find the more candied clubbing scents to be cloying and overbearing, but luckily Avant Garde sticks by the age-old mantra: “Less is more.”

It’s a unique and overlooked gem in this regard; a masculine fragrance that appreciates sweet scents in moderation while balancing gentle florals and smooth creaminess.

The best way to describe Avant Garde is enigmatic, or perhaps mystifying.

Its innovative blend of gentle lavender, spiced pink pepper, and robust tobacco eludes the senses, leaving only a sense of comforting familiarity mixed with curiosity as to what else it contains.

How Long Does Lanvin Avant Garde Last?

Avant Garde offers impressive longevity and variable sillage.

Depending on who’s wearing it, it can last for 1 to 2 hours or linger pleasantly for days on end.

Some fans of this scent have reported it lasting up to 6 hours with just a light spritz, so it’s definitely possible for it to take you from day to night without the bottle running out after a short time.

When Should You Wear It?

With the freshness of lavender and the warm spicy combination of pink pepper, cardamom, and tobacco, wearing this fragrance is really a statement in cooler weather.

Avant Garde’s featured note of tobacco cleanly cuts through the interesting blend of citrus, florals, and spice.

This makes it a deliciously warm and inviting scent for the depths of winter. 

Cozy amber and dry, earthy vetiver perfectly round off this fragrance for a sensual and chic twist on modern masculinity.

Where Should You Wear It?

Avant Garde really comes to life after dark.

Cool lavender, woody cedar, and balsamic benzoin elevate this scent on those chilly fall and winter nights. 

You can wear it for a date night, out on the town, or in the club.

It’s a nice fragrance for anything from cold winter days to breezy summer nights.

Presentation and Value For Money

Avant Garde is presented in a sleek and stylish matte-black bottle with a strip of blue glass down the center.

The name Lanvin is elegantly embossed on the neck. 

Overall, the presentation matches the essence of the scent itself: elegant, subdued, and enticing.

Because it’s harder to find nowadays, you might find yourself paying a premium to get your hands on a bottle.

A 50ml bottle of this scent will set you back $80 to $120.

The Bottom Line

Modern masculinity gets a fresh and innovative update with this offering from French fashion giant Lanvin.

Blending delicate florals, bright citrus, warm spice, and woody notes, this scent is elusive yet familiar, playful yet refined.

Avant Garde comes alive at night and elevates the coldest winter nights.

You might have to pay a steep price to get your hands on a bottle of this coveted cologne, but you’ll be glad you did when it becomes your signature scent.

Perfumes that Smell Like Lanvin Avant Garde

If you can’t get enough of fancy sweet tobacco scents like this one, give some of these similar alternatives a try.

1. CK Shock for him, Clavin Klein

With key notes of tobacco, cardamom, and lavender, this spicy amber blend offers a solid alternative to Lanvin’s masculine scent.

CK Shock smells similar to Avant Garde but eschews the sweetness of beeswax in favor of fresh green botanicals such as basil and osmanthus.

2. La Nuit de L’Homme, Yves Saint Laurent

Avant Garde is most often compared to this aromatic woody blend from YSL, and for good reason.

With the same notes of lavender, bergamot, and vetiver, you’ll be satisfied similarly with La Nuit de L’Homme.

It’s slightly more aromatic with cardamom as its dominant top note, but just as deliciously spiced.

3. Tobacco Vanille, Tom Ford

This amber spicy scent from Tom Ford brings the same prevailing notes of tobacco and warm spice but adds a delectable gourmand touch with additions of vanilla and cocoa.

Dried fruits and tonka bean blend beautifully for a sweet and spicy base.