Guy Laroche's notable perfumes are: Fidji (year 1966), L'Eau Folle (1970), Drakkar (1972), J'ai Osè (1977), Drakkar Noir (1982), Clandestine (1986), Horizon (1993).
Most of scents had the "copyright" indication, including the year ("Copyright Parfums Guy Laroche, year xxxx")
GUY LAROCHE BATCH CODES:
(since 1979: "EMB code" reported on the box. If
you don't see the EMB code, it means "before 1979")
Then, you have to check the 2nd letter of the code.
Early address: "Rue Royale", or "Rue des Graviers", "Avenue Matignon", or "Faubourg Saint Honorè".
1981 UAxx or SAxx
1981 UAxx or SAxx
1982 UBxx or SBxx
1983 UCxx or SCxx
1984 UDxx
1985 UExx
1986 UFxx
1987 UGxx
1988 UHxx
1989 UJxx
1990 UKxx
1991 ULxx
(changing address on the box
from:: "9, AVENUE MATIGNON" or "29 Rue Faubourg St. Honorè"
to: "16, PLACE VENDOME")
(changing address on the box
from:: "9, AVENUE MATIGNON" or "29 Rue Faubourg St. Honorè"
to: "16, PLACE VENDOME")
1992 UMxx
(here 5-digits batchcode begins)
(here 5-digits batchcode begins)
1993 UNxxx
1994 UPxxx
1995 UQxxx
1996 URxxx
1997 USxxx
1998 UTxxx
1999 UUxxx
2000 UVxxx
(changing distribution:
before year 2000: distributed by "Cosmair";
since 2000: distributed by "LLC Luxury products")
(changing distribution:
before year 2000: distributed by "Cosmair";
since 2000: distributed by "LLC Luxury products")
2001 UWxxx
2002 UXxxx
2003 UYxxx (UZ apparently not used)
2004 UAxxx
(here: the long list of ingredients appears on the box)
2005 UBxxx
2006 UCxxx
2007 UDxxx
2008 UExxx
2009 UFxxx
2010 UGxxx or 38Gxxx
2011 UHxxx or 38Hxxx
(here: the long list of ingredients appears on the box)
2005 UBxxx
2006 UCxxx
2007 UDxxx
2008 UExxx
2009 UFxxx
2010 UGxxx or 38Gxxx
2011 UHxxx or 38Hxxx
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| "Fidji" Parfum, early bottle |
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| FIDJI advertisement year 1977 You can read the word "Paris" on the bottle written in Script ("lowercase") letters |
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| Fidji advertisement Year 1982. You can read the word "Paris" on the bottle written in Capital ("uppercase") letters |
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| "J'Ai Osè", copyright 1977 (from Ebay) Address "9, avenue Matignon" |
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| "Fidji" Parfum edition year 1984 |
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| "Fidji" Parfum, Copyright year 1984 |
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| Fidji Parfum Copyright year 1984 batch UE1B = year 1985 |
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| "Fidji", copyright year 1984 Parfums et Beaute & Cie, Rue Fg.St. Honorè |
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| Fidji Parfum batch UF1E = year 1986 |
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| Fidji Eau de Parfum Copyright Year 1984, Avenue Matignon batch code UG1F = year 1987 |
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| Early "Drakkar Noir", batch SB3E painted on the bottom = year 1982 (notice the textures all over the box) |
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| Early Drakkar Noir box and bottle, batch SB3E = year 1982 (notice the textures all over the box) |
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| (from Ville "Dofa91", Basenotes) Typical Drakkar Noir box first edition (1981-1988) |
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| (from Ville "Dofa91", Basenotes) Drakkar Noir bottle, with unusual batch MHID = probably year 1988 |
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| (from Ville "Dofa91", Basenotes) Typical Drakkar Noir box, first edition (1981-1988) |
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DRAKKAR NOIR apparently had 7 different boxes
year 1981, year 1989, year 1996, year 1998
year 1999, year 2004, year 2010
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| "Clandestine", batch UFAG = year 1986 |
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| Fidji batch UGxx = year 1987 |
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| Drakkar Noir, address "9 Avenue Matignon" (until 1991) "copyright Parfums Guy Laroche 1989" batch UKxx = year 1990 |
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| Horizon , batch UM193 = year 1993 NEW address 16 Place Vendome (since 1992) (first time with 5-digits batchcode) |
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| Horizon batch UM193 = year 1993 (first time with 5-digits batchcode) |
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| (from Ebay ) Drakkar Noir, copyright "Parfums Guy Laroche, 1996" |
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| (from Ebay) Drakkar Noir batch UU105 = year 1999 |
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| Drakkar Noir, typical Guy Laroche box, year 1998 |
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| "Fidji" with short list of ingredients on the box distributed by Cosmair( = before year 2000) |
8E9s4l7bdcBQMY5Uo0RQ~~60_57.JPG) |
| (from Ebay) Fidji After 2005 with "long list of ingredients" on the box |
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| Drakkar Noir year 2010 (on left) and year 2004 (on right) |
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| Drakkar Noir, year 2004 |
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| Drakkar Noir year 2010 |
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| Drakkar Noir batch 38H201 = year 2011 |
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....and...
Batch-codes
Year-of-production,
all-you-need-to-know
about vintage perfumes in the following pages:
-GUERLAIN perfumes ( here )
-YVES SAINT LAURENT perfumes ( here )
-CHRISTIAN DIOR perfumes ( here )
-GIORGIO ARMANI Perfumes ( here )
-VAN CLEEF et ARPELS perfumes ( here )
-CHANEL perfumes ( here )
-BVLGARI perfumes ( here )
-HERMES perfumes ( here )
-VERSACE perfumes ( here )
-JEAN PATOU perfumes (here)
-LANCOME perfumes (here)
-CARON perfumes (here)
-CALVIN KLEIN perfumes (here)
-RALPH LAUREN perfumes (here)
-JEAN PAUL GAULTIER perfumes (here)
-SERGE LUTENS perfumes (here)
-GUCCI perfumes (here)
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Hello , I own a bottle of Clandestine , batch code UE4E so , it should be from 1985 ... But I read it was launched in 1986 ...
ReplyDeleteHi Irene, sorry for late reply. You did a good observation, and there are two possibilities. The first: Clandestine was prepared during the last months of 1985 and "launched" early in 1986. Batch code is always about the prepation, not the "selling date". Since perfume houses rarely reveal their "batch codes", it's remotely possible that UExxx means 1985 instead of 1986. But in this case only a few months of difference are not so important. Thank you again for your contribution.
DeleteHello. Thank you for great information. I have two bottles of Drakkar Noir EDT 50ml splash (Batchs UW18R and UX074 from year 2001 and 2002 ) and they was distributed by Cosmair. I have EDT 100 ml spray with batch UY322 (2003, copyright 1998) distributed by Cosmair also. Is it true that distributor is LLC Luxury Products from year 2000?
ReplyDeleteCharles
Hi, it means that a few old boxes were utilized later.
DeleteIt is a common practice, to not to discard old materials.
Hi there -
ReplyDeleteI am wondering if you can help me with something? You have a terrific website and I have found it most informative. I am wondering if you are able to tell me when the original formula for Fidji finished and the first year of release for the new Fidji? I can't seem to find it anywhere but understand there are two distinct Fidjis on the market - one the original, vintage and the other the new, lighter release. If you can help, that would be wonderful.
Many thanks.
Cheers -
Jane
Dear Miss Bloomfield,
Deletesince Fidji suffered at least 5 different reformulations, I would recommend earlier versions, i.e. all bottles produced before the 1990s. Simply check for the old address "Rue Matignon", reported on the box.
Dear Jane, a very late reply but I hope my personal perspective helps you and other Fidji fans. There have indeed been several reformulations. It's all a matter of preference. After some trial, error, and lived experience I find any Fidji between 1981 and 2000 is good. I was gifted a bottle in 1983, which was lovely. I would like to put in a word for the EDT that was around in 1994 because it was fantastic - fresh, deep, rich. Fidji post -2000 was noticeably thinned out and definitely not for me. In my recent hunts I found a bottle of Fidji from the late 1970s (beige cap) which was incredibly fresh and useable but with an almost minty note. Very different! As I say all very subjective and down to personal taste. Happy hunting.
DeleteExcellent post!
ReplyDeleteI just won a vintage, late 80's bottle of Drakkar Noir on Ebay with the 9 Avenue Matignon address and it smells so much better than later formulas. Super fresh citrus, rich herbs and very sensuous musk. There's a reason why this was so popular, and now it's better for me because hardly anyone wears it - at least in my circle.
Hi. I used Drakkar Noir throughout the 90s. I have never witnessed the original formulation. But I have noticed the scent has been no good since the 90s. Every reformulation since then smells the same to me. They removed something important after the 90s. You stated that they removed patchouli with the first reformulation. So, then the 90s didn't have patchouli I assume. But it still smelled GREAT to me. I wonder what else was removed? I also wonder if one could just purchase and add patchouli (or the other ingredient) to the current formula and restore the scent? You think?
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteI have a bottle of Fidji Parfum with a box like the first one pictured. I'm concerned it's a fake. What I assume is the "batch code" is a small sticker affixed to the back of the box. The "batch code" in question (preceded by EMB 02340) is SV2J , which doesn't appear to follow the format you've established here. I've also checked batch code sites and they don't recognize it as a valid Guy Laroche batch code. The box was sealed in plastic, though it could have been resealed. The bottle was sealed with the black fabric tie, but there was no wax stamp. The bottle does follow the left side PARFUMS GUY LAROCHE PARIS 7 ml 1/4 fl.oz / right side lowercase script fidji format. The bottom of the bottle appears to be stamped HP on the left side and 5 on the right side. There is a slip of paper inside the box for returning the perfume with the address PARFUMS GUY LAROCHE PARIS 11 BIS RUE BOISSY D'ANGLAS 75008 PARIS at the bottom. Otherwise, no address appears on the box or bottle.
I love your blog and have found it an incredibly useful resource over the years as I collect vintage perfume. I know there are limits to what you can do online for an Anonymous commenter, but I do hope you're able to advise in some capacity!
Thank you
Hi, the first thing to say is that vintage fakes have reached such a level of sophistication that it's impossible to talk about authenticity without holding the perfume in your hand and looking at it carefully. That said, the batch code is typical of the pre-1980 era. What puzzles me, however, is the fact that the EMB code is there, which only appeared in the mid-1970s. Well, in the 1970s, Guy Laroche Parfums had offices on "Rue Royale" and "Rue des Graviers", but I've never heard of "Rue Boissy d'Anglas". But, again, I'm not saying that the bottle is definitely fake. No one can say that without looking at it carefully. Greetings, Laura
Delete