Courrèges — Eau de Courreges (new)
Essence
Eau de Courreges (new) is the 2012 reissue of the house’s 1977 citrus chypre, made when the Lorience Group briefly held the Courreges perfume license and relaunched its back catalogue. It is a green, herbal eau in the sporty 1970s refreshment tradition: bright lime and mint over a bitter-green herbal heart and a dry, mossy-woody base. Discontinued today, it is fondly held by green-chypre and vintage-cologne lovers as an inexpensive, summery, unisex take on the genre, with weak longevity its one real flaw.
Scent Profile
The opening is a sparkling citrus blast in which lime stands out, lifted by a cool, almost toothpaste-like mint. It reads bright and lemonade-fresh, the kind of zesty top that immediately signals a classic eau.
Mint then bridges into a dewy, lawn-green heart. Lily-of-the-valley emerges with a faint hyacinth shadow, set against the herbal bitterness of wormwood and absinthe. One wearer locates the soul of the scent in the fresh powderiness that comes from pairing lily-of-the-valley with soft herbs.
The drydown keeps the greenness but turns drier and woodier, letting the floral character fade into a creamy, mossy base of oakmoss, vetiver and patchouli. The chypre signature here is genuine but restrained, light and airy rather than heavy. The overall arc moves from bright citrus-mint, through dewy green-floral, to a dry mossy-woody close.
Performance
Weak longevity is the most consistent observation, and many wearers accept it as part of the eau genre. Projection is soft and the scent fades quickly, often within a couple of hours, inviting frequent reapplication. The practical strategy is to carry a small atomiser and spray copiously. It is at its best in genuine heat, where it works as a cooling refresher rather than a long-haul signature.
Wearing Context
This is a warm-weather, daytime, casual fragrance, described variously as a morning scent and a cooling option for the hottest days. It is thoroughly unisex, with some wearers reading it as masculine-leaning, and it suits sporty summer settings and office-safe daywear. It would feel underpowered for evening or cold weather, and its bitter-green herbal edge may read as too herbal for anyone wanting something sweeter. Its retro, free-spirited 1970s character is much of the appeal.
Comparisons & DNA
Its closest and most-cited relative is Lancome O de Lancome, which it tracks closely apart from being even shorter-lived. It sits firmly in the green citrus-chypre eau tradition: Eau de Rochas and Jean Patou Eau de Patou are natural neighbours, and one wearer’s summary placed all three side by side as Seventies reloaded. Guerlain Eau de Guerlain shares the minty register, while Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Herba Fresca shares the dewy-grass quality but reads stronger and more complex. A milky-green facet drew a comparison to Paco Rabanne Calandre.
Reception
Among green-chypre and vintage-cologne enthusiasts who know it, reception is affectionate: exhilarating, refreshing, beautifully retro and excellent value. One editorial judged the 2012 reissue quite good for its price and well suited to everyday wear by lovers of elegant chypres. Several wearers report happy blind buys. The recurring criticism is weak longevity, universally noted, and from those who know the original, a sense of slightly diminished depth. It is also simply obscure and hard to find. As a fleeting, bargain-priced summer eau it is low-risk, provided you accept the short wear.
Versions & Reformulation
The original Eau de Courreges launched in 1977 as a crisp citrus chypre, a sporty counterpart to the house’s celebrated leather chypre Empreinte. This 2012 reissue came when the Lorience Group relaunched the Courreges classics in new transparent cylindrical bottles. It stayed close to the original but was reworked for modern regulations, with oakmoss substituted and animal materials removed; sources differ on whether Firmenich or perfumer Vincent Schaller handled the modern re-orchestration. The arrangement was short-lived, ending in a licensing dispute, and the 2012 line was discontinued. A later 2020/2021 Courreges relaunch shares some old names but is otherwise unrelated, so this 2012 green-chypre eau stands as the last faithful reissue of the 1977 original.
Acquisition Notes
Discontinued and budget-priced when current, sold as an eau de toilette in 50 ml and 90 ml. It circulated cheaply online and through discounters, and even when new its distribution was limited. Today it is a secondhand and clearance find, so check for freshness, since a citrus eau degrades and the bright top notes are the whole point. Because the Courreges name and bottles changed across the 1977 original, this 2012 reissue, and the unrelated later relaunch, confirm any listing is the 2012 green-chypre Eau de Courreges (lime, mint, moss).
Notable Facts & Lore
- Courreges was founded by Andre Courreges, a civil engineer turned couturier who popularized the mini-skirt and white go-go boots.
- The house’s first fragrance, the leather chypre Empreinte, was launched around 1970/1971, reportedly inspired by the moon landing.
- Eau de Courreges followed in 1977 as the brand’s sporty eau, marketed as fresh and scented like the great outdoors.
- The 2012 reissue belonged to a brief, well-intentioned revival of the Courreges classics that ended in a licensing dispute and discontinuation.
- Andre Courreges described the eau as expressing a style of life made of well-being and happiness.