V'E

The Verdict

Versace V'E debuted in 1989 as one of the last great floral chypres of its era, arriving just before changing regulations and shifting tastes would gradually diminish the chypre category. The community regards it with reverence, praising it as Versace at his best, before the heavy decadence of later years. Those who have experienced it describe a fragrance that should never have been lost to discontinuation.

V'E represents a style of perfumery that has become increasingly rare: a true floral chypre where green notes, natural-smelling flowers, and rich oakmoss coexist in refined balance. For vintage enthusiasts, it remains a prized find.

What It Smells Like

The opening blends aldehydes with green notes, African orange flower, bergamot, and Amalfi lemon, creating a crisp, bright introduction. The effect is sparkling and slightly formal, setting the stage for what follows.

The heart is where V'E truly shines. A lavish bouquet of narcissus, rose, ylang-ylang, cyclamen, jasmine, orris root, and lily-of-the-valley unfolds with remarkable naturalness. Reviewers emphasize that it smells like real freshly cut flowers, very green, not overly sweet and completely real, without the synthetic quality that often plagues modern florals. The ylang and narcissus mingle with rose and orris root in a composition described as utterly beautiful.

The base brings oakmoss, heliotrope, Virginia cedar, sandalwood, amber, and musk together. The oakmoss is described as simply divine, providing the mossy, earthy foundation that defines true chypre character. Heliotrope softens the base with its almond-like sweetness.

When to Wear It

V'E straddles between aloof and sensual, making it versatile within formal and semi-formal contexts. Spring and fall are ideal seasons for its green-floral character. Evening events, romantic dinners, and cultural outings provide the right backdrop for its sophisticated personality. Basenotes reviewers describe it as a mercurial sensation where the fragrance shifts between cool restraint and warm invitation.

Longevity & Projection

Vintage formulations are reported to have excellent longevity, lasting through an evening and beyond. The EDP formulation in particular delivers a rich, lasting presence with moderate-to-strong projection during the first few hours that gradually settles into a warm, intimate sillage. As with all vintage fragrances, actual performance varies depending on how bottles have been stored over the decades.

The Community Says

Basenotes reviewers describe V'E as a last gasp of floral chypres where the green reigns supreme, with a more modulated verdancy than its predecessors. The EDP form is characterized as a mossy, lightly woody amber at its base, softened with heliotrope, with a lingering luxury rosiness. Fragrantica users are equally enthusiastic, noting it smells completely real with no synthetic kick. The consensus is that this was a scent that should not have gone lost, representing a quality of natural-smelling perfumery that is increasingly difficult to find.

Who Should Buy This

V'E is strictly for vintage perfume hunters and chypre devotees who understand the risks and rewards of seeking discontinued fragrances. If you are passionate about classic floral chypres, oakmoss-rich compositions, and the natural floral style of late 1980s perfumery, finding a well-preserved bottle of V'E would be a genuine treasure.

This is not a practical recommendation for everyday wear or casual buyers. The fragrance exists outside the normal retail world, and acquiring it requires patience, knowledge, and willingness to pay collector prices for an uncertain product.

The Bottom Line

Versace V'E stands as one of the finest floral chypres of the late 1980s, a green, mossy, genuinely natural-smelling composition that vintage enthusiasts rightly celebrate. Its discontinuation is a loss for the fragrance world, and those fortunate enough to experience it encounter a caliber of floral craftsmanship that modern regulations and trends have made increasingly rare.