Ma Griffe by Carven c1946

Ma Griffe by Carven: launched in 1946. Created by Jean Carles, chief perfumer of Roure Bertrand Dupont. The name means "My Signature" as well as "My Claw" in French. Undoubtedly, a pun on the name, as Madame Carven clawed her way to top the design world and left her mark with her revolutionary Ma Griffe perfume.

Fragrance Composition:

So what does the original formula smell like? Ma Griffe by Carven is classified as a floral chypre fragrance for women.

• Top notes: Dutch hyacinth, green notes, Georgian peach, Anjou pear, aldehydes, Italian neroli, Calabrian bergamot, Chinese gardenia, Persian galbanum, asafoetida, Hungarian clary sage and Sicilian lemon
• Middle notes: Mediterranean broom, Singapore vetiver, Mysore sandalwood, Florentine iris, Tunisian orange blossom, Italian orris root, Grasse jasmine, Nossi-Be ylang-ylang, Alpine lily-of-the-valley and Bulgarian rose
• Base notes: Maltese labdanum, Venezuelan tonka bean, Ceylon cinnamon, Tibetan musk, Siamese benzoin, Tyrolean oakmoss, and Sumatran styrax.

The creation of Ma Griffe draws a fascinating lineage, tracing back to Jean Carles’ earlier work on Emir for Dana in 1935 — a perfume itself inspired by Crêpe de Chine, the legendary 1925 fragrance from F. Millot. This connection links Ma Griffe to a heritage of bold, aldehydic chypres, a genre known for its lively contrasts between crisp, effervescent top notes and warm, mossy bases. Yet Ma Griffe broke new ground, distinguished by its pioneering use of modern aroma-chemicals that shaped its unmistakable, dynamic character.

One of the key innovations was the inclusion of styrallyl acetate, a molecule synthesized in the 1940s, derived from the gardenia blossom. It captures the green, freshly floral sharpness of gardenia buds — not the creamy sweetness of the full bloom, but a more vivid, raw interpretation of the flower as it just begins to unfurl. This gave Ma Griffe an edge of youthful energy, a bright green freshness that felt modern and daring for its time. It was an olfactory jolt, capturing the sensation of walking into a garden at dawn, where the air hums with the cool, sharp scent of dew on leaves and unopened petals.

Complementing this was citronellal, sourced from citronella oil. It brought a zesty, green-citrus tang that cut through the richer florals, adding a sense of brightness and clarity. This wasn’t the sweet, sun-warmed citrus of oranges or mandarins, but a sharper, more exhilarating aroma — like the snap of a broken lemon leaf between your fingers. It heightened the sense of crispness in Ma Griffe, reinforcing its bold, youthful spirit.

Additionally, the formula included a higher dosage of natural Sumatran styrax than was typical in chypre compositions of the era. Styrax, a resin from the Liquidambar tree, added a warm, balsamic undertone with hints of leather and spice. It acted as a grounding force beneath the fragrance’s soaring green and floral notes, giving Ma Griffe a sensual, lingering depth. This increased dose of styrax intensified the contrast between brightness and warmth — a hallmark of Jean Carles’ genius — making the fragrance feel both invigorating and seductive.

Together, these elements crafted a scent that felt revolutionary: green, sharp, and undeniably alive. It wasn’t a polite floral bouquet or a demure chypre. Instead, Ma Griffe seemed to leap from the skin — bold, confident, and unapologetically modern. It was a fragrance that refused to be overlooked, embodying the spirit of the young women who wore it: fresh, fearless, and unforgettable.

Scent Profile:

Ma Griffe by Carven unfolds like a vivid, living tapestry, each note unfurling with the confidence and grace of a woman who knows her own power. The first breath is a dazzling rush of Dutch hyacinth, its dewy sweetness tempered by verdant green notes that feel as though the garden itself has been bottled — freshly crushed leaves and tender shoots bursting with life. Georgian peach follows, ripened under the sun’s gentle warmth, its flesh impossibly velvety and dripping with nectar. The Anjou pear, renowned for its smooth texture and honeyed juice, lends a crisp, refreshing counterpoint.

Aldehydes sparkle through the fruit like champagne bubbles, lifting the composition into an airy brilliance. Italian neroli — distilled from the bitter orange blossoms of Calabria — brings a honeyed, almost green citrus glow, complemented by the luminous brightness of Calabrian bergamot, renowned for its sun-soaked zest. Chinese gardenia emerges, creamy and opulent, with a hint of waxy sweetness, while Persian galbanum cuts through with its unmistakable, resinous green bite, adding a cool, almost shadowed intensity. Then comes the surprising flicker of asafoetida — an unusual, provocative touch — earthy and animalic, hinting at something primal beneath the elegance. Hungarian clary sage drifts in with its herbaceous musk, and Sicilian lemon sharpens the air with a burst of Mediterranean sunlight.

As the fragrance warms on the skin, the heart unfurls like a sun-drenched meadow. Mediterranean broom hums with honeyed, hay-like sweetness, entwined with Singapore vetiver — grassy and smoky, lending a dusky sophistication. Mysore sandalwood, famed for its rich, creamy smoothness, adds a warm, polished woodiness, seamlessly blending with the powdery, violet-tinged luxury of Florentine iris. Tunisian orange blossom, sultry and sweet, flirts alongside Italian orris root’s buttery softness, while Grasse jasmine, cultivated in the perfume capital of France, bursts forth in a heady, sun-warmed bloom. Nossi-Be ylang-ylang, harvested from the tropical paradise of Madagascar, unfurls its rich, banana-cream sweetness, wrapping the bouquet in an exotic, narcotic embrace. Alpine lily-of-the-valley emerges, delicate and cool, like a whisper of springtime, before the plush velvet of Bulgarian rose settles in — lush, deep, and romantic, kissed with a subtle spice.

The base is where Ma Griffe reveals its chypre soul — a foundation both grounding and sensual. Maltese labdanum, sticky and rich, weaves an ambered warmth that clings to the skin like sun-drenched resin. Venezuelan tonka bean follows, its sweetness like vanilla brushed with a whisper of tobacco. Ceylon cinnamon crackles with dry, woody heat, balanced by the animalic sensuality of Tibetan musk, soft and warm as cashmere. Siamese benzoin, harvested from the tropical forests of Thailand, melts into the blend with its caramelized, balsamic richness. Tyrolean oakmoss — earthy, damp, and slightly smoky — anchors the fragrance in the deep, mossy shadows of an ancient forest, while Sumatran styrax lingers with a final, resinous whisper, sweet and leathery, like the last golden embers of a fire.

Ma Griffe is a story told in scent — vibrant and green, yet warm and sensual — a fragrance that dances between sunlight and shadow, leaving behind an unforgettable trace, like a memory that refuses to fade.

In 1946, Femme magazine captured the spirit of Ma Griffe with an image as fresh and joyous as a Riviera morning. The fragrance was described as bursting with lemony brightness, evoking the sun-drenched gardens along the Côte d'Azur. It wasn’t just a perfume — it was a celebration of youth and vitality, designed for carefree young women, whether they were dressed in Carven’s chic creations or simply embodying that same lively, elegant spirit. The scent was painted as a companion to spring winds and bright mornings, embodying the lighthearted optimism of post-war Europe, where fashion and fragrance sought to bring beauty and cheer back to life after years of austerity.

By 1953, Combat gave Ma Griffe a more vivid, almost rebellious characterization. It spoke of an "acute dominance of hyacinth aldehyde" — a bold, head-turning opening that surged forward with unapologetic vibrancy. This wasn’t a shy, demure floral; it was alive, exuding what the writer called “sassy musk,” wrapped in luscious, sun-ripened peach and pear. The mention of genet (Mediterranean broom) and neroli added a honeyed, citrus-kissed depth, infusing the composition with both sweetness and sharpness — a tug-of-war between innocence and sensuality.

The review goes further, likening the scent to a living memory, one that “jumps to the nose like a holiday souvenir.” It captures that fleeting moment when a scent pulls you back to sunlit vacations and carefree laughter — vivid and immediate, yet impossible to pin down. The fragrance is described as "frank, flowery, fruity, alive like running water," yet grounded by an unexpected sensuality. The comparison to a young athlete’s satin-smooth, toned skin suggests a duality: Ma Griffe is both youthful and womanly, dynamic and tender. It’s the cool breeze against warm skin, the exhilarating contrast of leisure and passion — a fragrance that refuses to sit quietly in the background. It demands to be remembered.

Bottles:

Like Chanel, she chose to house her perfume inside of a simplistic cube shaped clear glass bottle, but it was housed inside of a coffret cloaked in her lucky colors, white and green, which helped it to be distinguished among the other bottles on the department store shelves. The bottle was made in France at the Pochet et du Courval glassworks. This older bottle was used during the 1940s-1970s.

Another bottle that was used was a variation of the cube shaped bottle topped with a gilt finish spiral cap designed by Jacques Bocquet, when viewed from the top, the spiral forms a stylized C for Carven. This unique bottle was used from the 1970s-1980s.

Other bottles were used to house Ma Griffe over the years and included the standard Carven bottle for eau de colognes, a tall, ribbed glass bottle with a plastic screw cap, or the tall, square shaped bottle, these were used in the 1960s-1980s. Later bottles used in the 1980s-1990s were simple kidney shaped spray flacons with gilded plastic caps or the curvaceous flat amphora spray flacon with the gilt metal cap.

Fate of the Fragrance:

Ma Griffe was reformulated in 2000 and in 2013, Ma Griffe was reformulated and relaunched again.

So what does it smell like? It is classified as a floral chypre fragrance for women.

• Top notes: bergamot, lemon and gardenia
• Middle notes: jasmine, sandalwood, rose and ylang-ylang
• Base notes: vetiver, musk, tonka bean and styrax

The newest reformulations are shown in the photos below:

RSS Feed Widget