The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
L'Interdit 2 arrived in 1993 as Givenchy's second act on a fragrance that started as a gift. The original L'Interdit was created exclusively for Audrey Hepburn in 1957, when the house suggested releasing it publicly, she reportedly protested, which gave the scent its name. L'Interdit means 'forbidden,' and that playful contradiction became the house's olfactory signature. By 1993, Givenchy returned to that well, extending the story to a wider audience. This wasn't a reformulation. It was a sequel.
What makes L'Interdit 2 distinctive is its opening move: strawberry as the lead, not a supporting note. Most florals introduce themselves with rose or jasmine, this one leads with something fruity and slightly reckless. The heart compensates with an unusually full floral arrangement: violet, Bulgarian rose, jasmine, freesia, sunflower, ylang-ylang. White florals, yellow florals, and powdery florals layered together. It's a lot of florals. Then the base brings it down with sandalwood, musk, and a thread of incense that nods to the original without recreating it.
The evolution
The first spray hits bright, big strawberry, sweet and thick enough to almost smell like jam. Give it thirty seconds. The florals don't wait; violet and rose push through, joined by jasmine and something greener. The sunflower is subtle, mostly adding warmth rather than loudness. By the time you hit the base, maybe ninety minutes in, the strawberry has softened and the sandalwood is doing the work. Musk underneath, a whisper of incense. On fabric, it lasts longer, you'll catch the drydown the next morning, faint and intimate. On skin, expect four to six hours before it becomes a memory you lean into.
Cultural impact
L'Interdit 2 arrived in 1993, a year when fruity florals were having a moment. The original L'Interdit had already established Givenchy as a house unafraid to play with contradiction, elegance and rebellion, classic and modern. The sequel doubled down on the floral side while keeping the woody-fougère structure that made the house recognizable. It's been discontinued, which means finding a bottle requires patience. Those who know it tend to hold onto it.
