En Passant

En Passant, inspired by Frédéric Malle En Passant (2000)

Lilac is the whole story, but a pale, rain-washed version of it. Cucumber gives a cool, watery freshness, and green leaves and stems keep the flower from turning sweet. Later, a faintly bready, wheat-like nuance creeps in over cedar and white musk. The scent stays close to its first impression rather than moving through clear stages.

About the original

Olivia Giacobetti composed En Passant, one of the first fragrances released by Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle in 2000 and her only perfume for the house. The brand describes it as a Paris morning in May, with lilac carried on the breeze. Reviewers call it light and fairly linear.

Our version

Ours is an independent eau de parfum made to evoke the same character. It is not Frédéric Malle stock, not an official relaunch and not the original formula.

Who it suits

Light and calm in character, it fits spring especially well, which matches the May imagery the brand uses. Anyone after density or sweetness will find it too sheer.

Related scents

• Aerin Lilac Path

Notes of the original fragrance, as published by the brand.

Top notes: Lilac, Cucumber

Base notes: White Musk, Cedar

In the opening, white lilac meets cucumber and orange tree leaves, wet and green.

As it dries, a soft wheat note gives the lilac a slightly bready warmth, resting on cedar and white musk.

Does En Passant smell like real lilac?

It aims for lilac on the breeze of a May morning, as the brand puts it, kept cool and watery by cucumber and green leaves.

What is the wheat note people mention?

A faint bready facet in the drydown, listed in early descriptions of the scent alongside cucumber and orange tree leaves.

Inside the EU, delivery is free on orders of €49 or more. Below that it is a flat €4.99. Outside the EU, delivery is a flat €4.99 on every order. We send every order in 1 to 2 working days. It arrives in 3 to 7 days across the EU and in 7 to 14 days outside the EU. You have 14 days to return an unopened bottle.

Frédéric Malle and En Passant are trademarks of their respective owners, and all rights remain with them. Parfumour is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or connected to Frédéric Malle in any way, and no business relationship of any kind is implied. Our product is an original interpretation created to evoke a similar scent profile, and the trademark names are used purely for honest, descriptive comparison, so that you can quickly identify the style and fragrance family you are looking for. We make no claim to sell the original product, and we do not use the same ingredients or formula. Any similarity lies in the overall impression of the scent as interpreted by our own perfumers, not in the source materials.