Quick answers
History
Féminité du bois came out in 1992 under the Shiseido banner, art-directed by Serge Lutens. Auparfum describes it as the first fragrance launched at his instigation inside the Japanese group. The same magazine says it set the tone for Les Salons du Palais Royal Shiseido in Paris (France).
The story starts in Morocco in 1968. Lutens found a piece of cedar there and fell for its smell. He promised himself a perfume called Cèdre one day.
That idea met the work of Pierre Bourdon. Since the late 1980s, Bourdon had been exploring a fruity-wood composition at Quest. The concept was then developed with Christopher Sheldrake. Maurice Roucel told ÇaFleureBon he consulted on it.
Credit remains shared. Auparfum lists Sheldrake and Bourdon. Nez named only Sheldrake in 2024. The house credits no one. Osmetheca keeps the joint credit without ranking the two roles.
Auparfum reports little commercial success but a lasting influence. Bourdon reused the woody-fruity accord in Dolce Vita for Dior. Lutens extended the theme with Bois de Violette and Bois et Fruits.
The same article describes several reworks and repackagings, first under Shiseido, then under the Serge Lutens label. Lutens designed the first dark bottles himself. Today the scent is sold as an eau de parfum in the Collection Noire.
Fragrance notes
Serge Lutens publishes no pyramid for Féminité du bois. The house describes a cedar fragrance and quotes its creator: “It’s all about cedar. 60% of wood composition.” The notes below come from Auparfum’s 2007 review, grouped by Osmetheca. They are not a top, heart and base structure.
Auparfum puts the cedar at 30%. The house speaks of 60% wood. The two figures probably measure different things, and Osmetheca treats neither as a dosage.
Scent profile
The scent profile starts from the brand’s own words: cedar inspired by the warm, honeyed scents of the covered leather stalls of Morocco. The wood is not dry. Fruit and spice coat it, with flowers kept in the background.
Its distinctive move was to give cedar the lead role in a perfume named for femininity. Lutens sums up the idea himself on the official page.
“This scent expresses the masculine side of femininity and vice-versa.”Serge Lutens, official Féminité du bois page
Key characteristics
When and where to wear
The house gives no wearing advice, and Osmetheca has not tested this fragrance on skin. As a rough guide, its honeyed, spiced woody structure points to the cooler seasons.
Similar perfumes
Two fragrances from the same house help place Féminité du bois.
| Perfume | House · year | Why related |
|---|---|---|
| Ambre Sultan | Serge Lutens · 1993 | Same house; credited to Christopher Sheldrake alone on our entry. |
| Iris Silver Mist | Serge Lutens · 1994 | Same house; signed by Maurice Roucel, who says he consulted on Féminité du bois. |
Frequently asked questions
See also
Sources
- Serge Lutens, official Féminité du bois page, accessed 4 November 2026
- Jeanne Doré, review of Féminité du bois, Auparfum (Nez), 22 July 2007
- Ermano Picco, “ÇaFleureBon Modern Masterpieces: Shiseido Féminité du Bois 1992”, ÇaFleureBon, 2 January 2016
- Vincent Ricord, “Avec Féminité du bois, je découvrais une mélodie intimiste débordant de poésie”, Nez, 30 April 2024
- “Christopher Sheldrake”, Meet the Perfumers, The Fragrance Foundation UK, undated page accessed 2 November 2026
- Shiseido, “Shiseido signed for purchasing Serge Lutens trademark”, press release, 22 December 2015
- Osmetheca, Serge Lutens house entry