A fragrance is more than a scent; it evokes memories and tells stories. It reveals something about the person who inspired it, the person who created it and, ultimately, the person who wears it. Les Exclusifs de Chanel is a definitive story. Each of the 19 luxurious Eau de Parfums tells a part of Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel’s journey – a storyline of both the person and the House of Chanel.
Mademoiselle Chanel knew how to recognise a powerful aesthetic and often translated it into her designs. The sparkle and power of the comet, for example, was a source of inspiration for her first high jewellery collection – presented in Paris in 1932 – and returns now as the star of the latest addition to the Les Exclusifs de Chanel collection, Comète.
“The comet is a strong symbol for Chanel, and I’m thinking in particular of the Comète necklace from the 1932 high jewellery collection, which is worn open, laying right on the skin, and reminds me of the enveloping trail of a skin fragrance,” says Chanel in-house perfumer-creator, Olivier Polge.
YourLuxury Africa met with Olivier in Paris to discover the story behind the new scent.
WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE LAUNCH OF THE LES EXCLUSIFS DE CHANEL PERFUME COLLECTION IN 2007?
Each perfume is a language – it reveals facets of the person who wears it. With Les Exclusifs de Chanel, we wanted to honour Gabrielle Chanel as a woman and designer. Each of the 19 Eau de Parfums reveals parts of her character – marking a chapter of her life, outlining the features of her iconic designs, or highlighting a symbol that inspired her.
HOW DO YOU FOLLOW THE PATH CREATED FOR LES EXCLUSIFS DE CHANEL BY ERNEST BEAUX AND JACQUES POLGE, WHILE STILL GIVING IT YOUR PERSONAL TOUCH?
Ernest and Jacques had their own intuitive rationale, exactly as I have today. We’ve worked on and continue to look for memorable scents that are the essence of an era, instead of fleeting trends. A brand without history is a brand where you cannot challenge yourself to create something truly interesting – there is nothing to play off. This is why I feel that continuing to innovate will ensure my predecessors’ legacies live on.
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO MAKE THE COMET THE FOCUS OF THE NEW FRAGRANCE?
The comet has followed Coco Chanel’s style over the years, becoming her symbol of eternal chance and a sign of her unwavering optimism. Imagining the Comète necklace laying open, directly on the skin, I immediately think of the trail left by an enveloping fragrance.
IMAGINING THE ESSENCE OF A TRAVELLING STAR IS NO EASY TASK. HOW DID THE CREATION PROCESS BEGIN?
None of the Les Exclusifs de Chanel fragrances are named after a raw ingredient. The iconic No 5, for example, is a number, and so abstraction is part of our DNA. We never had a literal or standard way to compose a scent – it all starts with an image, a sensation. For Comète, I started by translating the idea of stardust into something we can smell in a very subjective way.
I didn’t envision the fragrance formula immediately, but rather what it would feel like – something powdery, vaporous, and luminous, all at the same time.
YOU HAVE SAID, “FRAGRANCE AT CHANEL IS A STATE OF MIND.” HOW DOES THIS GUIDE YOUR PHILOSOPHY AS A PERFUME CREATOR?
Keeping in mind that Gabrielle Chanel was first and foremost a fashion designer, and back then, the fashion and fragrance worlds were separate. She realised that they could be blended, and style could be expressed with scent. Our philosophy focuses on what a scent would bring out from its wearer’s personality; something that creates a unique style that’s equal parts mystery and elegance.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE COMÈTE?
It is intensely floral and luminous with powder notes suffused in a fresh and delicate cherry blossom accord. The fragrance envelops the skin with elusive magnetism, celebrating its singular character. I feel the fragrance is genderless; it’s for everyone who sets their own trajectory and doesn’t deviate from their chosen path.
WHAT IS THE STORY YOU WOULD LIKE THE WEARER TO KNOW WHEN THEY APPLY COMÈTE?
The story is in the wearer’s hand, but the essence, with the fragrance’s notes of lightness, is quite optimistic. I imagine it’s like a city experience, and if we oppose something casual to something elegant, it would be a dressed-up occasion.
WHAT IS THE MOTIVATION BEHIND THE MINIMALIST LES EXCLUSIFS DE CHANEL BOTTLES?
When Chanel launched the iconic No 5, the bottle was plain – almost like a lab flask in comparison to the complex perfume bottle designs of the time. Since then, Les Exclusifs de Chanel is always carried in a bottle of exemplary minimalism, shifting attention to the fragrance. The Comète case represents an elegant white jewellery-style coffret accentuated with a black trim. This two-tone aesthetic is like a heritage seal and is accompanied for the fragrance launch by a special limited-edition detail: an embossed representation of the legendary necklace.
CRAFT IS OFTEN PASSED DOWN FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION. HAS BECOMING A PERFUMER ALWAYS BEEN YOUR DREAM?
When I was a teenager, I wanted to do everything except what my parents did. I studied History of Art and had several internships – one of which was in my father’s lab where I discovered my passion for scent. My other love is classical music and I play the piano. If I was not a perfumer, I would have potentially become a musician. They are not visual arts, but currents in the air that create powerful emotions.
*Additional words by Ingrid Wood
