Tag: CHANEL FRAGRANCES

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Powerhouse Fragrances: Antonio Puig Quorum EDT, Elizabeth Taylor White Diamonds EDT, Lancôme Trésor EDP, YSL Opium EDP, Chanel Antaeus EDT, YSL Kouros EDT

Powerhouse Fragrances - Chanel Antaeus EDT

Clean and reserved fragrances certainly have a place. But sometimes I just want to reach for one of the classic powerhouse fragrances from previous decades that leave an indelible trail wherever you go. These powerhouse fragrances are probably OI (olfactorily incorrect) in these times of open-plan office sensitivities. So finding the right time and environment to wear them is crucial.

Powerhouse Fragrances - Elizabeth Taylor White Diamonds EDT

This list of mine is just a snapshot of possible powerhouse fragrances. What are your favourite powerhouse fragrances? Do you have the vintages of any of these?

“These powerhouse fragrances are probably OI (olfactorily incorrect) in these times of open-plan office sensitivities.”

ANTONIO PUIG QUOROM EDT (CARLOS BENAIM)

Originally launched in 1981, Quorum packs an old-school power punch with dominant notes of oakmoss, leather, tobacco, artemisia and sandalwood. This bargain fragrance is super-masculine stuff, irresistibly earthy and is as far from generic as you can get. It’s not often you will find quality at this price, so hunt it down now. R245 for 50ml and R360 for 100ml.

Powerhouse Fragrances - Antonio Puig Quorum EDT

ELIZABETH TAYLOR WHITE DIAMONDS EDT (CARLOS BENAIM)

If you think celebrity fragrances lack staying power in both sense of the phrase, you need to wear Elizabeth Taylor White Diamonds EDT. Launched in 1991, it takes me back to a time of big-time glamour (big hair, lots of hairspray and smoke). It’s a white floral and the aldehydes-o-meter is turned up very high. Bold and audacious! R750 for 100ml.

Powerhouse Fragrances - Elizabeth Taylor White Diamonds EDT

LANCÔME TRÉSOR EDP (SOPHIA GROJSMAN)

So your mom might have worn this back in 1990 when it was launched. But please don’t let that “mature” label put you off this sweet floriental that could teach most of today’s fruity-florals a thing or two. It features a large and luscious rose note at is heart. Little wonder it has spawned over 20 flankers and limited editions. R1 350 for 50ml.

Powerhouse Fragrances - Lancome Tresor EDP

YSL OPIUM EDP

It’s not a coincidence that so many powerhouses were released in the 70s and 80s. Those decades were not a time for shy, reserved fragrances. YSL Opium EDP is one of the perfect examples of this “big is best” is philosophy. Although this spicy oriental may have lost some strength between the 1977 and 2009 versions, the latter is still an elaborate oriental staple for any perfume-lover’s collection. R2 030.00 for 90ml.

Powerhouse Fragrances - Yves Saint Laurent Opium EDP

CHANEL ANTAEUS EDt (JACQUES POLGE)

This is one of the classics of modern perfumery. All perfumers looking to create a new masculine fragrance beyond today’s formulaic releases should study this one. Macho yet sophisticated at the time, it’s one of the best male powerhouses around, even 18 years after its original release. Unashamedly woody and smoky, it’s animalic a-go-go. R1 600 for 100ml.

Powerhouse Fragrances - Chanel Antaeus EDT

YSL KOUROS EDT (pierre bourdon)

Another big-hitter from the 80s with seductive musky and animalic overtones that’s still going strong almost 40 years later. Featuring 20 listed notes, it’s a complex thing of beauty, with standout notes of coriander, patchouli, aldehydes, honey, musk and leather creating a powerfully seductive effect. R1 330.00 for 100 ml.

Powerhouse Fragrances - Yves Saint Laurent Kouros EDT

 

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Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum Intense Review

Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum Intense

When Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum was launched in 2001, it became another huge success for the French luxury brand. Recently one of the bloggers I follow on Instagram shared how it became her wedding fragrance and how much she was looking forward to trying the new Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum Intense.

Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum Intense

It’s easy to see why Chanel Coco Mademoiselle is so popular. Created by Jacques Polge, this floriental seduced a generation of women with its contrasts of fresh citrus and sensual patchouli. Official listed notes of this fragrance include: orange, mandarin orange, orange blossom and bergamot (top). Mimosa, jasmine, Turkish rose and ylang-ylang (middle). Tonka bean, patchouli, opoponax, vanilla, vetiver and white musk (base).

“This floriental seduced a generation of women with its contrasts of fresh citrus and sensual patchouli.”

Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum Intense

SO WHAT DOES CHANEL COCO MADEMOISELLE EAU DE PARFUM INTENSE SMELL LIKE?

A Chanel fragrance launch (whether a new pillar or flanker) is always a bit of an event. And Chanel Coco Mademoiselle EDP Intense is no exception, with the powerful Chanel marketing machine buzzing away since its launch at the beginning of March 2018.

Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum Intense

Ok, so first of all let’s make it clear that Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum Intense is not a radical reworking of the original. It opens with the familiar citrus burst of the original. But Indonesian patchouli has been pumped to the max, with rose and jasmine in close support. The sensual aspect has also been heightened with Madagascan vanilla and tonka bean at the fore. This all adds up to create a more sophisticated scent, with a good balance of the fresh and the sensual.

Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum Intense - Olivier Polge

PATCHOULI POWER: Olivier Polge, Chanel’s in-house perfumer. Image courtesy of Chanel.

Olivier Polge, Chanel’s in-house perfumer and (excuse my basic French) le fils de Jacques Polge, has created a worthy successor to Chanel Coco Mademoiselle EDP.

Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum Intense, R1 745 for 50ml and R2 475 for 100ml.

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Going large (all 300ml of it!) with Bleu de Chanel EDP

Bleu de Chanel EDP

The launch this week of the limited-edition 300ml of Bleu de Chanel EDP is as good a time as any to acknowledge why this woody-aromatic fragrance has become such a top seller for the French luxury fashion house.

Bleu de Chanel was originally launched as an EDT in 2010. Created by the esteemed Jacques Polge (Chanel’s then in-house perfumer), Bleu de Chanel became the new standard bearer for men’s designer fine fragrances. Several whiffs will tell you why. It’s sophisticated and elegant without trying too hard – in that very French, very Chanel way – from the super-minimalist dark blue bottle to the juice.

“It’s sophisticated and elegant without trying too hard – in that very French, very Chanel way.”

Bleu de Chanel EDP

FROM CHANEL BLEU EDT TO CHANEL BLEU EDP

In 2014, Polge gave Bleu de Chanel the EDP treatment. I won’t get into the endless EDP vs EDT debate here. Suffice to say, both are worthy of your attention and your preference no doubt will be very personal.

Both share a highly distinctive citrus-fresh opening, with grapefruit at the fore. The EDP has standout incense, vetiver, mint, cedar and amber notes. Super smooth, sensual and sexy, you’ll be hard pressed to find another fragrance that gets as many compliments as Bleu de Chanel EDP. It’s also remarkably versatile, from day to night and from casual-chic to more formal occasions.

Bleu de Chanel EDP

The problem with success is that everybody wants to copy you – or hate you. I won’t mention any names, but Bleu de Chanel has been shamelessly cloned by competitors. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and all that.

“The problem with success is that everybody wants to copy you – or hate you.”

Perfume snobs will claim Bleu de Chanel EDP has become too popular for its own good. Au contraire! As if creating a quality perfume that brings pleasure and joy to many men and women – and yes, profits to Chanel – is not worthy of praise and recognition.

Bleu de Chanel EDP, R4 160 for 300ml.  

Bleu de Chanel EDP

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Gabrielle Chanel Fragrance Review

Gabrielle Chanel Fragrance Review

Did the world move for you on 1 September 2017? More precisely, did you feel the perfume world move? After all, the most important perfume event of 2017 happened on this day. No, I’m not talking about the launch of Tom Ford Fucking Fabulous, although that was a close second. I’m talking about the worldwide launch of Gabrielle Chanel EDP.  The fragrance industry has perfected the art of hype. And as far as hype goes, the first brand-new Chanel fragrance launch in 15 years (since the highly regarded Chanel Chance EDP in 2002) was fraught with expectation, hubris and debate.

Gabrielle Chanel Fragrance Review

In the month leading up to the worldwide launch and for the past three weeks, I deliberately avoided reading all reviews about Gabrielle Chanel. So apologies to all those fragrance bloggers whose notification mails I deleted. I didn’t want my thoughts on this fragrance to be influenced in any way by other opinions.

The Eastern Orange Free State

FREE STATE OF MIND: A family road-trip to escape the buzz and hype.

I decided instead to bring Gabrielle Chanel on a family road trip to the eastern Free State. To spend some time with it, on its own terms. I thought the Free State would be a fitting environment to do this, as this province of South Africa captures some of the qualities Chanel herself is renowned for. A pioneering and resilient spirit and an uncompromising style that can only come from suffering and endurance. Although the Chanel aesthetic is often associated with pearls and black dresses, Coco was never a prissy missy.

Gabrielle Chanel Fragrance Review - Portrait Of Coco Chanel

PIONEERING SPIRIT: A Man Ray portrait of Coco Chanel. Pic courtesy of Chanel.

So what did I learn about Gabrielle Chanel the fragrance from my relatively secluded time with it? Well, it’s clearly aimed at a new generation of younger women, who might find Chanel No5 “overpowering”, “old-fashioned” and “one of my mother’s favourites”. No doubt about it, this is Chanel’s big push for the “millennial” market.

Gabrielle Chanel Fragrance Review

The result is a modern scent that has a dominant heart of white florals (jasmine, ylang-ylang, tuberose, orange blossoms). The listed top notes include mandarin, black currant and grapefruit, but I only picked up grapefruit from those. The floral heart is fresh and contemporary, albeit not particularly original, and eventually makes way for a more traditional base of sandalwood and musk notes. I enjoyed this more subdued element after the initial spark of white florals had subsided.

The Eastern Free State

TREE OF LIFE: Gabrielle Chanel’s road trip included this vivid landscape.

While I am both male and 40-something (ahem, clearly not the target market), Gabrielle Chanel is very easy to wear, accessible and undeniably appealing. It will probably appeal to many other non-millennials too. And now for the big question…

IS GABRIELLE CHANEL A CLASSIC IN THE MAKING?

Mais non! And it doesn’t have to be. If the brief for Chanel’s in-house perfumer, Olivier Polge, was to create a modern, elegant and luxurious scent, he has succeeded admirably.

Gabrielle Chanel Fragrance Review

I had no “classic” expectations of Gabrielle Chanel. After all, is it realistic to expect another iconic scent like Chanel No5? I was going to title this post “Keep Calm & Gabrielle Chanel” and perhaps that’s the best way to approach this EDP. If you have unrealistic expectations of it, you’ll probably be disappointed. If you can appreciate it for what it is, then it’s a very pleasurable, well-executed scent.

Gabrielle Chanel Fragrance Review

Either way, do expect a roll-out of Gabrielle Chanel flankers over the next five years, as Chanel has invested heavily in this new pillar fragrance and left no details to chance. The luxe packaging and fine-glass bottle alone will tell you that.

Gabrielle Chanel EDP, R1 745 for 50ml and R2 465 for 100ml.

Gabrielle Chanel Fragrance Review - A Portrait of Coco Chanel

VISIONARY: A portrait of a young Coco Chanel, taken in 1909. Pic courtesy of Chanel.