Linda Evangelista once said: “We don’t wake up for less than $10 000 a day.” While I’m not as demanding or diva-ish as the supermodel, I also need a very good reason to get out of bed to trek the more than 30km to one of Johannesburg’s most popular shopping malls, Sandton City. On this particular day, there was a splendid reason to get going: Chanel. More specifically the opening of the relocated Chanel beauty and make-up boutique and the launch of Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Crush Absolu EDP.
More about this fragrance below. In the meantime, some pics of the Chanel boutique.
The theme was a Parisian café and being Chanel, it could only be très chic.
Bigger is not always better. But when it comes to creating a sense of luxury, this larger store does that in style.
This boutique is home to the brand’s skincare, make-up and fragrance ranges. So plenty to keep the eye, nose and wallet busy.
The seating area for private consultations gives an air of personalised exclusivity.
PS: When I was offered a cocktail at this event (and it wasn’t even 11am), I asked myself: “What would Coco do?” She would, so I did…
CHANEL COCO MADEMOISELLE CRUSH ABSOLU EDP
One of the things I admire about Chanel is that it doesn’t flanker the life out of its fragrances. Unlike its main competitor, which shall remain nameless. In this case I’m talking about the latest launch, Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Crush Absolu EDP.
The OG was launched way back in 2001. Created by then in-house perfumer Jacques Polge, it went on to become a major success for the French luxury house, often outselling the iconic No 5.
From the first spray of Crush Absolu you’ll know this is a Coco Mademoiselle. With some differences, of course. Otherwise, why bother with a flanker.
Litchi brings a noticeably sweet, slightly tropical element to this Olivier Polge composition, leading to the florals of fruity rose and jasmine.
“The OG was a definitive patchouli bomb and here again, it’s pronounced and distinctive in its earthy ways, along with vetiver.”
The OG was a definitive patchouli bomb and here again, it’s pronounced and distinctive in its earthy ways, along with vetiver. There’s also creamy vanilla and powdery amber in the mix.
It’s not as complex as its predecessor but has more depth and immediate gratification for a younger market that will also appeal to those older than its intended demographic.
The OG was the brand’s way of tapping into a younger market. That demographic is all grown-up now and Crush Absolu becomes the new way to get the elegant young’uns into Chanel.
Without getting pseudo-philosophical, that’s a cycle of life for you.
It’s good to talk about it, psychology tells us. But what about talking fragrance, as in talking at an actual event?
For someone who dreads public speaking (evidenced by my nervous state and on-off approach), I’ve surprised myself by going ahead with these things over the last five years.
I enjoy talking about fragrances with people, as many of us do, but actually talking to people about fragrances that’s a different matter completely. So why do I commit myself to these events when they can cause so much anxiety?
Because the annoyance with myself for not taking advantage of such an opportunity outweighs any other feelings. And truth be told, because I also get a buzz from them.
GANICO (FEBRUARY 2020)
The talking fragrance thing all started with a collaboration with my friend Hanley (dearly departed recently) at Ganico, a beautiful organic farm 30 minutes from Johannesburg.
I spoke about trends in perfumery. There were plans to do another one and then a pandemic called Covid-19 came along and changed everything. The Great PC Crash of 2020 also took care of many pics, although I did find this one of the venue.
GALERIES DE PARFUMS LAUNCH (JULY 2022)
For the official opening of niche retailer Galeries de Parfums in the rather posh Hyde Park Corner shopping centre, I was invited by the owner to join in the Sip & Smell festivities.
The original theme was pairing fragrances and The Macallan whisky cocktails, using perfumes from brands such as Christian Provenzano, Fragrance du Bois, Amouroud and Boadicea The Victorious.
IMAGE: The Macallan.
The barman went rogue, in one of several changes to theme, so by the time my turn came around on the evening, my well-prepared notes were a right mess, I tell you.
Moral of the story: sometimes you must wing it, but not visibly so.
FRAGRANCE MEETS HERITAGE (APRIL 2024)
With a dear friend a member of the Rand Club, the grand Johannesburg institution dating back to 1887 (more about it in an upcoming post), how could I say no to the chance to speak here…
I thought I was a clever boy by contextualising the talk with the theme Fragrance meets Heritage – “the club and fragrance have more in common than you might think” – and used brands such as Chanel and Hermès to make the point that they use their undeniable heritage in contemporary ways to remain relevant and desirable.
A highlight: meeting people I knew from IG and reconnecting with others I hadn’t seen for ages.
CHANEL BEAUTY STAFF CONFERENCE (SEPTEMBER 2024)
A big one. A really big one. So big, in fact, I once again forgot to take my own pics.
In the run-up to the Christmas shopping period, I was invited to lead a fragrance session at the Chanel Staff Conference. The audience: staff members from various retail outlets across South Africa.
The theme was “we are Chanel with the audacity to believe… with a focus on reigniting what makes the brand so special”. With Coco Chanel as inspiration, I mustered up all the audacity I could muster and shared insights on trends in the market and the luxury fragrance landscape.
My brief also included tips for the sales consultants on how to improve service to their customers. I emphasised the fact that very few companies have the diversity and quality of Chanel. Whether from the more widely available releases or the superb Les Exclusifs Collection, there’s almost always a suitable Chanel. Even in an oud-obsessed market like South Africa, customers could be directed to something with a similar profile.
My talking fragrance contribution was divided into two sessions with two separate groups on the same subject, more or less. Tricky to say the least. How do the professionals do it?
BREAKING ALL THE FRAGRANCE RULES (JULY 2025)
Back at the Rand Club. What can I say, I love this venue. I feel like I’m doing my bit for the regeneration of Johannesburg through events that involve club members and non-members.
I was feeling rebellious, so the over-arching theme: grand institutions like the Rand Club have a code of conduct for good reason. But what about fragrances? Do old rules still apply?
At one stage only nine people had booked for the event. But after much chasing, a diverse Johannesburg crowd of more than 20 pitched up.
There were lots of questions, always a good sign, but my critical voice says:
WORK IN PROGRESS / TIPS TO SELF
+ There is such a thing as over-preparation, especially for this self-proclaimed control freak.
+ Even when I’m staying at a hotel, I don’t travel light. Similarly, I find myself bringing way too many fragrances to illustrate various points.
+ Now, seeing that I’m an editor, with a drive to cut down to the essentials, clearly, I need to apply a strict edit to what I’m going to talk about (less angles) and the show-and-tell aspect. That way I might feel less overwhelmed.
WHAT I’M DOING RIGHT SO FAR
+ No death by PowerPoint.
+ Knowing my subject and doing the necessary research.
+ Not sounding like a press release.
+ It’s not all talking, God forbid. Fortunately, fragrance is very interactive.
AND WHAT’S NEXT?
I’m mulling various options, possibly collaborations with artists, jewellers and fashion designers in my network. Ambitious stuff.
In the meantime, some top tips from Dion Chang, a consummate pro who’s always made it look so deceptively easy:
+ Always start off with something that’s going to grab your audience’s attention. That is, dispense with the “hello, welcome, my name is…etc”.
+ When you’re speaking, let your eye line scan the room or audience. It makes the audience feel you are speaking specifically to each individual. In other words, make eye contact. Engage visually with the audience while you speak. If you find it difficult to look at a sea of faces, choose a few scattered throughout the room and keep returning your eye line to each one.
+ If you’re presenting visually, never do “death by PowerPoint”. Use arresting visuals and video if possible. Never present graphs, pie charts or bullet points. And NEVER EVER read whatever text you have on screen to your audience.
IMAGE: Dion Chang.
Thanks to those who remembered to take pics, especially Andre and Dion, some of which are used here.
The area around the eye is the most delicate skin on the face. So no surprises that it’s one of the first to show the signs of neglect, good times/bad behaviour and ageing. It’s for this reason that it pays to invest in an eye product that does what it says. Which means expect to pay more if you want to see noticeable results. How do these three eye products measure up?
ELIZABETH ARDEN ADVANCED CERAMIDE CAPSULES DAILY YOUTH RESTORING EYE SERUM
What it does: If you’re familiar with Elizabeth Arden’s super-duper Advanced Ceramide Capsules Daily Youth Restoring Serum, these babies are the equivalent for the fight against ageing around the eye area. They boost the skin’s natural barrier, increase moisture and combat fine lines and wrinkles.
Ingredients: I will not bore you with the full list of ingredients. Suffice to say, each capsule contains a concentrated dose of potent and highly effective ingredients. These include: Enhanced Ceramide Lipid Complex to boost the skin’s natural barrier; moisture-boosting Botanical Complex Technology; and nourishing tsubaki (camellia) oil.
The verdict: Super-duper, of course! The more Elizabeth Arden products I use, the more I am impressed by the brand. These capsules are well worth looking at if you want the best of science and nature.
R655 for 60ml.
DERMALOGICA STRESS POSITIVE EYE LIFT
What it does: An eye treatment and masque in one, this product helps restore the skin’s protective barrier, reduces the appearance of puffiness and dark circles, and perks up the eye area.
Ingredients: Active ingredients include: wild indigo seed to combat under-eye circles; sea water extract and Arctic algae for puffiness; and bioactive diglucosyl gallic acid to energise the eye area.
The verdict: It comes with a cooling massage applicator, which feels great when you use it. This applicator can also be used to massage the eye area. I found that DIY massage unnecessarily fussy. Not to worry, the product works just as well without it.
R1 210 for 25ml.
CHANEL BLUE SERUM EYE
What it does: The newest addition to the Chanel Blue Serum range takes on puffiness and dirk circles, and smooths and firms the eye area.
Ingredients: It contains ingredients consumed in the world’s blue zones: Green coffee PFA from Costa Rican green coffee, renowned for its antioxidant properties; olive tree oleo-active from Sardinian olives, rich in anti-ageing molecules; and regenerative gum extract from Greek lentisk.
The verdict: Blue zones? Yip, I was also a bit flummoxed by that one. Basically, these are regions in the world where people live longer and better. While I can’t vouch for the veracity of that theory, I can tell you that Chanel Blue Serum Eye is easily absorbed and is one of the most elegant and efficient eye products around.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
VISIONARY: A portrait of a young Coco Chanel, taken in 1909. Pic courtesy of Chanel.
