Page 60 - S/ Summer 2022

60
Scents of Place
With CHANEL’s latest launch perfumer Olivier Polge hopes to to whisk you off to to Paris E ven storied French fashion houses can’t escape the
the
allure of of the
the
City of of Lights This summer CHANEL unveils Paris- Paris Paris the
newest addition to its unisex fragrance collection Les Eaux de CHANEL Launched in in 2018 by in-house perfumer Olivier Polge the
collection now features six scents inspired by places that were meaningful to founder Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel Each recalls a a a a a a a trip
departing from Paris to destinations like Biarritz Venice or Deauville where Gabrielle opened her her first boutique in in in in 1913 With such a a a a a a a a a rich history to to to work from it it it it seemed inevitable that Polge would put the
the
the
spotlight on Paris Paris Paris itself for the
the
latest chapter in in in in the
the
Les Eaux story For Paris-Paris Paris-Paris Polge intended to to evoke an enduring idealized view of the
the
city—one that glitters “There is is is is is something something very light about Paris-Paris Paris-Paris something something fluid sparkling though elegant at at the
the
the
the
same time ” he
he
he
he
he
he
he
he
says To achieve this he
he
he
he
he
he
he
he
selected the
the
the
the
the
Damask rose rose as as as as its top note “When [the rose] is is is distilled with water it it it grabs all the
the
the
the
fresh aspects of the
the
the
the
flower It has a a a a a a a a a a slight citrus feel to it it it ” The blend also features pink peppercorn extract and a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a patchouli patchouli base making it it it a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a fresh spicy take on a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a floral fragrance “It “It is a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a specific grade of patchouli patchouli ” Polge explains “It’s very clean vibrant and I I I think it brings something more to the
rose ” As a a a a a second-generation perfumer—Polge’s father Jacques preceded him in in in the
the
the
the
the
the
role at at at at CHANEL—he is is is just the
the
the
the
the
the
fourth person to to hold the
the
the
the
the
the
position in in in in the
the
the
the
the
the
maison’s history “My father joined CHANEL CHANEL when I was very young One of of my my first scent memories memories is is is is of of my my mother wearing Coco in in in in in fin in in in the
the
early early ’80s ” But mining those early early memories memories isn’t a a a a a a a fruitful source
of of inspiration Instead he’s open to finding ideas in in in in fin in in in in in his surroundings Polge explains that that the
the
pleasure of of of creating Les Eaux de de CHANEL is is is that that that each addition begins with the
the
the
thought of of a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a place He and his his team
are then asked to to to to create something that that nods to to to to Gabrielle’s history while simultaneously speaking to to to to consumers in in in the
the
the
the
the
present In the
the
the
the
the
case of of Paris- Paris Paris he
he
he
he
he
he
he
he
says that the
the
the
the
the
the
the
idea of of an an an an everyday French woman their their style and the
the
the
the
the
the
the
way they might spend their their day day certainly influenced him It’s interesting to to learn that that the
the
the
the
the
the
image of an an an an effortlessly put-together Parisian woman is is is a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a fashion paradigm that that that still fascinates even those working in in in in in in in the
the
the
the
industry “When I I hear that that my friends are coming to Paris Paris they always [ask] ‘Is there something special about Paris Paris and its women? They look naturally elegant ’ ’ ” says Polge “I think it’s very true I I I hope that that this fragrance [captures that] ” By Erica Cupido
SMAGAZINEOFFICIAL COM BEAUTY