New Collection of Perfumes: Les Exclusifs by Chanel {New Perfumes}

Following a growing trend of highly exclusive perfume launches to revive the watered-down notion of prestige fragrances nowadays as well as one of parallel collections of perfumes to commercial ones meant to embody the artistic, more risk-taking approaches that mainstream perfume houses can take (see Hermessences), Chanel will market a collection of 10 fragrances in a line called Les Exclusifs de Chanel.

The 6 new perfumes added to the existing exclusive boutique collection which includes the 4 Cuir de Russie, Bois des îles, Chanel no 22, and Gardenia were created by nose Jacques Polge who is the author of many splendid fragrances like Ungaro Diva, Chanel Coco, Chanel Egoïste, Chanel Allure, to name only a few.....

Photo: Coco in her daytime appartment 31, rue Cambon surrounded by her antique windscreens in Coromandel lacquer. Source: The Met. 

Polge said that "We wanted fragrances which were unusual and special," he said, noting that while several are favorite notes, most are too costly to use in a more widely distributed scent such as the house's Chance or Coco Mademoiselle. "Above all, we tried to do fragrances which are very different from one another and very different from what is currently offered in the market. These are the ingredients [that] we simply wouldn't have in the quantity to use in a more widely distributed fragrance."

The six new fragrances are called Coromandel (dry amberey oriental), 28 La Pausa (iris), Bel Respiro (green leaves and stems), No. 18 (Ambrette seed), 31, rue Cambon (an experimental chypre that omits the classic oakmoss note), and Eau de Cologne (an "haute" cologne). The line will be distributed in the US at an exclusive counter with specially trained SAs at Bergdof Goodman's starting in February 2007.

The perfumes will be available for $175 for 200 ml and the eau de cologne for $300 for a 400 ml splash bottle. 

A comment: I was surprised to see how Polge underestimated the presence or trendiness of chypres in the market which he thinks are close to non-existent. "Nowadays, no one uses it [chypre], and that's why I wanted to build around this note," he said. Then I realized that he probably mostly pays attention to mainstream perfume houses and is not as familiar with niche perfume house productions. He seems to be doing exactly what Serge Lutens proposed to do with Chypre Rouge though, an unconventional chypre perfume. Perles de Lalique also did a more discreet little twist on chypre this year. It seems on the contrary that one can perceive a definite revival of a chypre trend, the last release in that family I sniffed being Corps et Ames by Parfumerie Générale. One should not omit mentioning Sisley Soir de Lune, a beautiful classic chypre, the best I have encountered so far.

Updated: For my overview of Les Exclusifs, please go here. 

Source: Women's Wear Daily