Scent Of A Woman

As Chanel introduces its first new fragrance in  15 years, SHEENA KHEMANEY meets with the power duo responsible: Olivier Polge and Sylvie Legastelois

2017 IS THE YEAR of Gabrielle Chanel. Though the great Coco died in her apartment at the Hôtel Ritz Paris 46 years ago, her spirit is alive, now more than ever – and not just in Paris, but around the world.

For its spring/summer 2017 ready-to-wear show, Chanel’s creative genius, Karl Lagerfeld, designed multiple versions of the Gabrielle handbag as a tribute. Since its arrival at Chanel boutiques, the must-have bag has been seen on the arms or shoulders of the fashion pack, and is carried by stylish It girls and guys.

Next month, Chanel launches a new fragrance, its first in 15 years. Named Gabrielle Chanel, its key ingredients include jasmine, tuberose, ylang ylang and orange blossom. The scent has been created by renowned perfumer and the creator of Chanel fragrances, Olivier Polge, and its packaging designed by Sylvie Legastelois, the label’s head of packaging and graphic design.

Polge and Legastelois have long connections with the luxury house. From a young age, Polge worked at the Chanel Fragrance Laboratory each summer, and eventually took up the reins from his father, Jacques Polge, who was employed at Chanel from 1978 until 2015. “It runs in my family, but I really decided to get involved when I was 20 years old,” Polge says. “Growing up – maybe because my father was involved in it – I wanted to do everything but that. But I did an internship [at Chanel] in the summers, and little by little it helped me discover that it was a craft that I liked.”