The Scent Of A Journey

Three unique and unexpected fragrances from Chanel pay homage to its fearless founder and the destinations that shaped her career

- Hayley D’Onofrio

Situated on the Côte Fleurie in Normandy, France, the sophisticated seaside town of Deauville oozes old-world charm. Half-timbered buildings, grand hotels and an oceanfront promenade furnished with quaint little beach huts deliver picture-postcard prettiness, beloved by weekending Parisian society since the beginning of last century. In 1913, it was where Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel chose to open her first ever fashion boutique, financed by her lover Captain Arthur “Boy” Capel. The young seamstress and milliner had already bucked the trends of the time, eschewing the customary restrictive silhouettes in favour of a sportier aesthetic including striped fisherman-style shirts in fabrics such as jersey, previously reserved for men. Now, with her name emblazoned across an awning on Deauville’s Rue Gontaut-Biron, Mademoiselle Chanel cemented herself as a style icon who would change the face of womenswear forever.

Fast forward more than 100 years and the resort town is steeped in the rich history of the house of Chanel, making it a fitting spot to celebrate the launch of the brand’s latest fragrance line, Les Eaux De Chanel. The three chic scents, the masterstroke of famed in-house perfumer Olivier Polge, bear names that take their cue from special places in Mademoiselle Chanel’s life: Paris-Deauville, Paris-Venise and Paris-Biarritz. “The idea was to combine Paris, the epicentre of Chanel fragrance creation, with other destinations that Gabrielle Chanel loved, and [to] create fragrances that take you on a journey,” says Polge. “Motionless journeys, imaginary journeys—the kind you take with your eyes closed.”