In 2018, LES EAUX DE CHANEL introduced a new olfactory world to the fragrances of the House: a singular collection, inspired by Mademoiselle’s favorite places, fueled by the imaginary and composed around freshness. In the wake of PARIS-BIARRITZ, PARIS-DEAUVILLE and PARIS-VENISE, followed by PARIS-RIVIERA in 2019, Olivier Polge, in cooperation with the CHANEL Laboratory of Fragrance Creation and Development, has orchestrated a fifth olfactory journey: PARIS-ÉDIMBOURG.
More than destinations, LES EAUX DE CHANEL are countless invitations to escape for no reason, here and now. Airy, ungendered and imbued with lightness, they transport us to a fantasy elsewhere. By the sea or in the countryside, each motionless journey is above all an intimate experience at the heart of our own emotions.
While all LES EAUX DE CHANEL fragrances are composed as light and refreshing “ eaux fraîches ”, each one is different, as much by the balance of its citrus (from Sicily and Calabria in Italy) as by the choice of distinctive ingredients. This obvious and refreshing pleasure, with no ulterior motive, is found in a generous and elegant application that pays homage to the nobleness of simple things. ”says Olivier Polge.
About PARIS-ÉDIMBOURG, Olivier Polge says: “ Both fresh and woody, PARIS-ÉDIMBOURG could be the fragrance of a tweed jacket borrowed from the men’s wardrobe that was such an inspiration to Gabrielle Chanel. ” Gabrielle Chanel discovered Scotland in 1924 through the Duke of Westminster, with whom she had a love affair until 1930. Far from the society life, she sought refuge in this wild and majestic countryside, bathed in an intensely white light. Revitalized by the endless expanses of green, she went salmon fishing, played cards with Winston Churchill and Vera Bate, and shared her time between the Duke’s three properties in the Highlands: Stack Lodge, a rustic country house, Lochmore, a Victorian manor, and, last but not least, the Rosehall estate she was given carte blanche to decorate. The clothing worn by the British aristocracy during their outdoor leisure pursuits became sources of inspiration. Fair Isle sweaters with multicolored, geometric patterns, tartan, wool berets and tweed jackets were all practical garments that satisfied her taste for elegance and comfort. She reinterpreted them endlessly in her creations to the extent that they have become emblems of the CHANEL style.
Fast-forward to the 21st century: immersed in the grand and mysterious Scottish countryside, Olivier Polge was struck by two characteristic odors: the “ gripping and icy ” juniper berry and the peaty wood. This changing light and the tension between incisive freshness and warm shadows spurred the idea of an eau with the power of aromatic plants, in the tradition of British men’s colognes. He highlighted the lively and distinctive notes of juniper berry and cypress, added a hint of lavender, then chose cedar for its enveloping comfort and vetiver for its peaty and slightly smoky accents. Lastly, “ since the harshness of the land influences the way of life ”, he warmed the scent with notes of vanilla and musk.
And so PARIS-ÉDIMBOURG, the earthiest, most androgynous and woodiest of LES EAUX DE CHANEL, became a reality. Behind its apparent coolness, it unfurls warm and soothing tones that transport us with a single spray. Distinctly refined, “ it could be the fragrance of a tweed jacket borrowed from the men’s wardrobe that was such an inspiration to Gabrielle Chanel, ” explains Olivier Polge. “ Like the scent after a stroll through the countryside, it is steeped in the odors of the wild landscape. ”