What does masculinity smell like now? According to Chanel’s latest—and most concentrated—iteration of Bleu de Chanel, the aptly named Bleu de Chanel L’Exclusif, fortune favours the bold.
The scent is “a dense, sophisticated and complex composition, like an extract,” Olivier Polges, Chanel’s in-house perfumer-creator, says. Meant to evoke the spirit of an ever-evolving man with his eye on the prize, a heady dose of (sustainably sourced) sandalwood mingles with woody amber, leathery notes and unmistakably earthy resin. This man is grounded in his confidence, fearlessly facing the myriad possibilities that lie ahead.
Behind the Bottle
Even the bottle of Bleu de Chanel L’Exclusif reflects the strength of its character. Reflecting the notion of infinite possibility, the flacon is fashioned in a perfect square silhouette. The glass is “a blue too blue to be black, but too black to be blue,” a notion that perfectly describes the hue’s depth and intensity. The message is clear—this whiff is not meant for shrinking wallflowers.
The Face of the Campaign
Of course, the obvious choice to front Bleu de Chanel L’Exclusif had to be brand ambassador—and face of his generation—Timothée Chalamet. The 29-year-old phenom has redefined masculinity for the millennial set, from his bold red carpet sartorial slays to the quiet intellectual edge he lends the characters he plays. As an actual guitar-playing Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown, the star garnered a Best Actor nomination. But it was his quiet smoulder in the short film for Bleu de Chanel directed by Martin Scorsese that showed his true depth.
The Perfume Process
Perhaps the most interesting twist to L’Exclusif is the man behind the creation of the juice itself. Olivier Polges started learning perfumery at the age of 20, and later took the reins as Chanel’s in-house perfumer in 2015, succeeding none other than his father, Jacques Polges. Polges senior created the original Bleu de Chanel; who better than his son to reimagine a modern interpretation of what men want in this modern moment?
When it came to his creative process for the new scent, it was important to look to the past, but forge a solid vision for the future. “It was my father who created the Bleu de Chanel line. With L’Exclusif, the idea was to add a new chapter to the fragrance’s story,” Polges says. “To do so, we started with an existing formula; then, like turning a kaleidoscope, we shifted the key components to reveal new facets, intensifying certain notes until new harmonies emerged. L’Exclusif leaves a distinctive mark, textured with leathery notes.”
The colour blue was top of mind during the creation, but even this simple notion was reinterpreted. “Bleu de Chanel is no ordinary blue,” Polges reveals. “It’s not the refreshing blue of a cloudless sky. It’s more intense–the final shade of blue before blue turns to black. It’s a blue that evokes depth and density.”
This story first appeared on GRAZIA USA.
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