Geneva, twenty seventh of March 2024 – The day I met with Olivier Polge for an unique Masterclass. In an atmosphere brimming with the timeless magnificence of CHANEL, I had the unparalleled alternative to immerse myself in a world formed by scents throughout a masterclass led by none aside from Olivier Polge, the esteemed in-house perfumer of CHANEL. This outstanding occasion happened on March twenty seventh in Geneva, set in opposition to the backdrop of a non-public gathering to have fun the launch of their new perfume, Comète, below the distinguished Les Exclusifs de CHANEL assortment. Participating straight with Olivier Polge, a real icon in perfumery, was nothing wanting inspiring. His insights into the craft of perfume creation provided a uncommon glimpse into the meticulous artistry that defines CHANEL’s olfactory signatures. On this article, I’m thrilled to share my notes from this extraordinary encounter—specializing in probably the most fascinating insights and revelations. Be a part of me as we delve into the essence of luxurious, creativity, and fervour, guided by the masterful Olivier Polge.
Photograph: CHANEL
Olivier Polge is a real expertise formed by artistic and inventive values.
Olivier Polge sees his occupation as a singular know-how, each artisanal and inventive, an experience that has been built-in into the CHANEL Home because the creation of the N°5 perfume in 1921. If the previous obliges him, he finds it an enchanting lexicon he strives to conjugate with the longer term. On the head of the CHANEL Laboratory of Perfume Creation and Growth, he ensures the continuity of the fragrances which have change into legendary. He imagines the classics of tomorrow, memorable and recognizable scents which might be the essence of an period with out ever yielding to short-term tendencies.
“At CHANEL, we work with uncooked supplies like a painter would work along with his palette of colours”
one of many keys obtained by Olivier Polge when he turned the fourth nostril within the historical past of the Home in 2015.
His predecessor because the in-house perfumer is none aside from his father, Jacques Polge, whom he succeeded after a couple of detours within the Historical past of Artwork, coaching as a perfumer in Grasse, and worldwide recognition in his occupation, notably at IFF on either side of the Atlantic.
As a teen, Olivier Polge found the piano and was so dazzled by it that he nonetheless performs day by day, even when he’s now obsessive about completely different notes. “When, at 20 years outdated, I began studying the commerce, I found that music and fragrance shared the identical language. I used to be going to need to compose and write formulation product of notes and chords,” he says.
At CHANEL, he has already imagined some fifteen fragrances. He appreciates the range of expression between the completely different perfume traces and the collections LES EXCLUSIFS DE CHANEL or LES EAUX DE CHANEL. He likes to translate into perfume the markers of CHANEL’s fashion — the strain between freedom and constraint, the relative uncertainty separating female and male, and the complexity behind obvious simplicity. He imagined the olfactory portrait of Misia and constructed a repertoire of “eaux fraîches” for the Home’s emblematic areas (PARIS-BIARRITZ, PARIS-VENISE, PARIS-DEAUVILLE, PARIS-RIVIERA in addition to PARIS-EDIMBOURG and PARIS-PARIS). For GABRIELLE CHANEL, he carried out a rating of white flowers. When engaged on the Home’s iconic perfume, N°5, and making a contemporary and up to date model, N°5 L’EAU, Olivier Polge sought continuity within the purity. The world of scents provides him a palette that he refines, transforms and shapes “like a gown”, in accordance with the precepts of Mademoiselle Chanel, till intuition tells him that the fragrance is full. That the fabric has become artwork.
The Masterclass by Olivier Polge.
On the masterclass held in Geneva for the disclosing of CHANEL’s newest olfactory masterpiece, esteemed artwork historian Benoît Dauvergne engaged in a compelling dialogue with Olivier Polge, the visionary in-house perfumer of CHANEL, on the nuances of creation inside the iconic model. Central to their dialogue was the profound perception that crafting a CHANEL perfume transcends mere conceptualization; it calls for the infusion of real significance into the center of the concept. Polge emphasised {that a} perfumer should navigate past the superficial attract of an preliminary picture or theme, embarking on a quest to imbue his creation with profound depth and objective.
Olivier Polge famous that the freedom afforded in CHANEL’s artistic course of doesn’t dilute the concept however enriches every scent’s tapestry with complexity and nuance. Regardless of the huge expanse of artistic freedom, the guiding imaginative and prescient behind every perfume stays impeccably outlined and articulated. This delicate stability of freedom and readability, as articulated by Olivier Polge, illustrates the meticulous craftsmanship and philosophical rigour that CHANEL imbues in each bottle, making it a beacon of luxurious, innovation, and timeless attraction in perfumery.
Three precedent generations of in-house perfumers by the eyes of Olivier Polge.
Throughout this dialogue, Olivier Polge mirrored on the Home’s wonderful heritage, discussing every technology of in-house perfumers and their major creations. The primary nostril was, in fact, Ernest Beaux. When Gabrielle Chanel met with Ernest Beaux, she knew she had discovered the precise artist to translate her trendy concepts of revolution right into a perfume. Numerous myths are instructed about how CHANEL N°5 was created. Nevertheless, it’s important to spotlight that it was a real revolution at its launch, opening a brand new period of modernity for the whole perfume business.
Away from a conventional figurative perfumery, CHANEL N°5 launched what you see in artwork with Cubism, Dadaïsm and Surrealism. It was a special approach to interpret nature. There was an inventive intention. Now we have a stunning bouquet boosting the jasmine, the ylang-ylang, and the rose, but no identifiable word is left to an ordinary imaginative and prescient of issues. Because of the aldehydes’ magical alchemy, CHANEL N°5 throw individuals off the scent, not evoking anyone flower, to change into “a lady’s perfume with the lady scent”. Olivier Polge additionally talked about a second creation by Ernest Beaux: Bois des Iles. In 1922, the Le Boeuf sur le Toit cabaret opened in Paris, instantly changing into the epicentre of the avant-garde. These nights of the Roaring Twenties impressed Gabrielle Chanel to create this sensual and spicy perfume that evokes the beckoning waters of distant lands. Ernest Beaux translated Mademoiselle Chanel’s imaginative and prescient by a masterwork product of New Caledonian sandalwood, ylang-ylang and tonka bean.
The second in-house perfumer was Henri Robert, a real legend in perfumery creation who impressed generations of perfumers worldwide and enchanted many CHANEL followers along with his iconic creations. He labored at CHANEL for over 20 years. and created wonderful fragrances that additionally marked CHANEL’s perfume historical past. Olivier Polge named a couple of: N°19, Cristalle and Pour Monsieur. Henri Robert additionally preserved CHANEL N°5 through the years, guaranteeing the standard and consistency of such creations would stay all through the ages. He would at all times struggle for the very best qualities of uncooked supplies like Jasmine and by no means compromise on the standard.
His mission was additionally to launch a brand new female perfume, however how might he create one thing excellent after the Home signature perfume created by his predecessor? Then, CHANEL N°19 was born. Thought of a real masterpiece, Henri Robert pursued the mythologie of CHANEL with a brand new up to date imaginative and prescient of femininity.
One other thrilling truth underlined by Olivier Polge was that Pour Monsieur was the one perfume for males created whereas Gabrielle Chanel was nonetheless alive. Mademoiselle gave it to males as a real present and led masculine perfumery for many years.
Final however not least, Olivier Polge spoke about his father, Jacques Polge. It was for positive a really private second that highlighted Olivier’s respect for a terrific creator past his household connection. He talked about one grasp creation by his father, that’s EGOISTE. It was not solely Olivier’s perfume when he was younger, however he additionally talked about the olfactory reference to Bois des Iles, and we might see virtually the circle of CHANEL’s creation. In fact, he additionally talked about Attract, amongst different wonderful creations by Jacques Polge.
Oliver Polge is the fourth technology of in-house perfumers. These 4 creators share a ardour for excellence, freedom of creation, and true loyalty to CHANEL’s super limitless universe. Gabrielle Chanel has impressed and nonetheless evokes all creations. She has established all the foundations and all of the symbols as a real visionary forward of her time. Gabrielle Chanel’s heritage has by no means been so related as we speak in a world desperately on the lookout for significant creations.
Olivier Polge, what makes a CHANEL perfume?
For a number of minutes, Olivier tried to elucidate what was distinctive a few CHANEL perfume that may make it instantly recognizable. Olivier began by saying there isn’t any magical system. Ultimately, CHANEL N°5 explains all of it: to create a perfume made out of a powerful concept, by no means figurative, at all times filtered, to fracture nature into one thing greater than the weather. Jasmine appears to be a typical denominator however is rarely used as anticipated. There isn’t a copy-paste in CHANEL’s creations. Quite the opposite, there may be numerous freedom. Every perfume has a special artistic course of. All of it begins with an concept, a logo impressed by Gabrielle Chanel and her creations, after which, the liberty of creation takes the result in conclude into a bit of olfactory artwork.
“Jamais l’évidence !”
By no means what is clear! – Says Olivier Polge throughout the masterclass
When requested concerning the size of making a perfume at CHANEL, Olivier answered that there are not any patterns for that. A perfume is completed when it’s completed. Every story requires the correct amount of time, and there’s no industrial stress to launch a perfume below a sure rhythm.
Olivier Polge about his work.
There may be numerous modesty in Olivier Polge’s phrases and imaginative and prescient. Thought of certainly one of his technology’s most gifted perfumers, he took over Jacques Polge as an in-house perfumer in 2015. Since then, his path has been underlined by distinctive creations that settled Olivier’s mastery as a real reference within the perfumery business. Thus far, he has already climbed a number of Everests, with the profitable launches of N°5 L’EAU in 2016, GABRIELLE CHANEL in 2017, LES EAUX DE CHANEL since 2018, BLEU DE CHANEL PARFUM and this 12 months, COMÈTE – LES EXCLUSIFS DE CHANEL
2015 – MISIA – LES EXCLUSIFS DE CHANEL – CHANCE EAU VIVE
2016 – BOY CHANEL – LES EXCLUSIFS DE CHANEL – N°5 L’EAU
2017 – GABRIELLE CHANEL
2018 – PARIS-DEAUVILLE, PARIS-BIARRITZ, PARIS-VENISE – LES EAUX DE CHANEL – COCO MADEMOISELLE EAU DE PARFUM INTENSE – BLEU DE CHANEL PARFUM – 1957 – LES EXCLUSIFS DE CHANEL
2019 – CHANCE EAU TENDRE EAU DE PARFUM – PARIS-RIVIERA – LES EAUX DE CHANEL – GABRIELLE CHANEL ESSENCE
2020 – COCO MADEMOISELLE L’EAU PRIVÉE – LE LION DE CHANEL – LES EXCLUSIFS DE CHANEL
2021 – PARIS-EDIMBOURG – LES EAUX DE CHANEL
2022 – PARIS-PARIS – LES EAUX DE CHANEL – GABRIELLE CHANEL PARFUM
2023 – CHANCE EAU FRAÎCHE – EAU DE PARFUM
2024 – COMÈTE – LES EXCLUSIFS DE CHANEL
To conclude,
I witnessed a unprecedented narrative—a masterclass with Olivier Polge, the olfactory genius inside the Home of CHANEL. This encounter was an training and an odyssey by the intimate corridors of creation, heritage, and unparalleled innovation that outline CHANEL’s aromatic legacy. Olivier Polge, because the fourth-generation in-house perfumer, shared not simply the mechanics however the soul behind CHANEL’s scents, mixing custom with audacious creativity to craft fragrances that defy the apparent and eschew the figurative.
From Olivier’s masterclass, I realized {that a} CHANEL perfume begins with a potent concept. This visionary spark is then given type by unrestricted artistic freedom with out compromising on excellence. The essence of CHANEL lies in its capacity to show materials into artwork, making the invisible unforgettable—a testomony to a legacy that’s at all times felt, by no means seen.
Because the session drew to a detailed, I used to be left with a profound realization: on this planet of CHANEL, fragrances aren’t simply created; they’re composed, very similar to a symphony, with every word enjoying its half in a bigger, mesmerizing story. This masterclass was not only a lesson in perfumery however a gateway to understanding the artwork of storytelling by scent. As instructed by Olivier Polge, the narrative of CHANEL is one the place each creation is a comet within the huge expanse of the perfume universe—vibrant, distinctive, and trailblazing. Actually, within the realm of CHANEL, the air we breathe is not only scented however storied, leaving us eager for the subsequent chapter on this olfactory story.
José Amorim The creator sourced the knowledge to luxuryactivist.com. All content material is copyrighted, and replica rights aren’t accessible. Pictures are for illustration functions solely.
