CHANEL

CHANEL N°5: The One That I Want

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Hey Gang,

WOW! I write this to you through a misty fog. I just watched the new CHANEL No.5 film. Ah May ZinG! “Baz” Luhrmann has done a spectacular job on the newest film. Gisele Bündchen at 34 is even more beautiful, stylish and poised than she was in the beginning. Please watch the behind the scenes clip first because it explains the film perfectly and will give you an added dimension when you see it.

WOW WOW WOW

CHANEL N°5: The One That I Want

Gisele bundchen no 5 indonesia.StylePhoto Stolen Indonesian.Style (problem with using image, tell us)

Gisele was also the face of Liberte by Cacharel a few years ago, I thought her a perfect choice then and here she seems to have found her perfect niche. CHANEL and Gisele

Bravo CHANEL, again…….
Portia xx

CHANEL N°5 Set: The Film Behind the Film

CHANEL N°5: The One That I Want – The Film

Paris by Chanel – Inside CHANEL Movie

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Hi there Fashionistas,

Here we have another block in the Gabriel “Coco” Chanel story/myth/legend. She has been so painted, glossed and glammed that she could be a decoupage. The house lives on in splendour and Karl Lagerfeld is the reigning monarch. Still the house CHANEL is a major player and an international billion dollar money making factory.

I hope you enjoy their latest mini movie, a piece about the atelier, store and apartment at 31 Rue Cambon and Coco. Magic.

Portia xx

Chanel WallPaperMinePhoto Stolen WallPaperMine

Paris by Chanel – Inside CHANEL Movie

Scent With Love: CHANEL No.22

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Hi there APJ,

My mate Rose M sent me a package a while ago. It got lost in a drawer during a clean up and since we have been organising the house for Open Houses a bunch of forgotten magic has turned up. What is in the package? Modern & Vintage CHANEL No.22 EdT and some Vintage CHANEL No.22 parfum. OH MY! You may remember I discovered CHANEL No.22 in Paris earlier this year with Michael. Rose M thought I should get some historical juice on my skin and be able to compare, I’ll do my best but this wonky old nose will probably just smell the same thing at different strengths…..

 CHANEL No.22 by Ernest Beaux for CHANEL 1922

Chanel No 22 Chanel FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica 

Fragrantica  gives these featured accords:
Top: Lily-of-the-valley, neroli, aldehydes
Heart: Oriental jasmine, rose, Comoro island ylang-ylang
Base: Haiti vetiver, Bourbon vanilla

OK, so the vintage EdT comes out sweeter and more aldehydic. Current EdT has a fresh, nutty and much cooler vibe than the vintage. Vintage smells animal and sensual while the modern has a metallic edge, a little reminiscent of No. 19. As the top notes blow off the two become more alike and though still different they coulod be the same fragrance family now. Vintage seems smoother and warmer, like the ultimate softness of room temperature ivory against your skin and still the current is cooler, more transparent like cool crystal.

CHANEL No.22 EdT Ivory Carving Cliff FlickrPhoto stolen Flickr

CHANEL No.22 EdT Crystal Bowl Mauricio Gouvea FlickrPhoto Stolen Flickr

Suddenly, at about the 20-30 minute mark it’s like they both come into clear focus and smell nearly exactly the same, there are differences but only the difference that a wear on different days woulds NEVER tell apart. It’s like you are wearing the same fragrance but in different weather or after you’ve used a different body wash in the shower. Vintage lasts for hours longer in the heart section and when modern has almost completely disappeared I can still smell glorious aldehydic bouquet pumping its lavish tune from the vintage. Dry down is warm and subtly earthy but through CHANEL No. 22s life it never loses that aldehydic magic.

They are both incredible and I am going to grab some of the current EdT and Parfum. The die is cast.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAPhoto Stolen Wikipedia

Further reading: Bois de Jasmin and Perfume Posse
You can try or buy CHANEL No. 22 at any of the stand alone CHANEL stores or a very few department stores.
Surrender To Chance has CHANEL No. 22 samples starting at $4/ml and Extrait at $8/ml

Thank You Rose M. I have enjoyed this throw down immensely and you have ultimately made me a complete slave to CHANEL No.22 EdT.

Portia xx

 

 

 

 

Top 5 Department Store Scents: Gabriella

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Post by Gabriella

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Hello perfumed peeps! I must admit that I have felt a bit out of the perfume scene of late. Being out of work until just last week and watching my pennies has meant that I’ve tried to resist the temptation of buying new samples or reading online forums or a blog post that may have me craving a new scent.

However, it’s also taught me that enjoying perfume doesn’t have to be an expensive exercise. I’ve been quite happy just going into stores and spritzing to my heart’s content – no credit card necessary. It also got me thinking that I’m lucky that I have access to and can afford niche scents. But what if this wasn’t the case? If I could only have department store fragrances, what would be my picks?
So here, I present to you my…..

Top 5 Department Store Scents

Anais Anais L’Original Eau de Parfum FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

1. Anais Anais L’Original by Cacharel 2014

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Hyacinth, galbanum, orange blossom
Heart: Jasmine, rose, lily
Base: Sandalwood, cedar, incense, amber
I’ve mentioned my love for this previously and have been wearing it happily ever since that post. Anais Anais to my mind remains one of the best designer scents on the market. Soft, feminine and graceful hyacinth and lily. It always brings a smile to my face.

Further reading: Bois de Jasmin and The Non Blonde
Anais Anais L’Original (available in both EDP and EDT) and Anais Anais EDT are widely available at department stores and online sellers.
FragranceNet has the current EDT starting at $31.19/30ml before discount
Surrender To Chance starts at $3/ml

Karl Lagerfeld for Her Karl Lagerfeld FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

2. Karl Lagerfeld for Her by Karl Lagerfeld 2014

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: lemon and peach
Heart: magnolia, rose and frangipani
Base: amber wood and musk

My lovely Mum picked this up for me on a recent holiday overseas. She handed it to me saying: “Well I know you’re a perfume snob, but I kept smelling it and thought it was beautiful. But if it’s not good enough and you don’t want it, I’ll have it.” Hehehe! I ended up keeping the bottle because, as Mums often are, she was right. This makes a nice departure from the swathes of fruitchoulis out there. It’s a pretty, demure and elegant mix of lemon, rose and white flowers.

Further reading:  Now Smell This
David Jones has $75/45ml

Marc Jacobs Marc Jacobs for women FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

3. Marc Jacobs for Women by Steve Demercado and Loc Dong for Marc Jacobs 2001

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: gardenia and bergamot
Heart: tuberose, jasmine, white pepper and honeysuckle
Base: ginger, cedar and musk

This was launched eons before the niche revival of gardenia scents and still remains one of the best in my view. It’s a watery take on the voluptuous white flower but without the dreaded aquatic/calone vibe, just an amazingly pretty “wet” gardenia. I just wish it was slightly more readily available as it’s a damn sight better than some of the recent releases by the house.

Michael Michael Kors FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

4. Michael by Laurent Le Guernec for Michael Kors 2000

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Freesia, incense, Chinese osmanthus, tamarind
Heart: Tuberose, iris, peony, orris root, arum lily
Base: Musk, cashmere wood, vetiver

I’ve mentioned this one before too. Whilst it might be shriek tuberose for some, this always feels like a second skin some 14 years after first trying it. It’s a strong tuberose, tempered by freesia and lily before the spices take over and make this all spicy white floral goodness.

Further reading: The Scents of Self
Michael is available in most department stores and online discounters.
FragranceNet has it starting at $41.19/50ml (before coupon)
My Perfume Samples starts at $2.49/ml

Chanel No 19 EDP Chanel Fragrantica

5. No 19 EDP by Henri Robert for Chanel 1970

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:

Top: green notes and bergamot
Heart: rose and iris
Base: vetiver, oakmoss and leather
I came late to the Chanel 19 party, but what a party it is! An aloof green icicle of perfumed beauty that just oozes confidence and chic. I prefer the EDP of this one for its much rosier depth and fullness.

Further reading: Bois de Jasmin and Muse in Wooden Shoes
Chanel No 19 is available in most department stores
Surrender to Chance starts at $3.49/ml

So, there’s my take. What would your top 5 be?

With much love till next time!

M xx

Chanel No. 22 by Ernest Beaux for CHANEL 1922

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HEYA APJ Family & Friends,

One cool morning in Paris out with Michael in early 2014 we stumbled across 31 Rue Cambon, CHANEL Headquarters and once home of Gabrielle Chanel. Inside I tried for the very first time Les Exclusifs de Chanel No 22, thinking it would be a soft and retiring scent like much of the rest of the Les Exclusifs de Chanel range I opened my shirt and 3 big blasts, one then on each wrist ( I really wanted to live this fragrance for the hour it would last on me) and……….. BOOM! Wowzas, damn near blew the back of my head off, I was incandescent with No 22 and Michael could still smell me across the room at dinner that night.

Les Exclusifs de Chanel No. 22 Chanel by Ernest Beaux for CHANEL 1922

Les Exclusifs de Chanel No 22 Chanel FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica  gives these featured accords:
Top: Lily-of-the-valley, neroli, aldehydes
Heart: Oriental jasmine, rose, Comoro island ylang-ylang
Base: Haiti vetiver, Bourbon vanilla

Turned off? NO WAY!! It made me want CHANEL No. 22 like crazy. What a fragrance. So recently I was trotting through David Jones (the oldest department store trading under the same name in the same location in the world) with my girl friend Ainslie Walker and we came across the new CHANEL counter with all the lovely exclusives and parfums. YAY!!! The girl serving was so lovely, could not have been more helpful and wanted nothing more than to have us understand the range. Woo Hoo! An SA who knows their job. Delighted is an understatement.

Picture 2532Michael & I @ 31 Rue Cambon CHANEL (Photo donated by Michael)

I must say that I was definitely not in the market for product on this particular day. Had I been more financially flush this SA would definitely have had a sale. What I did get though was CHANEL No. 22 Extrait on my arm and on a porcelain. So that was about 2 weeks ago. Tonight I opened the porcelain expecting to get a base only reminder of CHANEL No. 22. WOW! My whole office is filled to the brim with this wonderful, green aldehydic like a glass filling with a fizzy, metallic, soda pop of a fragrance that is both bold and restrained. A cool character on a huge scale, that doesn’t make sense but that’s how it feels in this room right now. I am engulfed, happily, enthusiastically overcome by scent.

CHANEL SeedOfHappinessPhoto Stolen SeedOfHappiness

When I wear CHANEL No. 22 the aldehydes are the complete and utter star of the show, flowers are mown down, fruit is pulped and what I end up smelling is a metal/citrus/vanilla/vetiver creature. It’s a bit like putting snow in your mouth with a stainless steel spoon in a rose house with them all blooming. CHANEL No. 22 is one of the few vetiver fragrances where I get the soil/dirt/wood of the vetiver without salt hints, maybe the very dry vanilla cuts it?

Longevity? FOREVER! Sillage? You could ride the waves of it on water skis. Projection? It will blow the back of the heads from people in the next suburb, a little moderation with CHANEL No. 22 is probably a good idea. Of course I spritz with abandon some days and the world be damned.

CHANEL 22 CHANEL ginza Masaaki Komori FlickrPhoto Stolen Flickr

Further reading: Bois de Jasmin and Perfume Posse
You can try or buy CHANEL No. 22 at any of the stand alone CHANEL stores or a very few department stores.
Surrender To Chance has CHANEL No. 22 samples starting at $4/ml and Extrait at $8/ml

Are you a CHANEL No. 22 fan? Is it a bit overwhelming for you? Which in the line do you particularly like?
Have a great and fragrant day. Waft on my loves, waft on.

Portia xx

CHANEL: 5 Colours

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Hi there Fashion and Frag Peeps,

Another fun and beautiful CHANEL ad. Explaining the use of CHANEL’s 5 main colours. Some interesting insights and quotes from Gabrielle Chanel and the image she hoped to portray through her fashion house.

Please enjoy.
Portia xx

Chanel_headquarters WikipediaPhoto Stolen Wikipedia

CHANEL: 5 Colours

From CHANEL: Black. White. Beige. Gold. Red.
In Chapter 11 of Inside CHANEL, five colors come alive as we delve into the history, the anecdotes, and the quotes from Mademoiselle herself that immortalized their significance for CHANEL.

The Colors – Inside CHANEL: Video

CHANEL "Paris-Dallas" Collection: Savoir Faire 2014: Making of

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Woo Hoo Fashion Fragrance Lovers,

CHANEL seems to be powering ahead still under the guidance of Karl Lagerfeld. Seriously I think he is a machine, able to change tack and style effortlessly and still bring us outrageously extravagant showings season after season. I can’t think of anyone who has been on the fashion scene this long who can match him, can you?
Portia xx

chanel-paris-dallas BelloBlogPhoto Stolen BelloBlog (any probs using this image please get in touch)

Making of the CHANEL “Paris-Dallas” Collection: Savoir Faire 2014

Details of the CHANEL “Paris-Dallas” Collection: Organza, Feathers, Pleats

CHANEL Cuir de Russie (Les Exclusifs de Chanel) by Jaques Polge for CHANEL 1983

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Post by Val the Cookie Queen

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First composed by Master Perfumer Ernest Beaux 1927
and retuned by Jaques Polge in 1983

CHANEL Cuir de Russie by Jaques Polge for CHANEL 1983

(Les Exclusifs de Chanel)

Chanel Cuir de Russie Chanel FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featureed acciords:
Top: Tunisian orange blossom, Calabrian bergamot, Sicilian mandarin
Heart: Jasmine, oriental rose, ylang-ylang, oriental notes
Base: Albanian birch wood, tobacco, musk, leather

Cuir de Russie = Sybaritic Grandueur (Sybaritic – pertaining to or characteristic of a sybarite; characterized by or loving luxury or sensuous pleasure)

I have waited so long for this moment. I have had tiny samples, a lovely small dab bottle and finally a large decant. Being able to spray without a care really does make such a difference.

Chanel Cuir de Russie Church Spires PixabayPhoto Stolen Pixabay

You know instantly it´s a Chanel classic, even not being familiar with the scent itself. It is so beautiful that I am sat here at a loss for words. Cuir de Russie has been written about so many times there is not really much I can add. Perhaps though there is someone out there reading about it for the first time. This then is for you.

Cuir de Russie, or Russian leather was quite the modern theme around the end of the 19th century. Women were smoking cigarettes and perfume houses were coming up with fragrances for them. Women who smoked were scandalous and Cuir de Russie was provocative and shocking, which was its purpose.

Chanel Cuir de Russie Orlov Trotter WikipediaPhoto Stolen Wikipedia

From the CHANEL Website: “The tumultuous events in Russian history offered Mademoiselle Chanel the opportunity to meet the Grand Duke Dimitri, who introduced her to an ingenious perfumer: Ernest Beaux, born and trained in Moscow. In 1927, she worked with him to create Cuir de Russie. Through long musky, smoky notes, it evokes a wild yet elegant world, with its scent of leather boots tanned by birch bark and the essence of Virginia tobacco.” 

It is smoky and leathery, but it is softened by the sweet and lush floral notes. It is incredibly feminine, sensual and warm. It enticingly wraps itself around you like a smokescreen. It is elegantly animalic. It makes me feel fabulous.

Val CQ & Christian SperrerPhoto donated Val CQ

And when you work out after a long day, Cuir de Russie is reignited in the sweat. And it´s ravishing. It is your duty, if you haven´t already, to at least try this.

Further reading: Perfume Shrine and Olfactoria’s Travels
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $4/ml
You can try and purchase Cuir de Russie at most CHANEL boutiques and some CHANEL specialty stores

Cuir de Russie is who I was and who I am now.

CQ

CHANEL featuring Kristen Stewart: Making of

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Lovely APJ Peeps!

Here is a sneak peek at the creating of CHANEL’s newest Kristen Stewart advertising. Though I am no great fan of Kristen in this particular piece she shines and Mr Karl Lagerfield taking the shots and art directing make the whole piece feel like a historical event. I am loving the Americana in the fashion and enjoyed the video immensely.

I hope you do too.

Portia x

chanel-designer-fashion-zipper Jerine Lay FlickrPhoto Stolen Flickr

CHANEL featuring Kristen Stewart

Métiers d’Art Paris-Dallas advertising campaign: Making of

CHANEL Prive Watch Coromandel Video

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Hello APJ Crew,

I know! This is way out of us plebeian income earners. Sometimes it’s nice to know not that you could have something but that there is a space in our world for such precious and beautiful artisanal work. Especially lovely when it comes from such a behemoth as CHANEL

Luxury-Insider says: “Mademoiselle Privé” watch, Coromandel dial in Grand Feu enamel. 18k white gold case, 594 snow-set dimonds (2.4 carats). Black alligator strap. Self-winding mechanical movement, 42-hour power reserve

Please enjoy the creation of wearable fashion art.

Portia xx

CHANEL Prive Watch Coromandel Luxury InsiderPhoto Stolen Luxury-Insider

MADEMOISELLE PRIVÉ Watch Collection: Coromandel – CHANEL