When you think of designer fragrances, a few things may come to mind: Haughty, old-school, and reserved for only the most special of special occasions. Now, some of those things are still true, but none of them can be said about Chanel’s Chance range — a modern, vibrant floral scent, not to mention, personal favorite of mine. (Let’s just say, out of the 30+ fragrances I own, it’s among the ones I reach for most often.)
But let’s back up for a second for a quick history lesson: The year was 2002, and the iconic French fashion house unveiled Chance, a whimsical floral fragrance family that paid homage to one of Gabrielle Chanel’s most famous bon mots: “Chance is a way of being. It is no coincidence; it must be created, honed, sought out. It is the product of effort and passion.”
CHANCE EAU FRAÎCHE Eau de Parfum Spray, $165
What followed were four iterations for every Chance mood: The original, plus Eau Tendre, Eau Vive, and Eau Fraîche, the latter of which enters a new era today with the addition of an eau de parfum, a new interpretation of Eau Fraîche’s beloved woody-floral scent profile. (BTW, think of eau de toilette and eau de parfum as different strengths of scent; EDTs are generally formulated with a smaller concentration of fragrance — and therefore read lighter on the skin — while EDPs and parfums are more intense.)
“[The creative process of making Eau Fraiche Eau de Parfum] involved making subtle changes in order to amplify the sensations provided by the Eau de Toilette,” Chanel’s in-house perfumer Olivier Polge said via a press release. “The idea was to go to extremes, to push the fresh notes even further, through citrus, and to add density with the base notes, ambery notes, for more vibration. The challenge with this was to increase its intensity, bring out the base notes, and add depth, all while maintaining its fresh quality.”
The new Eau Fraîche eau de parfum is available in two sizes, a 1.2 fluid ounce for $135 and a 3.4 fluid ounce for $165. Is it a splurge? Oui — but ask yourself: WWCD? (As in, “What would Coco do?”)
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