“The story of Chanel No 5 begins in Moscow in 1912 with perfumer Ernest Beaux’s studies of the aldehyde used in Houbigant’s Quelques Fleurs. It continues in La Bocca and Cannes, France, and then is almost derailed by competition from an unlikely source,” begins the article From Rallet No1 to Chanel No5 versus Mademoiselle Chanel No1 by Philip Kraft, Christine Ledard and Philip Goutell.

Published in October issue of Perfumer & Flavorist, it presents a fascinating account of the birth of Chanel No5. One can learn why Beaux was interested in aldehydes and how Coco Chanel decided to launch her own line of fragrances (breaking the agreement with Pierre Wertheimer of Parfums Chanel) during the WWII. Moreover, the piece offers the reconstituted formulas for Rallet No1 parfum and eau de toilette as well as mysterious Mademoiselle Chanel No1. Available for purchase from the Perfumer & Flavorist website.

I have to mention my own small involvement in this piece, which was consisted of providing some historical materials as well as a sample of Rallet No1 from my personal bottle. I have long treasured this gem, and I was glad to finally break open the seal for the purposes of analysis. It is certainly great to see it on the P&F pages.

As the Flavors and Fragrances 2007 Conference brochure states, “The Osmotheque, the International Conservatory of Perfumes, was launched in 1990. Its vocation is to put together an amazing collection of 1700 perfumes (400 of them almost forgotten fragrances: jewels of perfumery). Most of them are reformulated as closely as possible to the originals by «Osmothecaires», famous perfumers such as Jean Kerléo… As one of the most relevant «Osmothecaires», Patricia de Nicolaï, herself also manager of Parfums de Nicolai, will be happy to show you the most famous perfumes which have been keyed by novel synthetic materials at their time. These important creations include: ‘Fougère Royale’ of Houbigant, ‘Rose Jacqueminot’ of Coty, ‘Trèfle Incarnat’ of Piver… and many many more.”

“The Influence of Synthetic Materials on the History of Perfumery –A Smelling Trip into the Past” is one of the presentations during the conference which will take place on 24-26 September, 2007 at Imperial College in London.

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Elegance is one of Chanel’s hallmarks, and the new packaging donned by Coco Mademoiselle illustrates this perfectly. 7.5 ml pearlized white purse-size flacon will contain the parfum version, while the sleek gold-and-white compact is intended for the limited-edition solid perfume. Lacking the sharpness of the EDT and the EDP versions of Coco Mademoiselle, the parfum makes me appreciate its luscious rose and peach set against the backdrop of patchouli and transparent mosses much more. Even if it might not sway those who are not Coco Mademoiselle fans, the richer concentration is undeniably striking. If you have tried the solid perfume, please comment. I am curious to know who it compares to the original. Although the non-alcoholic versions of fragrances are rarely produced these days, I find the idea of wearing solid perfume very appealing given its retro spirit.

The parfum (7.5ml) is priced at $100.00, while the solid perfume (8 g) is at $120.00. Available from Neiman Marcus, Saks 5th Avenue as well as directly from Chanel.com.

Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.

Although Fracas and Bandit are the fragrances most firmly linked with Robert Piguet’s name, the perfumes credited to this house include a range of other memorably named creations: Calypso, Hirondelle, Mimo, Cattleya, Futur. Visa was created in 1947, its seductive and voluptuous form contrasting markedly with the restrained elegance of other fragrances launched during the same year – Christian Dior Miss Dior, Caron Farnesiana, Balenciaga Le Dix. …

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“I would imagine a fragrance that evokes her inner personality, her fragility, her quest for perfection and her sense of no compromise, the Absolute. … My vision would be a floral bouquet fragrance based on a tuberose accord, with a soft, spicy trail of fresh clove buds and green cinnamon bark that wraps your body and soul, the same way Maria Callas’s voice attracts you and gives you uncontrollable emotions,”  says Francis Kurkdjian in response to Marian Bendeth’s question about a custom fragrance for his favorite historical personage. Bendeth also interviews Christophe Laudamiel, Jean-Michel Duriez, and Maurice Roucel, all of whom give fascinating answers to this interesting question.

Read the article written by Marian Bendeth in Canada’s National Post