Chanel releases first fragrance in 15 years

By Sian Gardiner

- Last updated on GMT

Chanel releases first fragrance in 15 years

Related tags Perfume

The new Chanel perfume ‘Gabrielle Chanel’ went on sale worldwide this weekend, marking the brand’s first major fragrance launch since ‘Chance’ in 2002.

Hype has been building around the fragrance since the French fashion house first unveiled plans for a new perfume in February, with the scent itself kept closely under wraps.

According to Chanel, the eau de parfum was inspired by the brand’s founder and namesake, and aims to capture the rebellious spirit of the woman behind the public ‘Coco’ persona.

Gabrielle Chanel is the latest addition to the luxury fashion house’s significant fragrance portfolio – one which includes longtime consumer favourite Chanel No.5, which was launched back in 1921.

The ingredients​ 

The new scent was developed by Chanel’s in-house ‘nose’ Olivier Polges, the perfumer behind Dutch designers Viktor and Rolf’s bestselling Flower Bomb fragrance, among other luxury fragrances.

Four white flowers make up the scent’s four main ingredients: Jasmine, ylang ylang, orange blossom and grasse tuberose.

Particular attention has also been paid to the bottle, which while reminiscent of the iconic No.5 design, is the thinnest glass used for a Chanel perfume bottle to date.

Slow European perfume sales

The Chanel launch has come during a difficult patch for overall perfume sales in European markets, which have fallen by a reported 5-10% in the UK over the past year.

According to a Mintel UK fragrances report, however, “After two years of disappointing sales performance, the fragrance sector is estimated to see modest growth in 2017. 

Chanel will no doubt be looking to capitalise on this growth, along with the consumer appetite for luxury and prestige fragrances, which remains strong. In fact, despite being perhaps best known for its handbags, the fashion house has reported that fragrances and make-up led its growth in 2016.

Targeting millennials

The latest addition to Chanel’s famous perfume roster comes not long after the successful 2015 release of No.5 L’Eau, the fragrance described by the brand as “a modern, fresh and vibrant embodiment of the eternal scent.​ 

The update to the classic fragrance made a deliberate play for the millennial consumer and grew the iconic No.5 by more than 20%.

Gabrielle Chanel, the launch of which has been supported heavily by social media and an ad campaign fronted by actress Kristen Stewart, seems to similarly target the younger demographic. 

Chanel is the latest in a series of luxury brands to launch new fragrances over the past year. Louis Vuitton, for example, dropped seven new scents in 2016, following a 70-year absence from the fragrance market.

Related topics Brand Innovation Fragrance

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