Being a huge perfume-a-holic, I have been curious to try this off-shoot of the traditional Chanel No 5 since I heard about it's creation. I really like the "theory" of Chanel No 5, but there is something about it that prevents me from fully enjoying it and being able to wear it. It is a beautiful perfume but it does nothing on my skin. It makes me think of a woman who seems to have everything going for her in the looks department technically (perfect bone structure, clear smooth skin, wide-set ideally shaped eyes, lips of the perfect shape and fullness, hair that always looks like she just came from having it styled) ....but she lacks a spark in her personality that leaves me flat and disappointed. That is what Chanel No 5 is to me. I really want to love it but it has a musty sharpness and a dated quality that I just can't get past. I do appreciate it from a technical standpoint as being a classic perfume that many others have been measured against but I just do not want to own it or wear it.
Chanel No 5 Eau Premier is described by Chanel as: "A decidedly lighter, fresher, softer interpretation of N°5, a silky-smooth harmony of notes that reveals the delicate facet of the world-renowned fragrance." I could not agree more with this assessment. I never thought I would fall for this fragrance like I have, but this is definitely on my must have list. It is the perfect modern interpretation of No 5. The minute I applied it I knew it was a relative of the original, but it was as if the shades had been raised and I could see out the window clearly. Everything I do not like about the original has been stripped away. The heavy aldehydic powderiness is gone and replaced by a brighter, more sparkling quality. There is a citrus element that lifts it from the heavier depths of the original and it is sweeter than the original. Make no mistake about it, it is NOT a bastardized version of No 5, it is the best tweaking of a classic I have ever had the pleasure of smelling. Chanel has described it as having "all of No. 5's original ingredients - including rose absolute, jasmine, neroli and ylang-ylang". The skeleton of the original is there but it is softened and freshened up a bit. The added vanillic sweetness takes away the sharp edges that I did not like but it is by no means a sticky sweet mess that you might imagine when you hear me mention vanilla. It just adds a wonderful warmth and balance to it for me and cuts out the sharpness that the original No 5 has.. This version has the personality that I was looking for in the original and found lacking. While the original is a woman who is nice to look at but not touch, this updated version is someone who I would like to have lunch and go shopping with.
I wore it yesterday all day, and while it is an Eau De Parfum formulation the lasting power was more comparable to that of an Eau De Toilette. There is a wonderful warmth,lightness and subtle elegance to this that manages to make it a fragrance that is perfect for any occasion or any season for me. The weather here was very warm yesterday and it stayed nicely close to my skin and did not overpower like the original does on me. It has such a delicate, clean scent to it that I cannot imagine anyone not liking it. This is definitely a fragrance that I will be reaching for as a default, something that I would wear when I'm not sure what to wear, if that makes sense.
It will be in stores as a limited edition which is a crying shame. I really hope Chanel will re-think this and make it a regular part of their line up. It's the best scent they've put out in years. I think if this was a regular part of their line it would probably outsell the original. It will be presented in a 5 ounce bottle for $125. Yes, the bottle is huge but I can see myself getting a lot of use out of this and it is more economical than paying more per ounce for a smaller bottle. I'm not sure what stores besides Saks, Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman will be carrying this. It is currently for sale on the Chanel website if it is not in a store near you. Get it while you can!
That's all for now :)
2 comments:
What a beautiful review, Miss Fuss! I cannot wait to try this! I have often wished I could wear Chanel No. 5 and this sounds like it's taken away the parts of the scent that kind of put me off of wearing it. I wore #19 all through college and I still love it so much. The later Dior scents have not captivated me at all, including Miss Dior Cherie, J'Adore, and all of the Poisons.
Thanks for your fabulous blog and your beautiful writing style, too! I can't wait to come here every day and see what the Fuss is all about! XOXOXO!!
Thank you P, you must try this, it is really really worthy of attention. It will be my one perfume purchase this year. Even if it's not for you, I can't imagine not liking it.
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