New Chanel Eau No.5 Flanker Perfume Later in 2016: Fragrance Rumor (Chanel No.5 L'Eau)

We've all been brought up in the legend of Chanel No.5. Books have been written about it, it topped best-selling lists and the rumor that a bottle is sold someplace in the world every X seconds has trailed sales pitches for ages. And yet there are two disturbing facts about it: one is that Chanel is exceedingly secretive of actual figures of sales; the other is that the perfume routinely performs badly in blind tests. What gives? A new fragrance is out later this year so as to combat this double-edged knife in the ribs of the French house. This is a PerfumeShrine rumor article. But let's take things at the top.

via wikimedia commons

The sales of No.5 have been steadily dropping, no matter the glossy campaigns. The French sales of No. 5 dropped from No. 1 in 2010 to No. 5 in 2015 in favor of Lancome's La Vie Est Belle, the incontestable top slot since its introduction a couple of years ago. The American market has been worse still. Young women find it too strong, too "matronly" in its odor profile; something they revere as a myth but not as a personal fragrance for themselves, perfume "for old ladies".
But it's also the rest of the Chanel fragrances which haven't been going that well either; Coco Mademoiselle seems to have run its culmination arc with a drop of 3.9% last year, the original Coco de Chanel perfume dropping a rather predictable 5.2% (nothing is as obsolete for young women now as 80s spicy orientals) and Allure dropping a whopping 8%. Only Chance and its various flankers are doing really well, woe to the discerning perfumephile: they have risen up to 6% only last year. Bleu de Chanel, another mainstream lukewarm soup, has become the prime choice of the banlieu, i.e. French suburbia material.

ADDED 16/5 via punmiris.com

Chanel has always been meticulously attentive to their treasured heritage. No.5 has been the emblem of the house and its advertising, stirring the fantasy and solidifying the reputation of a classy yet sexy fragrance, especially as boosted by Marilyn Monroe's infamous quote. In later years a string of advertising campaigns have tried to re-inject interest in the formula of No.5, sometimes with impressive if a tiny bit laughable results (the Luhrmann commercials, first with Nicole Kidman, then with Gisele Bundchen), other times with spectacularly laughable results (Brad Pitt...I'm looking at you) and on some occasions with truly fantasy-cart-wheeling side-effects (such as the Jeunet commercial with Audrey Tautou aboard the Orient Express).

The introduction of No.5 Eau Première a few years ago indicates that apart from rejuvenating the brand, through targeted advertising using the faces that people love to look up to, the jus needed its own rejuvenation as well. Highly praised critically, this new edition by then in-house perfumer Jacques Polge, however, didn't do as well as had been expected commercially.
According to reportage from Fortune, seeing the light of the day in late January 2016 and brought to my attention by an eagle-eyed friend, CEO Maureen Chiquet, one of the precious few women CEOs in luxury brands (a fact she was meaning to stress in an upcoming book, which might have created an unfavorable stir at Chanel) and a force to reckon with regarding the inspiring growth of the company at large in the last few seasons, stepped down "due to differences of opinion over the strategic direction of the company" after a 9 years long tenure. Alain Wertheimer, chairman and grandson of the original owners but also a recluse billionaire till now apparently, is taking control of the company's operations for the foreseeable future.

via

There's no doubt in my mind that the seemingly disappointing commercial course of No.5 Eau Première (so bad that it had to change its bottle to reflect more of the legendary austere lines of the original No.5 last year?) didn't significantly deviate from the tried & tested skeleton of the immortal icon. Personal consultation with perfume seekers has painfully made me realize No.5 is considered a fossil; awe-inspiring more for its ability to withstand time than for its familiarity or appeal, a once beautiful intergalactic alien from another moment in the universe's timeline. 

With La Vie Est Belle cornering the top spots reserved for Chanel and with contesters Christian Dior (with the new Poison Girl fragrance heavily promoted) and Yves Saint Laurent (with the rather bad Black Opium as well as the rectified, while still very approachable Black Opium Nuit Blanche) Chanel has entrusted a major bet on the slender shoulders of its newer perfumer at the helm, Olivier Polge.
The new No.5 flanker must therefore reflect the legend, surely, but it should also get a slice of the pie of La Vie Est Belle buyers. September 2016 has been the rumored date of the introduction to the market, although Polge is said to have been working at the wings ever since Olivier's tenure starting in 2013, funnily the creator of...La Vie Est Belle. It's a battle against one's self. A William Wilson tale, if you will. A Chanel for millenials, that prized segment of the market aged between 20-35 whose tastes influence everything.

There is no concrete info on the finalized name yet: Chanel has re-copyrighted the old 1929 name of Une Idee, which could be a good fit for a No.5 flanker, as in "Une Idee de No.5, which has the added aventage of working equally well in the French and Anglo-speaking audiences, but this is pure speculation on my part.
It thankfully remains doubtful whether the extra strong, extra syrupy tentacles (don't get me started on Repetto or Flowerbomb) are going to engulf everything. Polge's Les Exclusifs Misia eau de toilette is super refined excelling in the "cosmetics accord" fragrance genre and his Chanel Boy sounds mighty interesting too. With No.5 holding its own in at least the "spirit of Chanel" maybe the bet won't be against all odds. Come September we will see, I guess.

EDIT TO ADD: Chanel has officially announced the new version Chanel No.5 L'Eau which is  supposed to be built upon Grasse May rose by perfumer Olivier Polge and aimed at millenials.

Hermes Discontinuing Ambre Narguile in the USA?

The info originated from a newsletter email from a personal shopper on Ebay, who assures that availability of the scent is sustainable in France (and the rest of Europe I surmiss, wherever the Hermessences perfumes are available of course). This does taint the news a bit beyond the 100% certified, but phonecalls to the NYC Hermès boutique seem to confirm there are no bottles left right now. A quick check on the US Hermes site also indicates there's no Ambre Narguilé to be sold, though there is some on other international official pages. This latter evidence isn't conclusive nevertheless, as in the past whenever there was some shortage of supply, there was an occasional dissapearence of something from the pages. But all combined, they do pose a weird situation.

Given that Ambre Narguilé has been a steady best-seller in the Hermessences (especially in America) from day one and that the cut-off of distribution seems regional rather than pandemic for the moment, it does present its own little puzzle: It can't be IFRA ingredients restrictions, as that would mean a global cease on production, not just a localised one (plus it would make sense there would be first a European shortage and only later a US one, not the reverse). It can't be a distribution problem, as Hermès is itself responsible for that and what goes for one would go for all. It can't be low sales, because....well, you know that ain't it.

Plus, a tantalising detail for those who are meticulous: If you go to the US Hermes site and try to fill a gift box with all four travel bottles of Ambre Narguilé, then lo and behold, it lets you do it and the item goes into your shopping basket, no questions asked.

Bottom line: Something smells fishy; I smell a false rumour.

This is how the delicious Ambre Narguilé fragrance is officially described:

"Amber honey with swirls of smoke from the East. Savory, sensual, enveloping.

"Amber, the Western expression of Eastern fragrances, has a warm, enveloping, almost carnal smell. I wanted to imbue this idea of amber with the memory of the East I love where tobacco - blended with the smells of fruit, honey and spices - is smoked in narguilés, or water pipes, and where swirls of smoke diffuse a sweet sense of intoxication. 

Jean-Claude Ellena

Be sure to click on the little icon under the JCE quote on the UK official page to hear the perfumer talk about it and to hear it pronounced properly in French.

For those in the US who are desperate to get their Ambre Narguilé fix, in the meantime, you can appease yourselves with -if not an exact dupe, then a close alternative- Spicebomb by Viktor & Rolf.

Related reading on PerfumeShrine: Hermes news & fragrance reviews

Chanel Perfume Rumour: Les Exclusifs 1932

drawing of Chanel by Jean Cocteau  (1932)

Chanel have just trademarked the "name" "1932" for their perfumery branch. The year coincides with the introduction of Ivoire de Chanel, one of the unknown Chanel fragrances that came out in that eventful decade. The year also coincides with the introduction of Chanel jewelry, focusing on diamond rings and brooches that still retain their delightful art Deco character.

Is, after Chanel Jersey and Chanel Beige, Ivoire to be the next Chanel Les Exclusifs perfume? I think it should be. This could be a re-issue of the unfairly unsung vintage Ivoire, but in all probability it should be a totally modern composition that merely utilizes the retro connotation to instill a sense of patrimonie into the proceedings. Taking into account that the latest Chanel parfums have not strung by heartstrings, I remain sceptical, but would like to sample nevertheless.

Of course they might be trademarking things with an eye into stopping the competition. Coco Noir still hasn't been publicized...

EDIT TO ADD:  Sashimi87 has posted an actual photo of the bottle of Chanel Les Exclusifs 1932 on Instagram, as per my reader Wit Siamaise. It's too good not to show to you  (plus it corroborates my info) and I hope she's fine with it appearing here.

top pic via rarevintage.blogspot.com

Marc Jacobs creative head for Dior?

According to Reuters (reprising quotes from WWD)  U.S. designer Marc Jacobs is "in talks with LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton to replace John Galliano as the creative director of its Christian Dior fashion house. Jacobs, who is currently the top designer at Louis Vuitton -- also part of LVMH -- in turn could be replaced there by Phoebe Philo, the creative head at Celine, another component of the French luxury conglomerate's stable".

The conversations between all involved parties are increasingly crucial and will yield results in a short while.

What news could this spell though for the fragrance department of Christian Dior, already on a downwind spiral since at least their LVMH acquisition and only briefly given a surge through La Collection Couturier Parfumeur overseen by Francois Demachy?

Marc Jacobs seems to have the fingers firmly on the pulse on what concerns his own perfume portfolio, opting for maximum commerciability (is that a word?), which invariably produces inoffensive, rather bland scents...

Chanel Coco Noir : new fragrance (rumour)

In the context of keeping you up with the latest, we often present fragrance projects by renowned companies before their launch is official. We classify these under "rumour" on Perfume Shrine and accept that the finer points may be swayed this way or that way later on. Today we have news on an upcoming Chanel fragrance! [We have updated with the official confirmation & pics below, scroll down please].

The thinking behind it all
Coco Noir is the official name, which stands for the new flanker to the original Coco fragrance from the 1980s. Coco Mademoiselle proved so popular that another effort in a similar vein might prove a treasure trove. After all since Chanel No.19 found a flanker, renewing the brand, in No.19 Poudré, why not Coco once more? After all, Coco Mademoiselle celebrates a decade on the market and a new addition to the line seems to prove it's considered a modern classic: if sales and promotion/advertising are any indication, it certainly is.

A "Noir"?
The Noir moniker suggests a composition that would depend on mystery, danger, adventure...There are hundreds of "noir" (or "black") fragrances on the market, from classics such as Narcise Noir and Drakkar Noir for men, to modern cults such as Bulgari Black, Japon Noir by Tom Ford, Black Orchid (again by Ford), Back to Black by Kilian, Orris Noir by Ormonde Jayne and Encre Noire by Lalique; or less challenging, tamer offerings such as Bulgari Jasmin Noir, Crystal Noir by Versace, La Petite Robe Noire by Guerlain. There's something for everyone, since noir holds powerful fascination in fragrances for consumers, as we have already discussed in detail.

My money for the next Chanel therefore is on sophisticated notes that are making a come-back in general, such as leather, tarry-phenolic elements, incense, and darker "woods" (not forsaking popular patchouli) with skin-scent musks etc. The concept of calling something "black" is aesthetically a by-word for grown-up and I can't possibly see how girly, frou-frou things (fruity florals, sweet vanillas) could evoke it sufficiently. Unless they've forgotten what they represent at Chanel, which I hope they have not.

EDIT TO ADD: Official confirmation coming from Chanel directly one year later than my original prediction(!): Coco Noir is a new perfume launching on August 14th 2012 in the US and then internationally in September 2012; an oriental poised between the classic spicy oriental Coco and the modern luminous patchouli-laced oriental Coco Mademoiselle. 
[See? I told you I was not bull-shiting you!]

The concept

“Why does all I do become byzantine?” — Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel

The concept of Coco Noir by Chanel is inspired by the past, traveling, the Baroque,Venice at night and the time Coco spent in the mysterious city....the idea of Venetian velvet is a recurring motif. 
The perfume is composed by in-house perfumer Jacques Polge.
"For Coco Noir, I thought of Coco and of Coco Mademoiselle too, because it’s also part of the history. I wanted to continue exploring an entire esthetic range of CHANEL perfumery, a range that distinguishes itself from the Florals, one that is illustrated by Bois-des-Iles and Cuir de Russie. I took it up with Coco. It’s what I like to call the CHANEL Coromandel culture, what you see and feel in her apartment. The night vision of the ‘Orient that starts and ends in Venice’ imposed itself upon me and that is where I wanted to go.”        
~Jacques Polge

Here is the bottle above and the fragrance notes for Coco Noir by Chanel:

Top: grapefruit, bergamot and orange
Heart: jasmine, rose, red geranium, Indonesian patchouli
Base: Brazilian tonka bean, Bourbon vanilla, sandalwood, frankincense and white musk.

Edit to add mini review:

Chanel's Coco Noir is like U2's song When All I Want is You, specifically the lyric "all the promises we break". It is no doubt a fragrance to suit contemporary sensibilities, what those may be, but its woody backdrop with lots of austere, somewhat masculine notes (which is not a bad thing in itself) is betrayed by the obiquitous fruity top which brings a jarring sour, garbage-y nuance. 

Venice by night....the inspiration behind Chanel Coco Noir

Guerlain Arsene Lupin, Nuit d'Amour, Idylle Duet: new fragrances

What do an amorous night, an idyllic duet and "le gentilhomme cambrioleur" of French literature, Arsène Lupin, have in common? They're all purported to be future releases by Guerlain! Now that I caught your attention, let's take things one by one.

Arsène Lupin has been tied to a leather masculine fragrance created by Thierry Wasser and Jean Paul Guerlain, due to launch in November 2010. {It has been officially confirmed that it is a Jean Paul Guerlain creation alone} It's purported to be an aromatic violet cuir (leather) with hints of Jolie Madame threw in and tentative resemblances to a reworking of the theme of Coriolan and Chamade pour Homme but with a drier leather base (according to Basenotes and mr.Guerlain). Another member on the same forum mentions trying the scent and reports: "[Guerlain's Arsène Lupin] does has some similarities with the other Guerlain masculines - i.e. Coriolan and Chamade pour homme. I could describe it as green-gray aromatic cologne with some flowers (not much) and dry mossy-leathery sillage.
It resembles vintage Jolie Madame by Balmain (violet+leather) and the new Le Temps d`une Fête by Parfums de Nicolai (narcissus or hyacinth) made with more dry feeling. It definitely has green bitter galbanum with bergamot, and some Provençal herbs like rosemary, lavender. Camphor-cooling feeling also detected. Heart is spicy-woody - wormwood, nutmeg and maybe pepper + coriander. Sillage is dry woody - moss, sandalwood, vetiver, immortelle (?) and leather". The longevity was also deemed good, with the intriguing addition that sales assistants report there would be two versions: a younger "dandy" version and a more mature version. (Just how groovy and cunning is that??)

ETA: The newest info we have tells us these will comprise an "Arsène Lupin collection by Guerlain" in which one will be called Arsène Lupin Le Dandy and the other Arsène Lupin Le Voyou (the latter meaning Lout). The double name is meant to reflect the two faces of Janus which the fictional hero exhibits. The bottles are encased in a wooden panel and follow a modern aesthetic (a more masculine take than the one for the Elixir Charnels by the same house), somewhat in contrast with the retro name, whereas the juice is lilac for Le Dandy and straw-golden for Le Voyou as visible on the pics.

*Notes for Arsène Lupin Le Dandy: bergamot, bigarade, pink peppercorn, cardamom, violet, sandalwood, patchouli, cistus, olibanum.

*Notes for Arsène Lupin Le Voyou: bigarade, aromatic herbs, mugwort, coriander, pepper, sandalwood, patchouli, benzoin, rose, white musks.



But what's in a name? The literary character Arsène Lupin began his fictional life in 1905 (under "Lopin", until a namesake politician protested), smack-right into La Belle Epoque; an enigmatic figure in black-tie respendid with white gloves, a cape and a monocle, relieving the haute-bourgeoisie from their money, which seems like the perfect analogy for the clients of Guerlain! The comings and goings of Lupin in horse-carriages and the suaveness of the character evoked saddlery according to Jean Paul Guerlain. Are they pulling an Hermès on us? Or are we to expect a fragrance by the name of Rocambole next? :-)

It's interesting to note that lupin is also a flower, grown in northern climates and known for its antioxidant properties. This might have pointed to the name being only "lupin" and thus tied to skincare instead of fragrancing. So, I decided to research a bit deeper: It seems that the trademark Arsène Lupin is still held by Leblanc Florence, 20 rue Edouard Nortier,92200 NEUILLY-SUR-SEINE and it's applicable to several trademark categories. Among them, yes, perfume too! According to Perfume Intelligence there are already two fragrances named after the gentleman thief, Arsène Lupin pour femme and Arsène Lupin pour homme developped by Intercosma as Eaux de Toilette. However, according to my info it seems that there has been a legal "transmission partielle de propriété" to Guerlain by the original beneficiary, which confirms that the name is official beyond any doubt!


The new feminines by Guerlain will be somewhat different. On the one hand there is the "new" Les Parisiennes for women called Nuit d'Amour, in fact an earlier creation by Jean Paul Guerlain in 2006 which followed the 2005 launch of Plus Que Jamais, and which had previously circulated as a limited edition of only 500 bottles conceived as tribute to Gustav Klimt. According to the official LVMH info: "Jean-Paul Guerlain has always been fascinated by Gustav Klimt’s painting "Lady with Hat and Feather Boa". Gracious and proud, yet fragile, elegant and mysterious, this woman intrigues him. Delicate but intense, Nuit d’Amour is a tribute to the stirrings aroused by meeting a strange woman with an indefinable charm.
Nuit d’Amour is a floral, powdery, woody fragrance, its top notes mingling the freshness of litchi with the gentle tingle of pink peppercorns. A hint of aldehydes, wedded with a bouquet of feminine, graceful Provence rose and subtle, powdery iris, translates the emotions tinting the young woman’s cheeks. Sandalwood prolongs the base note with its warm, sensuous tones, just as the dark feather boa envelopes her shoulders and throat..."
Nuit d'Amour now joins the more "stable" stable of Les Parisiennes (bee bottles exclusive to Guerlain boutiques) as a re-issue, possibly to make up for some of the discontinuations that happened in the line. Please note that the photo depicted here is of the previous limited edition with the Belle Epoque jet-bead "necklace"; the new will be the standard "bee" bottle of Les Parisiennes.

On the other hand a new version of Idylle is already in the cards, aimed at mainstream release and developed by Thierry Wasser, the nose behind the original as well: Idylle Duet Rose-Patchouli is already in the works, an Eau de Parfum version that highlights the two notes. Please find the visual representation included on your right.

It looks like we'll be having lots of material to discuss coming from Guerlain in the next months!
For our French-speaking readers, please watch this interesting video:

Jean-Paul Guerlain testing herbs and spices at the market, talking about modern perfumery ("lesivière!") citing Baudelaire, meeting in the lab with Thierry Wasser (whom he considers a disciple and an accomplice) and his esprit collectioneur des femmes (ah!)!click the link below:

Le surdoué du parfum

Sincere thanks to Moon Fish for their reportage on Basenotes.
Illustration of Arsene Lupin via Werner Maresta. Film stills from the 2004 film Arsène Lupin starring Romain Duris, Kristin Scott-Thomas Pascal Gregorry and Eva Green

Upcoming Releases & News: Rumours and Facts

What does the upcoming season hide for us? Several houses have some surprises for us and some facts and cross-checking was in order.

According to the Moodie Report, Guerlain has two new men’s fragrances for the upcoming season: Habit Rouge Gentleman Driver and Guerlain Homme L’Eau.

The former, only a seasonal limited edition, bases its inspiration on automobile racing, hence the Gentleman Driver moniker. The press material talks about the (ultra-fetchy) Steve McQueen in Le Mans (with some shades of Bullit no doubt), the Paul Ricard race track and the circuits of Monaco. Yeah, yeah, colour me non impressed. Actually they could have been historically correct and attribute the moniker to the one who really had it: Louis Chiron, the statue of whom stands on the picturesque port of Monaco. One of the great pre-war Formula One racing drivers and a serious contributor to the Bugatti legend (model 18/3 Chiron is named after him), he is the only Monegasque to win Monaco Grand Prix and one of the curves is named in his honour. It seems to me this is Frencher than quoting McQueen, but I think we know who they're targeting eh? "The juice is a reworked version of the original Habit Rouge Sport*, and features bamboo, pink pepper, bitter orange, jasmine, woods and musks. It is presented in a translucent red flacon, adorned with a metal plaque bearing the Habit Rouge Sport logo and engraved with the name of the edition: Gentleman Driver. The outer carton is a matching red and metallic mix".

*Come again?? Flanker of a flanker?

For women, Guerlain is proposing the latest Aqua Allegoria, Flora Nymphea, this coming spring, to celebrate the 10th year anniversary of the Aqua Allegoria line, and for the occasion a 3D animated film will be presented in which a nymph named Flora Nymphea will tell the story of flowers and scents led by a bee, symbol of the brand (the film lasts a minute and will be broadcast online this coming March). Guerlain called on French singer Olivia Ruiz to narrate the story. Created by Thierry Wasser, the scent features syringa (lilac), African orange blossom and honey notes, encased as always in the gilted-honeycomb glass bottles of the line.

On the other hand, things are more exciting elsewhere: The in house perfumer for L'Artisan Parfumeur, Bertrand Duchaufour, has been held on record saying "I am working on several projects for L'Artisan Parfumeur, including a Vetiver, a Tuberose and an Amber-Oriental" (The news had been first broken in an excellent interview on fragrantica by Michelyn Camen back in August 2009). It is confirmed that L'Artisan and Duchaufour are issuing their tuberose this upcoming spring. Let's not forget that Bertrand is no stranger to the carnal blossom, as the heart of Fleur de Liane is also a soft coupling of tuberose and magnolia (let's not sidetrack his man-eating floral Amaranthine for Penhaligon's either, speaking of carnality), while L'Artisan has an under-the-radar cult buttery but uncomplicated tuberose already in the line called Tubereuse. The new one will be a stand-alone permanent addition. Whether this will signal discontinuation of the older in favour of the newer, as we had announced concerning their Vanilia while reviewing their Havana Vanille last August remains to be seen. Personally I don't see the older Tubereuse moving much commercially and my strong suspicion is that newer is always preferable in this dance macabre of reformulations, so you know what you should do.

Hermès is issuing their newest unisex this coming April, a scent which will not be part of either Les Jardins, nor the Hermessences, nor the Cologne series (which they promised me they will implement with more instalments soon). Termed Voyage d'd'Hermès, the new fragrance breaks with the tradition of the house's bottle designs as well, taking the shape of one of the petite marocinnerie products into a glass shape that will hide the spray mechanism under a metal "pochette" designed by Phillipe Mouquet. According to a Vogue insider the release is NOT a mainstream launch, this is a special product for travelers, hence the clever packaging and will be exclusively sold at Hermes boutiques, which according to official info so far is a mainstream distribution product (boutiques and department stores). The scent will feature mainly musks with fresh and woody notes in the Jean Claude Ellena style.
ETA: Official info tells me the bottle is refillable offered in 35ml and 100ml and official launch is April 2010.

And let's not forget the re-issue of the previously limited edition Calèche Fleurs de Méditerranée centered on mimosa, which we had announced a while ago.
Interestingly, according to Sympatico.ca, "It was also announced in late December that the French label plans to launch a new brand in China, called Shang Xia. The goal is to play a bigger role in the Chinese market by creating items and styles using materials rooted in the Chinese culture". An interesting development to watch in relation and perspective to the markets catered by Hermes already and their future strategies.

To the delight of several Hermesophiliacs, the exclusive Hermessences are finally online, a rumour which we had entertained for a long while but is now reality. Interestingly, however, it is only the big bottles which are available for online purchase and not the discovery travel sets (those contained four mini-sprayers of 15ml/0.5oz in either four assorted fragrances, actually the original quartet introduced, or 4 of the same fragrance). You can visit the American site on this link. Although there are a few mentioned there, the international sites stock more of the line. Nevertheles Brin de Reglisse is lacking from all of them!! I hesitate to attribute it to a sudden omniplacent lack of stock, as it wouldn't make sense when the others are all at the ready. It would be perhaps be more indicative of the truth if I hypothesized that the ratio of natural lavender in Brin de Reglisse (an aromatic material extended to its natural extremetieis approaching licorice notes) required adjustment in view of the upcoming IFRA restrictions. Either that or...But let's not rain on anyone's parade with similar dishearteaning news as the Lutens discontinuations. I trust that Brin de Reglisse will be soon back online proving it's not chopped off the line.

Related reading on PerfumeShrine: Upcoming Releases, News from the Industry, Guerlain series

pics via moodiereport, miriamescofet.com and hermes

Guerlain L'Abeille: Bee transformed into a Luxurious New Fragrance

It's not just for Christmas that Guerlain had sculptress Géraldine Gonzales decorate their windows with crystal bees dangling and swaying from gold-plated trees in their Parisian boutiques this season. The bee, an iconic symbol for Guerlain, has a history that goes back to the 19th century: 1853 to be precise, with l’Eau de Cologne Impériale for the patrons of the Second Empire. Now it is becoming an extra luxurious, extra exclusive new fragrance as well! Rumour wants it to be called L'Abeille (although no official confirmation has been given this is the code-word to open Sesame so far), and to be a very tightly distributed parfum in the manner of Mon Précieux Nectar previously.

The price tag of 8000s Euros (!) certainly doesn't allow a stampede for its acquisition, especially in times of economic crisis, yet the luxury market hasn't really shown a budge; proving that those who collect these things always have a way to partake of the holy eaux! Expect to see this "bee-centered" L'Abeille fragrance issued in July/August 2010 in a flacon shaped like a bee, sculpted by a Place Vendôme designer and executed in Baccarat crystal. Insider info on the scent itself wants to be along floral arpeggios and very "sumptuous". The celebration of the bee in such a lavish manner unifies the Guerlain tradition: The famous "bee bottles" (flacons d'abeilles) are glass or gilded flacons with small Napoleonic bees on relief, wonderfully referencing French royalty and its history, bees being alongside the more traditional royal symbol, the eagle, the emblems of the First and later Second Empire. Guerlain has used them in their lineup of Eaux including some non-Eaux fragrances (Apres L'Ondee, Chant d'Arômes, Mouchoir de Monsieur), as well as Les Parisiennes more exclusive boutique line, while a more simplified version with plain glass and a golden overlay with a bee on the button spray is being used in the Aqua Allegoria line.
Edit to add: According to Octavian, notes include acacia, soft vanilla, floral honey, ylang-ylang and solar flowers.

Also, for those who missed it last season while talking with Madame Delacourte, the newest L'Art et La Matière fragrance by Guerlain is going to be Tonka Impériale with notes of tonka bean, amber, vanilla, rose, orange blossom and rosemary. A modern rendition yet à l'ancienne (style-wise) of one of the leading Guerlinade notes and perhaps a re-orchestration of some of the elements in Jicky. Olfactorum who sampled it describes it as "if Guerlain is an empire, then Tonka Impériale is one of its recent most beautiful adornments". We will return with a full review soon!

Related reading: The Symbolism of Bee & Honey Scents, Guerlain series (reviews & history of scents), Guerlain News , Upcoming releases


Thanks to Mr.G for some of the info. Pics of Guerlain boutique decoration with bees via Joyce.fr

Le Labo Fabrice Penod interview

Le Labo is known for many things, among which is the numerotical labeling (each perfume is named according to the number of ingredients as well as the main material), their ultra-hip site, their clinical approach to packaging and sales assistants as well as the "of this minute compounding", and their reluctancy to hand out samples (because they're not "fresh enough" if you can believe it).

Time Out Chicago (I simply love those Time Out guides!) happens to have an interview with Fabrice Penod, co-founder of ultra-hip brand Le Labo (The other founder is Eddie Roschi). In it he discusses memory, desire and Proust (well..) with some funny "translation language" (that's what I call it) and some contradictions. Still there are his "strong memory of a fig tree my grandmother had in her backyard, so it’s emotional for me every time I smell that", the "idea of making people more sexual with our perfume than without it", how Oud 27 is very "dirty", the explanation of their city-exclusives fragrances and the (news alert?) upcoming Chicago exclusive scent.
But perhaps the most lovely line of the whole interview is borrowed from a well-known Italian designer he was working with: "Elegance is not made to be noticed. It’s to be remembered". Bravo!

Read the whole article on Time Out Chicago by Jessica Herman.

pic by fashionpulsedaily.com

L'Artisan Parfumeur Havana Vanille/Vanille Absolument: fragrance review

Appraising my impressions on the upcoming L'Artisan Havana Vanille (later changed to Vanille Absolument) I can't help but think that it is more like a sagacious study in black & white rather than a journey to exotic locales respendent with colourful fabrics or outlandish fruit. Its boozy tonalities on the other hand recall to mind the Payard Vanilla Rum Truffles as if they had been painted by Monet, an aspect which will place this release under the aegis of gourmando-philiacs the world over.

Havana Vanille/Vanille Absolument, the latest instalment in L'Artisan's Travel scents after Bois Farine (by Jean Claude Ellena), Timbuktu, Dzongha and Fleur de Liane (all by Duchaufour), was supposed to take us to Cuba. The allusion to the Caribbean island brings to mind tobacco of course and those beautiful chickas rolling the leaves on their sweaty thighs (I have shades of Marisa Tomey in The Perez Family in mind). The practice is not without merit, as the humidity from their tan skin makes for cigars that preserve their precious bouquet well into the aftertaste and do not become dried-out when properly stored in a humidor. Composed by in-house L'Artisan perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour, Vanille Absolument (Havana Vanille) showcases his typical monastic style of diaphanous, orientalised compositions recalling a mystical haze or vapours rising, like his beloved incense which he has explored in every nook and crany thought possible for both his L'Artisan and Eau d'Italie offerings.

Comparison with another Tobaco Vanilla, the one in Tom Ford's Private Line, reveals the L'Artisan endeavour as much lighter and less sweet (the Tom Ford one is much heavier on the tobacco overall, but highlighting the sweeter and whiskey aspects of its leaves, to the point where it is achingly sweet for me; in contrast the L'Artisan has the impression of nuanced tobacco with a passing pomander overtone). It might also nod slyly at the direction of that minx of a scent, Fifi (by lingerie maven Fifi Chachnil), who is climbing into her hot pink lacy undergarments and bringing the silk scarfs at bed for a frisky light bondage romp. Yet somehow Vanille Absolument (Havana Vanille) isn't as naughtily bawdy and seems more introverted, the bookish type who wears Alain Mikli glasses and looks you up quizzically over them when you make a compliment. This would not intimidate men who could opt for this one easily. Of course the pairing of tobacco with vanilla is a natural, as both materials have interlapping facets, much like a Reisling wine would pair with Ibores cheese perfectly and Tolu balsam is also complimenting the mix. Havana the city has been a reference for years due to its exotic locale and contraband allusions (fragrant examples by Aramis and Tuscany, both Lauder brands, which would make you think of a linen-suited Robert Redford gambling away in Havana, the film, while rescuing beautiful political objectors in the shape of Lena Olin).

The boozier aspects of Vanille Absolument/Havana Vanille (discernible rum, the "aged rum and sweet air of Cuba") recall to mind the decadent and rather debauched Spiritueuse Double Vanille by Guerlain (also referenced by NST), a fragrance that has lured many with its dense cloud of smokey vanilla-pod aspects highlighting the darker elements of the husks. This thick, succulent trend has been played for a while now and doesn't seem like fading yet. Indult went for broke with their intensely darkish-vanilla-rich Tihota (great-smelling stuff, yet for those prices you're set with some Vanille Noire du Mexique which resembles it); in Vanille Absolument (Havana Vanille) you get the feeling that the perfumer was trying to preserve a Cold War policy of equal distance from all those references: a little bit of everything but not exactly of the same mind.
What caught my attention about the new L'Artisan creation mainly is the underlying notes of dried fruits with their Lutensian tonality (treated the Coke Zero way, mind you!) and the caramelised maple-like immortelle note that peaks through ~the way it did subtly in the forgotten opus of Annick Goutal Eau de Monsieur by Isabelle Doyen or the more modern vanilla-laced Cuir Béluga by Olivier Polge. The (synthetic) moss doesn't blurr the overall composition into too dangerous territories to my nose and the terrain remains terra ferma with only a leathery hint that doesn't derive from bitter quinolines, but instead the narcissus absolute.
The longevity of Vanille Absolument (Havana Vanille) is average and the sillage is discreet, melding into a skin scent on me within the hour. Like The Non Blonde says it's "understated,without being low brow".

Vanilla seems all the rage again with everyone in the niche sector issuing one, falling into different stratagems: starting with the uber-luxurious, air-spun ~and floral really~ Vanille Galante by Hermès and the correspondingly diaphanous, citrusy Vanilla & Anise by Jo Malone which we reviewed the other day, on to the upcoming Patricia de Nicolai Vanille Intense and the upcoming Creed Vanille. Rumour has it that the groundbreaking (at its time) Vanilia by L'Artisan, which caused ripples with its brightly and kitchily artificial ethylmaltol note of cotton-candy (popularised much later by Angel and its clones in patchouli-laced compositions), will be replaced by the newest Vanille Absolument (Havana Vanille) in the L'Artisan portfolio. The reason could be the upcoming IFRA restrictions, although those wouldn't affect ethylmaltol I believe. It could also be latent style concerns, since the older one issued 31 years ago reflects a direction no longer en vogue. If this is news that has your wallet vibrating with worrisome anxiousness, better stock up before it is too late. On the other hand, if that fluorescent vanilla ice-cone of a scent isn't your cup of tea (and I admit although I admire it intellectually I can very rarely wear it), then you will be probably overjoyous with the newest Vanille Absolument (Havana Vanille).
I predict it will be much better received commercially than many of the latest L'Artisan scents exactly because of its "easy" reading that doesn't require coinnoisseurship. If you're searching for a more economical "twin" to Spiritueuse Double Vanille without the $220 tag attached, then you're all set. Personally, having cornered the vanilla issue in a precious few, select choices and prefering the oddly cuddly cardboard-and-soft animals'-underside of L'Artisan's Dzing! I am not so sure whether I'd rush to buy a full bottle of Vanille Absolument (Havana Vanille); probably not. But I am almost certain many will.

Notes for L'Artisan Vanille Absolument/Havana Vanille:
Top : Rum, mandarin, orange, clove
Heart : Dried fruits, narcissus absolute, rose, tobacco leaf, helichrysum/immortelle (everlasting flower)
Base : Madagascar and Mexican vanilla absolutes, tonka bean, benjoin, tolu balsam, vetiver, moss, musks, leather

Vanille Absolument (formerly Havana Vanille) comes in 50ml/1.7oz and 100ml/3.4oz bottles of Eau de Parfum. The scent is officially launching in October and testers are already appearing here and there.
L'Artisan is planning to surprise us delightfully with another launch later this year!

Related reading on Perfumeshrine: L'Artisan reviews and news,Vanillaand Gourmand fragrances

Photo by Walker Evans Parquet Central III via thephil.org

Curious things happening at Chanel USA

You had been all lamenting that Gloss.com stopped carrying Chanel perfumes in the previously Rue Cambon incarnation (Bois des Iles, Cuir de Russie, No.22 and Gardénia), when they were "promoted" in eau de toilette form in Les Exclusifs range about two years ago.

Well, as a public service, I am in the position to tell you that they are RIGHT NOW available on Chanel USA official site! (200ml Eau de toilette for 200$) Click the Chanel link to see with your own eyes and perhaps order if you had been wanting to. The link mentions them as Rue Cambon (the previous name) although the page announces them as Les Exclusifs (so it is a reworking of the previous pages by their internet designer).
Curiously there is an abscence of No.19, not exactly the most popular fragrance stateside...

So: What is happening? I could concoct a series of theories, but I will let you offer your own first, be my guest!

Personally, I fully expect Beige to join the line-up soon... ;-)

EDIT TO ADD (May1st): An anonymous commentator of this blog, who happens to be someone from Chanel apparently by the tone of it, informs me that the lack of No.19 is simply a goof of the webmaster of the site and the No.19 Eau de Toilette and Body Lotion are still available with no plans to pull them off the USA market.
However, a different reader of mine coincidentally mailed me with questions on an auction for a No.19 embottled in a big 200ml flacon identical to Les Exclusifs! Due to having recently cross-compared a similar batch of Chanel Eau de Cologne which proved to be heavily "cut" with alcohol, I am wary of con-men having devised a way to fake/tamper with Les Exclusifs bottles. Therefore, stay tuned on more regarding this issue on No.19!


Thanks to Fumebag for the alert. Pic of Chanel vials via afternoonrain/flickr

Cristalle Eau Verte by Chanel: new fragrance

News in the perfume world erupt like Mini-Me clones in Austin Powers movies: spontaneously! An upcoming flanker ~or flankers~ by Chanel to its old classic, nicely unisex Cristalle had been reported on these pages some time ago:

"Cristalle is not only not showing signs of being discontinued as had been feared by many perfume bloggers and participants on online fora, but there seems to be a series of flankers programmed or at least in the process of thought to exploit its chic and insouciant pedigree. Variations, such as Eau Aromatic ~shouldn't it be Aromatique, though?~, Eau Citrus and Eau Rosée and/or perhaps also Bleu de Cristalle, which seems an older (abandoned?) trademark. Whether these will be issued under the collective name Cristalle Facettes (Facets of Cristalle) or the term Facettes is reserved for some makeup addendum is dubious. We will soon enough see for ourselves".

It seems that at least the first (?) one will see the light of day in late March-early April 2009 (at least across Europe). This time it is baptised Cristalle Eau Verte according to Sephora insiders, vert meaning of course "green" in French. One reporter has already tested it, and if my grasp of Latinogenic languages isn't too faulty the notes include: bergamot, Sicilian lemon, a magnolia accord, neroli, jasmine absolute, white musk and Florentine iris. Lubiana Mara Poli seems mildly positive about it, noticing the pronounced citrusy facets mollified by a soft touch. Hard-core fans however might be a little disappointed as there is no great relation to the classic 1974 Eau de Toilette Cristalle composition scent-wise, despite the notes, and neither to the intentionally different more floral chypre Eau de Pafum version from 1993.

The recipe for mainstream variations of Eaux for summer is nicely cottoning on it seems (as attested by Chanel's own version of Chance Eau Fraîche but also by the new Miss Dior Chérie L'Eau and L'Eau J'adore flankers for pafums Dior). I am excluding Eau Première by Chanel for our purposes here as although the tag "eau" is used, the rendition is one of very softened No.5, bearing no relation to citrus or aromatic notes but being almost a sibling in alcoholic form to the silicone-based No.5 Sensual Elixir.

It is of course a long-established tradition in the Mediterranean to have a type of Eau de Cologne scent at one's immediate grasp at summertime, as previously discussed and the hesperidic touches are an instant mood-enhancer, so it makes perfect sense that such a vogue has firm olfactory legs in time-honoured practices. It's especially interesting to note that this comes at a time when the economy, as well as global warming, necessitate a much-needed boost to the morale. The synergy of refreshment and optimism that hesperidia brings is irresistible, it seems!
The question focused on Cristalle Eau Verte is how much greener it can get ~and how different than all the other "greens" in Les Exclusifs upscale exclusive-Chanel-boutique line or their Eau de Cologne; and will it be a homonguous vat of a bottle which is so au courant?

In regards to the former issue, the optical relation with the similarly green-hued Chance Eau Fraîche (as well as the various concentrations of No.19) doesn't particularly play to its advantage, one would note. Too much green juice might confuse and deter the consumer. Whereas the shades of juice in Chanel had been beautifully varieted up to now between the straw-coloured older batches of Cristalle, the light emeralds of No.19 to the golden ambery of No.5 and the auburn tones of Coco Mademoiselle, suddenly there is an oversaturation of green (unless No.19 plays truant to Les Exclusifs side, but I don't want to get you into a panic just yet!).
Additionally, smell-wise there are already a few "green" fragrances in the stable, especially Les Exclusifs, with Bel Respiro, Sycomore and 28 La Pausa having that quiet, hushed foliage tone that hints at all things leafy. And an excellent Eau de Cologne too! But perhaps those are more exclusive scents for an in-the-know clientelle whereas the new fragrance aims at the regular Sephora customer. Which is not bad in itself, on the contrary!
As to the matter of the flacon embottling the new Cristalle Vert, judging by No.5 Eau Première it would go the same way of abundant yet sane sizes.

Photo of Cristalle bottle manipulated by Perfumeshrine

La Petite Robe Noire by Guerlain: Say What? (New Fragrance Musings)

Some time ago, last August to be exact, Perfume Shrine had speculated that Guerlain would be issuing new perfumes soon with city/travel names etc. (you can read that article here) Among the already registered, copyrighted names was Habit Noir (=black dress). The name was eerily reminiscent of the classic masculine in the Guerlain range, Habit Rouge. It was perhaps the stroke of unoriginality to name something "noir" amidst a plethora of products on the market termed Black-this and Noir-that. Even Guerlain themselves had recently issued the limited edition bottle Black Mystery for their iconic Shalimar! It took a reader of mine to point out that Aromamundi had been privy to interesting facts:

"This sweet gentleman had access to the new Guerlain Homme quite some time ago, and talks about new Guerlain releases for 2009, including ("including", goodness gracious!), I quote, a "Voyages à ..." series (might be the capitals you spotted?), "Une Petite Robe Noire" centered around a candied cherry note*, and the "Habit Noir" you talked about".

To which I had replied:

"Voyages must be the line with the capital cities, Habit Noir must indeed be another Habit Rouge flanker and the Petite Robe Noire (sounds like an Frenchified Avon that one!! LOL) must be a new feminine limited edition, perhaps".

Une Petite Robe Noire has materialized and is set to go it seems, according to this press release appearing on Vogue.fr, hence the picture:

The fragrance, a fruity gourmand, starts on notes of Sicilian citron, licorice and almond*, over a heart of rose and smoky tea to finish on a musky and vanillic background ~translation by Helg

*{NB: Please remember how often the cherry-pie note and almond are referenced in heliotropin-based fragrances, which is one of the key ingredients in Guerlain fragrances}.
The bottle is the classic Mitsouko and L'Heure Bleue design with a sketch of a negligée-looking black dress on it that reminds me of several things: for starters Plum Syke's heroines of the chic-lit novel "Bergdorf Blondes" (English mid-maintenance girl goes to NYC and conforms to high-maintenance lifestyle aiding her "catch" the perfect romantic suitor where she leasts expect it); then the illustrations by Ruben Toledo in Laren Stover's delightfully light and fun "The Bombshell Manual of Style" (a beauty boards' afficionados best-seller); and finally the "girly" stationnery that looks like something coming out of a Sex & the City old filofax.
If I judge by comparable "guides" to looking elegant or looking French (tongue-in cheek or not) or even more weirdly living a la Francaise there is a wide market for that sort of thing! (I urge you to click on the links and see for yourself; one of the basic taglines for the book is "perfect black dress". Come to think of it, it's interesting to search "little black dress" on Amazon by itself!). And no nation wants to be Frencher than the North-Americans (the love-and-hate between those two cultures is well-documented). It's interesting to note that all those guides are written by English-speaking individuals with various degrees of competency or indeed fashion sense/knowledge (this one commits the grave faux pas of attributing an emblematic Givenchy dress worn by Audrey Hepburn to Coco Chanel for instance!)

The above observations are completely my own and Guerlain is not corroborating (nor refuting yet) any of the above. Yet, they're there! A direction towards the American market seems Guerlain's latest strategy it seems, as discussed in detail in The Guerlain Conundrum article here. But more importantly I sense a further disorientation in strategic mapping out: As succinctly our guest writer AlbertCan noted on Now Smell This :

"The little black dress? How is this referencing the Guerlain heritage?(Getting into Chanel marketing territory--yet again)".

Another reader comments on the heels of that:

"As for the "invention" of the black dress which has become a classic, I think this is now in the public domain. Most designers put them out and black is worn ubiquitously outside of funerals."

and another

"there is some book cover with a little dress... and it's a white dress, but it reminds me of that bottle"

and yet another

"Is it just me or did Guerlain just scoop up a name that would have been perfect for a new Chanel perfume instead?"

Aside from the well-known fact that Avon already has a fragrance exploiting the concept of the "little black dress" since 2001 in -you guessed it!- Little Black Dress by Avon, the name alludes clearly to what is considered a "chic" French classic. Vogue.fr presents the new Guerlain fragrance with the tagline "un parfum déjà culte" (an already cult perfume). Clearly the "cult" is the harvesting of the iconic status of the little black dress, a concept synonymous with images from another era.

But the thing is, the little black dress matched with the set of pearls and the red lipstick is such a cliché now that no truly chic woman in French-inspired Europe (or at least in the circles I move in!) readily chooses to wear it any more. I am not disputing the ease, comfort and elegance of the little black dress idea. I even have several in my own wardrobe. It is a landmark in the history of fashion for a reason! I am merely commenting on the over-analysed, over-simplified "trickling down" of its appeal which has conspired to ultimately cheapen it ("wear this and feel like Audrey Hepburn" proclaim all the rock-bottom and mid-price lines ~sorry, that ain't gonna happen that easily..). Personally, Hepburn physique non-conforming aside, I would never pick a little black dress for a semi-formal/formal occasion now exactly because it's so expected, nor would I pick a fragrance "to go with it" as a result.

But here is the really interesting part and pay attention, dear readers: One of the quite frequent questions appearing on fragrance-discussing fora on the Internet is about what fragrance to match with a certain "look". There was this example on a very popular forum a while ago, which I am linking here for your perusal and no doubt interesting deductions. The question was paused by a lovely American lady from New Jersey:

"This Saturday I will be attending a pretty swanky wedding. Guests have been asked to wear black and white attire. A friend gave me a gorgeous designer cocktail dress which I had fitted perfectly. It's very Audrey Hepburn and I can't wait to wear it. My mother had vintage heels and a bag which are the perfect compliment to the dress. I have not been this excited to dress up since my own wedding. Now that my clothing and jewelery are selected I've turned my attention to fragrance. What shall I wear? So, dear POL members, what fragrance would you wear with your "Little black dress"? I hope to be inspired by some of your suggestions."

I will save you the trouble of wading through the thread if you lack the time. I did it for you: The resounding answer is "something from Chanel" amidst other recs, very few of which happen to be Guerlains.
Something tells me headquarters are paying very, very close attention to what is being discussed online (the new marketing is taking note of online communities) and trying to come up with the tricky part of reconciliating the appeasal of the core fans of the Guerlain brand with the commercial potential of their new products. The task is Herculean, it's easy to lapse, alas and I am not unsympathetic: We LOVE Guerlain around here, if you've been reading Perfume Shrine regularly. And until I get my own share of juice to judge I cannot proclaim whether it is good or bad naturally.
But the news of the launch do give pause for thought, so I decided it's interesting to bring it into the open discussion arena and therefore I would be genuinely interested in your opinion, dear readers; here in the comments or privately if you prefer. As always rest assured that Perfume Shrine is respectful of every range of opinion.

Oh, and I almost forgot: of course La Petite Robe Noire is going to be an exclusive at Guerlain boutiques starting February at 100 euros for 50ml., which I have to admit is not unreasonable (Should you be concerned for Habit Rouge, there is a Sport version out shortly, see our previous news)

Guerlain and Chanel upcoming launches: fragrance rumours

As a coda to the Guerlain news on new fragrance we had announced the other day, we were able to find a little more info that might elucidate one of our claims. It was hypothesized that the phrase Guerlain, Une Ville, Un Parfum, recently trademarked by la maison Guerlain, might indicative a commemorative limited edition or a concept similar to Comme des Garcons with their Incense Series, inspired by different cities around the world steeped in the tradition of incense, each evoking a special atmosphere.

Digging and asking we got hold of more info on the Guerlain idea: apparently there are some names that do indicate the latter rather than the former. There are the deposited names of Guerlain 01 Moscou, Guerlain 02 New York and Guerlain 03 Tokyo, as well as variations that combine Paris with each city (ie. Guerlain Paris-Moscou etc.) It is obvious that Guerlain is going for a more glamorous choice of metropolies rather than the anchorite approach of the Japanese brand. And it was further elucidated to us that although the term Guerlain, Une Ville, Un Parfum is indeed a communication tool that has or will be used, as Octavian Coifan suggested the other day to us, the above names with cities included are on the contrary on the same level as other perfume names such as L'Instant or Tutti Kiwi (one of the lastest Aqua Allegoria scents).
That would be interesting to watch!

There is also the name Habit Noir, perhaps a flanker to Habit Rouge, the classic 1965 masculine counterpart to Shalimar, with its deliciously powdery notes. Noir is the new...eh...can't say "black", as it does mean black, but let's just say it's on the lips of everyone right now. I don't see the innovation in naming something "black" or "noir" anymore, especially in view of it being used for compositions that are as far removed from the dangerous, illicit air they imply as possible. Could they have replaced that name with the Habit de Metal flanker which they released in March 2008? Although I am kind of intrigued on what the names Mephisto and Centurion are doing there as well!

Oh, and after Insolence, My Insolence and the newest Insolence Eau de Parfum, prepare yourself for an Insolence Tendre ~probably for next spring launch. Just what we have been anxiously awaiting for, n'est-ce pas?


And what about Chanel? Apart from the newest inclusion in Les Exclusifs, Beige, of course; an addition which erupted like a sleeping volcano under our nose (click to read) as being a white floral with a pronounced (?) musky base and launching at Saks in a week.
I think it's fairly safe to assume that the next one to join in about a year will be either Rouge, or Bleue, judging by my info. Octavian knows the vintage Rouge was strong on rosy tones anchored by Javanese vetiver with lots of sweet powdery orris-violet notes. But we have already ascertained through Sycomore and Beige that the new variations bear no similarity with the vintage alchemies, therefore all possibilities are open. The violets potential however is something up till now untapped in the Chanel stable, therefore the new Rouge might veer towards that.

Good news for us though: Cristalle is not only not showing signs of being discontinued as had been feared by many perfume bloggers and participants on online fora, but there seems to be a series of flankers programmed or at least in the process of thought to exploit its chic and insouciant pedigree. Variations, such as Eau Aromatic ~shouldn't it be Aromatique, though?~, Eau Citrus and Eau Rosée. And/or perhaps also Vert and Bleu de Cristalle, which seem older (abandoned?) trademarks.
Whether these will be issued under the collective name Cristalle Facettes (Facets of Cristalle) or the term Facettes is reserved for some makeup addendum is dubious. We will soon enough see for ourselves.

Perhaps there might also be another Chance flanker, under the name Chance Folle? I'd say this is pushing one's luck (how much more pedestrian can they go for Chance?) but I am not averse to the name itself, what with its gambler's nuance which would fit with a sophisticated commercial I had posted about previously and with its allusion to Divine Folie by Patou (although I am sure it won't have any relation to that one). My personal opinion is it will be a phrase used in the advertising, rather for a stand-along fragrance. Les Lignes de Chance is perhaps the collective name under which the flankers could be marketed.

But the most intriguing should be Jersey de Chanel, which directly alludes to the fashions Coco herself introduced in the 1920s, inspired by the material previously used for masculine undergarments.

The above are of course mere hints at what we might or might not expect ~some plans do get abandonded mid-term sometimes. They have not been officially corroborated before the firms are ready to proceed with press releases and carefully mapped-out marketing strategies.
But it's fun to speculate nevertheless.

Guerlain ad via Okadi, Chanel Les Exclusifs photo courtesy of New York Times.