CHANEL - MEN'S FRAGRANCE

Chanel is looking to raise the profile of its scent business this fall with Bleu de Chanel, its first major male fragrance since 2004’s Allure Homme Sport and its first men’s masterbrand since 1990’s Egoist.

All images Courtesy of ©Chanel
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“With Bleu de Chanel, we are adding a new olfactory family — the woody aromatic — to our men’s fragrance portfolio,” d’Avack continued. “In a very competitive market, this is an olfactive creation that deliberately ignores market trends and brings a different take to men’s fragrances. Its impact is amplified by an extraordinary advertising film directed by Martin Scorsese.”

Of the partnership with Scorsese, d’Avack noted: “Chanel has had a long history of working with the most renowned movie directors for its advertising creations, first and foremost for the brand’s fragrances. For Bleu de Chanel, the brand was not going to change this highly successful creative approach. Chanel’s artistic department suggested Mr. Scorsese with the belief that the launch of a new major men’s fragrance would be the perfect opportunity. Basically, Martin Scorsese had carte blanche over the film. As a result, the film is an instant classic but also very modern and perfectly aligned with the image that Chanel wanted to convey with Bleu.”

D’Avack said that actor Gaspard Ulliel was chosen for his “masculine appeal, energy and elegance,” adding “he is one of France’s most promising young film actors.”

The scent, concocted by the company’s in-house master perfumer Jacques Polge, has top notes of grapefruit, peppermint, pink pepper, nutmeg and ginger; a heart of dry cedar and jasmine, and a drydown of vetiver, patchouli and frankincense; Polge’s emphasis is on the grapefruit, dry cedar and labdanum notes. “With Bleu de Chanel, I wanted something frank, direct and pure in a masculine scent,” Polge stated. “I did trials with all of the raw materials that we are constantly fine-tuning, and I searched for what we could do and say that was different from what has already been done. And of course, something that could strike a chord with men today. Bleu de Chanel is reduced to its essential elements, in other words: freshness, spiciness and dry woodiness. It’s also a very sexy fragrance!”

Eaux de toilette in two sizes — 1.7 oz. for $59 and 3.4 oz. for $79 — will be offered, as will a 3.4-oz. aftershave lotion for $50. Starting Fall 2010.