Bois des Îles Chanel 1926 Parfum

The twenties in Paris: the high society indulged in raucous parties, most of which had an exotic theme. Often, it was the enthusiasm for the distant African continent that inspired these gatherings, and people enjoyed themselves at the ‘Bal nègre’, dancing ecstatically to jazz and Dixie sounds, paying homage to Josephine Baker, the first black superstar. Fashion, jewelry, and handicrafts were also frequently inspired by Africa, so it was no wonder that the fascination with the exotic also called for an exotic fragrance. Coco Chanel and her perfumer Ernest Beaux responded to this need and created a scent full of exotic flowers and woods, fine, smoky opium nuances, and the typical aldehydes characteristic of the Chanel/Beaux duo. It became an opulent, sun-drenched, joyfully breezy fragrance of strong substance that, despite its fullness, retains a certain lightness and graceful aura - a scent that seems to dance to foreign rhythms on the skin and in the air. A fragrance completely devoid of heavy and burdensome sweetness, a scent as buoyant - yes, almost tipsy - as the entire Parisian society paying tribute to Josephine Baker and her banana dance. A fragrance that was many years ahead of its time and whose modernity only stands out today, as it comes across as neither old-fashioned nor outdated, but quite the opposite: it still feels fresh and vital, timelessly modern - like the art of Picasso or the architecture of the Bauhaus.

Many years later, ‘Bois des Iles’ served as a source of inspiration for Jacques Polge’s ‘Bois Noir’, from which the famous ‘Egoïste’ emerged shortly thereafter. Both ‘Bois des Iles’ and ‘Egoïste’ are united primarily by the combination of fine vanilla notes and light, polished sandalwood notes in the base - a union ‘made in heaven’! However, ‘Bois des Iles’ remains much lighter and fresher throughout its entire scent evolution compared to ‘Egoïste’, thanks to the airy aldehydes that allow ‘Bois des Iles’ to rise almost like a soufflé while still providing it with structure, as well as a vetiver note that becomes distinctly prominent after a while, giving the fragrance a fresh and subtle green nuance.

Anyone who likes ‘Egoïste’ should definitely try ‘Bois des Iles’, if only to explore a small but significant piece of the genealogy of the Chanel fragrance cosmos - but of course also to experience one of the best fragrances ever created! (Ernest Beaux himself, who also composed No. 5, referred to ‘Bois des Iles’ as his most successful fragrance!) This scent is also recommended for men, especially young ones, although it leans a bit more towards the feminine side than, for example, ‘Cuir de Russie’. Nevertheless, there is still enough masculinity in it that ‘man’ can certainly recognize himself - provided he appreciates his feminine side!

As good as the fragrance is, ‘Bois des Iles’ was nonetheless off the market for several years, notably from the late 70s to the end of the 80s, when fragrances like Dior’s ‘Poison’ & Co. devastated the olfactory landscape like neutron bombs. At that time, there seemed to be no room for such a sublime masterpiece of perfumery, and a soufflé - to stick with this image - is indeed a rather delicate affair that primarily needs one thing to unfold: air, which ‘Poison’ & Co. did not really allow their competitors.
Additionally, ‘Bois des Iles’ was nowhere near as popular as its famous predecessor No. 5. Unlike that one, more delicately structured and intellectual, it never found a loyal fan base that would have surely guided it through all fashions, as ‘Mitsouko’ or ‘Shalimar’ had, or even ‘Joy’ and ‘Arpège’. And so it briefly disappeared into obscurity, but apparently, Chanel appreciated this wonderful perfume and did not leave it at that for long.

And so, at the end of the 1980s, it made a comeback and was relaunched along with the also disappeared ‘Cuir de Russie’, ‘Gardenia’, and ‘No. 22’. The line was named after the epicenter of the Chanel world: ‘Rue Cambon’, and the fragrances were offered either as Eau de Toilette or perfume, but only in their own boutiques.
In the meantime, the fragrances have become part of the ‘Les Exclusifs de Chanel’ line, have gained a few more companions, and are unfortunately no longer available in perfume concentration, but in gigantic 200ml bottles, which, while looking great and making a statement, are likely a challenge for any perfume enthusiast.
It is to be hoped that one day - hopefully not too far off - this great line will be complemented with smaller bottles and perfume concentrations of the fragrances.