Versailles

I had long wondered if I wanted Galop, as the recessions here are far apart and the fragrance seems to polarise. Today I am very happy that the fragrance found its way into my collection after all. Already the light yellow-golden colouring of the liquid and the first spray evoke lively associations in me: I was lucky to be a guest at Schloss Wackerbarth near Dresden in Saxony's Radebeul for birthdays or special occasions with my family. The baroque castle is idyllically surrounded by a garden and vineyards and offers guided tours about wine production, tastings and a champagne breakfast. In its consistency and its smell Galop actually reminds me of a noble drop of white wine: tingling, sparkling, sweet to semi-dry and fruity is the beginning. Fruity-floral and as lively and curious as a real horse, Galop approaches the tester or carrier. Osmanthus [Why is he not listed here?], which often evokes associations of apricots and plums, refines the fragrance, supports his optimistic first impression and at the same time gives Galop some freshness. From below the leather breaks its way and gives the initially lively scent hold and strength of character. At this stage Galop distantly reminds me of Bottega Veneta. Although the scents are not the same, both are fruity leather (Bottega Veneta: Leather Apricot and Galop Leather Quince Rose). The leather here is new, butter soft, elegant and is reinforced by a small amount of aromatic saffron. In the further course a balancing act and constant change between a sparking, sensual and unusual rose and butter-soft leather begins. Christine Nagel says about it that she "chose two quite opposite compositions - rose and leather". Two raw materials dancing together. The leather enlivens the rose, the rose tears the leather with it." In its late development, the rose dominates for me and turns the initial unisex scent into a slightly more feminine perfume. Galop is now reminiscent of high-quality rose care products. Although I like to test fragrances in perfumeries and have samples of niche perfumes sent to me, I have not yet found anything comparable in odor. Like a real horse, Galop always expects a respectful approach! Cuddly, soft and to lean on like many other fragrances it is not, but because of its unusual nature it is very captivating and fascinating. Galop is offered as a pure perfume, which is very rare today. The bottle has the shape of a stirrup. Minimalistic and very chic he is also on the home chest of drawers a real eye-catcher! From the initial restraint Galop then galloped very quickly to one of my favourite leather scents.

In order to understand Chanel No. 5 L'Eau, the meaning and concept of this creation and to describe the fragrance, it is worth letting his perfumer, Jacques Polge, have his say: "The originality of Chanel is contained in No.5. Reinventing Chanel No.5 nowadays emphasizes its relevance. It speaks for a search for originality. When I was asked to work on a reinterpretation of No. 5, I did not feel overwhelmed by the weight of its heritage and the legend that surrounds it, but saw opportunities in it, especially for freshness. Freshness is interesting because, compared to the opulence of perfume, it brings spontaneity. The idea of freshness is the key here. That's why it's called No.5 I'Eau. I like the concept of L'Eau because it expresses freshness, pleasant scents and fluidity. The idea of freshness also includes the will to illuminate, to make the perfume, which was originally very opulent, airy. As I was working on L'Eau I started to isolate the structure and important elements - the guide - which defines it as No.5. I've added air to the floral notes. Today we have the technical possibilities to re-distilize for example the Ylang-Ylang, which is important in No. 5, to pull out other aspects. In the base there is a powdery opulence of vanilla and sandalwood. These warm notes influence the perfume. I was able to rework the base to a large extent, making it drier and more lively with a note of cedar".

"Freshness", "lightening", "airing" and "isolating structure and important elements" are the key words and characterize No. 5 L'Eau at the same time. Put simply, it is an elegant citrus fragrance that freshens and brightens the original No. 5, preserving the structure and main elements of No. 5 while reducing the fragrance to it. I like No. 5 L'Eau very much and I think it is a meaningful composition that fits perfectly into the existing creations. Besides freshness, No. 5 L'Eau reminds me of another word: flawlessness. The citrus notes do not scratch and no component falls out of the frame. Especially in the warm summer months, No. 5 L'Eau has become an indispensable companion for me, but it is also very wearable in the winter months and in my experience the individual components are even more noticeable in cold temperatures. The fragrance has a good shelf life [Spraying on clothes is recommended especially for this fragrance]. I know many aquatic fragrances, but those who attach additional importance to elegance will find L'Eau hard to ignore. It's a good unisex scent for me. In my opinion men can wear it just like women.

In Les Exclusifs there are currently two fragrances named after personalities: "Misia" and "Boy". Fans of the Chanel brand are already aware that Arthur Edward "Boy" Capel (1881-1919) from 1908 until his death in 1919 was Coco Chanel's lover and financial supporter. How big the influence the Englishman Boy really had on Coco Chanel's life and thus on the fashion house Chanel, however, is less known to many. Boy is still omnipresent at Chanel. He was the man who finally turned the young woman "Coco" into Coco Chanel. It is therefore fitting when Coco Chanel himself later said about him: "He gave birth to me". Boy met the then 26-year-old seamstress in 1908 with her mutual friend, horse lover, polo player and her lover at the time, Etienne Balsan. In contrast to Balsan, Boy's family was considered 'nouveau riche', the family fortune was hardly a generation old. His British father had made his fortune with the shipping of coal, his mother, a Frenchwoman, Coco Chanel was not unlike Coco Chanel, which, apart from the similar temperaments of Coco and Boy, was probably the reason for the attraction between the two. Boy was the first to discover that Chanel was an excellent businesswoman. He quickly became not only her lover, but also a teacher and transformer. It was he who introduced Chanel to the world of the arts, philosophy, politics, music and literature, it was he who awakened her business sense, inspired her fashionably and dared to openly criticise the already scratchy Coco ["You acted badly", "You lied", "You were wrong"]. It was he to whom Chanel owed her lifelong passion for collecting the artfully crafted Asian wooden fans, the so-called Coromandeln. It was he who had Chanel's first designs from Jersey re-cut by a tailor made of tweed. It was he who opened the boutique with her in the luxury bathing resort of Deauville. It was he who brought her new customers through his social contacts. As progressive as Boy was in his thinking for that time, he ultimately subordinated his feelings to professional ambitions and his own principles. He never married Coco Chanel and maintained further relationships during the relationship and married an Englishwoman, Diana Wyndham, 'according to her rank'. During the short marriage of the character incompatible couple, Boy "shone" most of the time in absence, preferring to devote time to his lovers or professional ambitions.]

Fragrance:
If you look at the reviews of "Boy" here in the Forum, you will inevitably come across the term fougère. The first fragrance to bear the word fougère in its name was the "Fougère Royal" by Houbigant in 1882. In this family of fragrances, lavender is classically the top note, while coumarin or oakmoss are contained in the base. Coumarin is a synthetic component that can be obtained from tonka beans, for example.
How does the scent smell now? The lavender note is easily recognisable from the start and is the main protagonist throughout the fragrance. She doesn't smell old-fashioned or too woody. The fragrance, like the other fragrances in the house, has the 'typical Chanel note' that gives it elegance. The scent is embedded in sandalwood and vanilla, which make it softer, so that although it is marketed by Chanel as a men's scent, it can also be worn with ease by a woman. The coumarin note is often compared to "freshly mown grass" or "hay". In fact, it has a slightly sweet smell, which later turns into an intense, spicy aromatic fragrance. In addition, the oak moss in the base gives a slightly green undertone. When I wear the scent, I also notice that it is circulating, which means that it always returns to its original notes, repeats itself. I have compared the ingredients and structure of the historical "Fougere Royal" (1882) and "Boy" (2016). It is noticeable that "Boy" has more in common with the historical "Fougère Royale" than with other fragrances listed as modern Fougère today (e.g. Kouros, Armani Code, Eternity for Men, Azzaro Pour Homme). In this respect, the fragrance is rather a return to the roots of Fougère. Maybe the real Arthur Capel even wore the "Fougère Royale". However, this remains speculative. In summary, it can be said that "Boy" is elegant, powdery with vanilla and green undertones, spicy aromatic and smells of lavender.

Chanel: "1919, the year I woke up famous and I lost everything". Chanel mourned a double loss in 1919. She not only lost Boy in a car accident, but also suffered a miscarriage shortly before his death, as a result of which she could never have children of her own again. With the generous inheritance bequeathed to her boy in her will, she acquired the last traces he had left on this earth: the Bel Respiro holiday home, the interior of which she had painted in the company colours characteristic of today [beige and black for the roller shutters as a sign of mourning]. In summary Chanel said about him: "He was the only man I ever loved. He died. I have never forgotten him. He was the great chance of my life...He was for me my father, my brother, my whole family".

I love leather. More than any other component, it gives me a sense of invulnerability and strength, or to put it pictorially with Serge Lutens, perfume becomes a bit of iron armor for me, protecting its wearer. After having tested myself through all known leather fragrances in the past, Cuir Cannage was also on the watch list for a long time. Over the holidays the opportunity had finally arisen. Cuir Cannage is best described by relating it to other well known leather fragrances that I have already tested. It's not masculine like Knize and it doesn't smell spicy like 1740. No rebel. On the other hand, when I relate it to extremely elegant leather scents - like Cuir de Russie (the aristocrat among leather scents!) - that also fails because it doesn't look so polished. Cuir Cannage is actually right in the middle. When I smell the scent, I smell leather and orange blossoms. (This was described by some users as a "chewing gum note". ) The following pictures come to mind: An elegant but robust Louis Vuitton travel bag, the seats of a convertible or the leather seats of a sports car (Think for example of the chic model that James Bond drove into "Skyfall" when he brought his boss M into a safe hiding place :P). Sporty, elegant and absolutely suitable for everyday use, Cuir Cannage is for me. Cuir Cannage can't compete with the elegance of a Cuir de Russie and he's not a male, but he doesn't have to! For me as a leather lover it is a grateful alternative and alternation to the other listed leather scents. If you compare Cuir Cannage with other leather fragrances, you will also notice that it has a simple, minimalist structure (see Knize). Simply does not have to mean bad, but the concept works here like clockwork. I even think it's a high skill when fragrances have simple structures and are absolutely great in execution. I tested the fragrance in winter, where it easily lasts 8 hours and therefore has a very good durability. The Sillage is also good. He was noticed by my environment and (uninvited) complimented. At this point I would like to thank Bookie, who made this great fragrance experience possible for me. I love to wear this scent!