Les Exclusifs

Vogue November 2011

The first time that Chanel started to offer their Les Exclusifs, I couldn't wait for my first smell. I had to go to the Chanel store to check it out, and armed with the descriptions of the six in the new collection, I was prepared to choose one. Of course when you spend time smelling six, they all begin to run together and it was very difficult to make a decision. Plus, at $250 a bottle, I wanted to make sure that I chose the best one.

In the end, I bought Bel Respiro because it was so different. It is meant to be the scent of ... oh, I don't remember, but one note I do ... grass. It is not something that I would typically purchase, but I enjoy it. I have not gotten to the bottom of the bottle, but it's good for summer days. Fresh, natural, and clean.

The next bottle I bought from the collection was Cuir de Russie. I don't have any of that left ... it's scent was leathery, heady, and yet, still quiet. I sprayed 6.8 ounces all over myself and quickly ran out.

I have been hesitant to go back to Chanel to purchase another big bottle. I love FRENCH perfume. And have, of course, Chanel #5, which is my signature scent. It is the one my grandmother wore, and I am not one to shy away from what the old people like! Last year, I started on my Hermes kick. An old male friend used to buy Hermes ... I think that I bought a few bottles for him myself, but something about that kept me from testing one for me. But when I was at a perfume counter once, a very knowledgeable sales associate said, oh, have your tried this ... Hermes. I said, oh no, I'm a Chanel girl. To which she said, which do you wear? When I told her the Chanels that I do wear (5, 19, 22, and the Exclusives), she said, oh! you must try this! Goodness. She hit it right on the mark, and then she went on to talk about how Hermes is one of the few houses that has its own nose! Well, how can you argue with that?! I've now got two Hermes scents, sometimes wearing them together. And they are near to the bottom ... oh, so much more sad than the end of a wine bottle if you can believe it.

I ran across this article that I had torn out to consider and thought, well, maybe ... I love lavender. And the idea that it is the note in men's cologne ... that would be nice to feel like I'm wearing a man all day. But 6.8 ounces and $250?! I asked once at Chanel, why can't you make these in smaller bottles ... I would buy ... more! Today curiosity got the best of me and I decided just now to look up this new Jersey. And ... it now is available for 2.5 ounces for $110! And Chanel doesn't charge shipping costs. Of course it doesn't ... and choose two samples?! I pushed send.

Oh this could be trouble.