Chanel: Gabrielle

I need to admit before I say anything here, I've never been a huge fan of the House of Chanel for fragrance although I do like a few of their offerings. I know, I know, if I said that in person, I'd most likely be run out of town! For, me, most of the Chanel scents have just always been a bit too "biting" for my personal taste. So, I've put my personal prejudice aside to approach this new fragrance with clarity.

On me, Gabrielle is a light (for Chanel) and airy floral. I get each of the four main white florals in fairly equal proportions. This feels like a more youthful and playful fragrance than some of Chanel's previous offerings. I believe I read some of you surmising that Chanel was trying to reach out to a new and younger audience. I would agree. This is not our Mother's Chanel.

Gabrielle feels very much like a young, free-spirited woman. The juice feels decidedly more feminine than masculine; although personally I feel all fragrances are fair game for either sex. It's a fairly straightforward floral. It's unabashed and unapologetic. It's also far less complex than other Chanel fragrances. As this was a blind buy for me, I'm pleased. This is a Chanel I would reach for and wear. For those more "hardcore" Chanel lovers, you'll have to judge for yourself as this is not, in my opinion, one that falls into the more groundbreaking scents the House has released in the past. It has a much more commercial feel to it.

Of course the packing is pure Chanel. The box is the traditional Chanel box. The juice comes with it's own protective cover. And of course, there's the information booklet. The bottle has a lovely shape and, while large, fits well in the hand. It makes a lovely focal point in a fragrance display.

"Gabrielle by Chanel is a Floral fragrance for women. This is a new fragrance. Gabrielle was launched in 2017. The nose behind this fragrance is Olivier Polge. The fragrance features ylang-ylang, tuberose, jasmine and orange blossom.

PRODUCT: Before creating the House of Chanel, Coco was Gabrielle. A rebel at heart...passionate and free. The inspiration behind the luminous floral fragrance: GABRIELLE CHANEL.

COMPOSITION: Olivier Polge crafted this Eau de Parfum as an imaginary flower — a radiant and sparkling, purely feminine Chanel blossom based on a bouquet of four white flowers: a rich, enveloping heart of exotic Jasmine shimmers with the fruity green notes of Ylang-Ylang, while fresh and sparkling Orange Blossom shines through, offering a glimpse of Grasse Tuberose captured at its finest. Four points of light that recall the four corners of the bottle.

ART OF PERFUMING: Apply GABRIELLE CHANEL fragrance on skin or clothing with a deliberate and generous spray.

DESIGN: The fragrance appears to be suspended weightlessly within the striking, square bottle crafted of ultra-thin glass, as the four transparent sides fade into the background to let the light shine through. The label and the stopper have the same shape and indefinable lamé colour, a delicate balance between gold and silver, and the interior is warmed with an even more resplendent gold. Nestled in an imprint of its silhouette, the bottle is carefully protected by a precious interior sleeve."