There are all kinds of adjectives that go with Coco, the 1984 Chanel perfume: opulent, big, womanly, classic, elegant... just like model Ines de la Fressange, who was the face of Chanel and of Coco during the 80s and has become an icon of that era.
I use my vintage Coco EDP sparingly. I love it so much and would hate to be without. But also it's an incredibly potent and rich perfume, the kind that gets the attention of everyone within sniffing distance. Generally considered an oriental, but the uninitiated who expect a sweet concoction with a foody vanilla might be taken aback by the animalic component in Coco, a big civet note.
The core of Coco is a very Chanel floral blend, dramatically infused with spice. The perfume feels gilded and golden, just like mimosa blossoms and Chanel classic accessories and embellishments. It's glam, warm, and very inviting, even before things get more intimate in the dry-down. And the base is the best part. My vintage juice is incredibly rich in civety goodness. I'm always reminded of the original Fendi that was released a year later. It's raunchy and brazen, slightly over-the-top for the generation that's used to perfumes that smell like nothing, and absolutely beautiful and irreplaceable for those of us who like statement perfumes.
Notes: coriander, pomegranate blossom, mandarin orange, peach, jasmine , Bulgarian rose, mimosa, cloves, orange blossom, clover , labdanum, amber, sandalwood, tonka bean, opoponax, civet and vanilla.
Coco was the first perfume I bought (my first two perfumes were Christmas presents) with my first salary. It was a signature scent for years and I still love it, but only in EdP or parfum extrait. I didn't like the EdT at all.
ReplyDeleteI adore Coco it's so smooth and velvety, I apply sparingly and layer it over the body lotion. Eons ago, it came in a body spray oil that lasted forever (nuclear staying power). Coco and the original Fendi (another favorite) could be sisters.
ReplyDeleteAs an Opium wearer, I thought Coco was rather sweet and mild back in the day. Now that my tastes are becoming a bit more catholic, I find myself appreciating the current iteration much more than I'd have imagined.
ReplyDeleteIn general, I can't pull off big oriental perfumes but Coco is among the best Chanel has to offer - elegance and class in a bottle. I own an original extrait from the eighties which I got from by grandmother and while I rarely wear it it is very close to my heart. .
ReplyDeleteI used to wear Coco even though it didn't smell that great on me! Lol
ReplyDeleteWe are pI was more into the scents by Givenchy. And I loved Gigli.
Also, Happy Valentine's Day. Thanks for all your hard work in blogging!
What great pictures of Ines! Absolutely loved her. And also absolutely loved Coco and the original Fendi - gloriously complex, unapologetic, gorgeous and, at least for me, very comforting scents. Fortunately, I have a bottle of the edp I got centuries ago, but I also had a bottle of the parfum and I ran out of it a while back. I *know* better, know that Chanel perfumes are counterfeited to an extreme, but I still threw all common sense to the wind and risked looking for a vintage bottle on ebay (logic and deep love don't necessarily mix well). Got one - and, as could have been predicted, it turned out to be a sad, weak imitation. Still, I kept looking. Found another one from a seller I'm familiar with and have come to trust and I actually think it's the real thing - incredibly beautiful. The perfume gods took mercy on me, but I know not to push my luck with them and Chanel again.
ReplyDeleteAnna