It is said that a bottle of the latter, still the world's most famous fragrance by far, is sold every second somewhere in the world. "No 19 has suffered from the fact that it's a number, like No 5, it has the same packaging as No 5. And it's never been such a success, largely because of the success of No 5," Polge explains. "Many perfumes are influenced by No 19," he continues, and it's true that experts in the field are drawn to, among other things, the juice's innovative rose-iris and also iris-vetiver accords, both particularly of interest just now. "There's an enormous comeback in those fragrances," says Sheldrake. "And instead of sitting back and letting that happen," Polge continues, "we thought we should do something ourselves, that we should create something different that will draw attention to No 19 again."
No 19, if not a more complex fragrance than No 5, is certainly less approachable; No 19 is a cool green in appearance, No 5 a warm amber. Created by Henri Robert in 1971 for Gabrielle Chanel herself when she was in her 80s (No 5 was the work of the aforementioned Beaux) and named after her birthday (19 August, 1883), No 19 is what Sheldrake describes as "a perfumer's perfume, a connoisseur's fragrance, it's a great tribute that so many people have been inspired by it". A niche product, its allure has principally been passed down through generations of women by word of mouth without the push of big-budget, blockbuster advertising campaigns.
Here's outspoken perfume critic Luca Turin on the subject. "For a fragrance with so many springtime references, all white blossoms [jasmine and lily of the valley both also play their part] and leafy greenery, No 19 never lands you in any Sound of Music meadows. It keeps you in the boardroom, in 3-inch stilettos and a pencil-skirt suit. Haughty and immune to sweetness with a somewhat antiseptic air, this extraordinary perfume appeals to any woman who has ever wished to know what it is to be heartless."
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Sheldrake's take is less extreme. "It's important to remember that No 19 was created at the beginning of the 1970s, an era notable for the fact that women's emancipation was at its height. The original No 19 was created in the spirit of the first wave of feminism and it therefore has something of an 'I'll walk all over you' aspect to it, I agree."
No 19 Poudre "is a more obviously feminine fragrance," Polge argues. The clue's in the name although this, too, can be traced back to the use of iris in perfumery through the ages.
The finest noses in the business: Chanel perfumers Jacques Polge and Christopher Sheldrake. It's a very clean and sexy smell. I think women are looking for comfort, for reassurance and because of that No 19 Poudre is in keeping with the modern era.Christopher Sheldrake, ChanelIn the 17th and 18th centuries, wigs - which were never washed - were scattered with ground iris root then stored in boxes from where they would emerge deliciously perfumed as and when their owners saw fit.
Unlike many fragrances which fade after time, the smell of iris powder only intensifies. In the early 20th century, rice powder was mixed with iris and ladies of style used it to improve their complexions. In Italy, bed linen was scented with iris to keep it fresh. And it is from northern Italy, on the outskirts of Florence, that the finest iris pallida, the raw material used to produce the world's most exclusive iris butter, can be found.
Today, less discerning noses might be persuaded to use iris from China which is both more abundant and more reasonably priced. Not so Polge.
"I don't think there is any difference between the flowers in China and those in Italy," he says. "It's the way in which they are treated that is important." And there is a problem here. Because, due not least to the increased popularity of the flower, resources of iris produced in the time-consuming, artisan manner are dwindling.
With this in mind, four years ago now, Chanel planted its own iris fields in Grasse in the south of France, alongside those filled with rose and jasmine, the latter both reserved for their most enduring fragrances, in particular Chanel No 19 and No 5. "We planted the iris ourselves because we wanted to treat it in the traditional way and very few people have time to do that any more," says Polge. "And we've been planting iris every year since then," Sheldrake continues, "but our first harvest was only last year - it wasn't ready till then." Once the iris roots have been harvested, they are dried for no less than three years in order for the irone, the molecule responsible for the scent in question, to develop, and only then can they be peeled and turned into butter for use in any juice. The first iris grown by Chanel won't find its way into No 19 or No 19 Poudre for a further two years.
As well as iris, No 19 Poudre still contains rose, lily of the valley and vetiver, and has top notes of galbanum from Iran - "Very important because it gives the scent its so-called green aspect; it's also coming back into fashion," says Sheldrake, but its distinctive leathery base notes have been softened by musk. "We've found some new ones," Polge says, "and they are very interesting."
"No 19 Poudre has everything No 19 has, but it is much more comfortable," says Sheldrake, the idea behind it being to attract a new customer into the fold as opposed to encouraging the original No 19 devotee to defect. "It's gone from feminist to femininity. It's a very clean and sexy smell. I think women are looking for comfort, for reassurance and because of that No 19 Poudre is in keeping with the modern era. There's a lot of aggression out there and this is a cocoon, a perfume very much for yourself."
"It's more modern, yes," Polge concludes, "if that word means anything any more, and more feminine, certainly. No 19 Poudre is a new impression of No 19 and a better fit for today."
- Independent
