Chanel No 46

2 reseñas

Mostrando las más recientes primero.

• Black.orchid

  May 26, 2016

  

  I wish I could smell this vintage fragrance.

• m.a.Lattapiat

  December 20, 2020

  

  Perfume of the Afternoon, Chanel’s Forgotten Elixir: a deep oriental-floral blend with citrus undertones that whisk you from Indian vetiver to Mediterranean cumin. A garden of roses, jasmine, and lilies overflowing with sweetness. It’s No. 46, carrying a war-torn history. While the 1920s brought bohemian scents and the modern woman, the 1940s were times of fear and poverty after the war, yet summer brought hope. Chanel, under full occupation, kept sales underground until 1945. In 1946, amidst the crisis, they launched No. 46: uninhibited, classic, and sophisticated, almost disrespecting the era while honoring its predecessors. The opening is green, aromatic, and slightly oily, then shifts to fruity-powdery acidity; the orange is juicy but neroli calms it down. After five minutes, the green phase evokes fields at dusk—a delicate, relaxing freshness that lasts about three hours. The rose lingers alone in a peaceful garden, then lilies and ylang-ylang join, followed by a timid yet sudden burst of strong, delightful jasmine. Oriental jasmine and roses, vibrant and cheerful. I like to associate fragrances with melodies; this scent brings me back to my childhood fields and Edith Piaf’s ‘Le chemin des Foraines.’ If you love French chanson or orchestrated sounds, apply it and listen to that song; it’s inspiring. The base is cloying: sandalwood, cumin, vetiver, and rose form an elegant, enveloping incense with massive, oriental sillage. Citrus notes of orange and rich lily root linger. The trail evaporates slowly and rebelliously: starting as dew, ending almost as an oppressive weight. It’s not linear—derived from No. 5 but a better journey. It carries Chanel’s ancient spirit: oily, powdery, and disruptive. Thanks to no reformulation, it’s exactly as it was in 1946. I’m unsure when it left Chile; probably no official success due to tough times and similarity to others. Chanel bet on safety, emulating old times. Its failure was the context, but let’s not dwell on past mistakes. It lasts about 10 hours with intermittent sillage. To some, a forgotten classic; to me, a secret jewel that even current Chanel ignores. Getting it is a nightmare: not found in online stores, I had to order it from relatives in Toulon at inaccessible prices, just for collectors. I miss the seal of a forgotten past, those oriental melodies in that square bottle. What a long review. My all-time favorite alongside Acaciosa by Caron, Chanel’s abandoned perfume, the one of afternoons.