PHOTO COURTESY OF CHANEL
Most know Chanel for N°5, but the maison’s fragrance universe runs far deeper. Les Exclusifs de Chanel, a private line launched in 2007, draws on the people, places and moments that shaped Gabrielle Chanel’s life. Now, the house distils that legacy into Les Extraits de Chanel. The collection reintroduces 11 of those fragrances, including N°5, in their most concentrated form yet.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CHANEL
An extrait sits at the pinnacle of perfumery. It carries a higher concentration of fragrance oils than an eau de parfum, delivering greater depth, intensity and longevity. Each composition therefore reveals new facets throughout the day. Furthermore, Chanel sources some of the finest raw materials from its flower fields in Grasse. Harvesters pick jasmine and May rose by hand, processing the blooms shortly after to preserve their full aromatic richness.
Les Extraits de Chanel spans 11 fragrances across a variety of scent families. Floral favourites include N°5, Gardenia, Beige, N°22 and 1932, ranging from powdery and luminous to soft, captivating bouquets. Warmer compositions such as 1957, Coromandel and Cuir de Russie blend amber, musk and leather notes into sophisticated, enveloping profiles. Sycomore and Bois des Iles showcase the maison’s mastery of woody scents, while Jersey offers a softer character centred around lavender.
The bottles themselves mark a shift in ritual. New faceted flacons reinterpret Chanel’s signature codes with a nod to heritage craftsmanship. The maison seals each using baudruchage, a 19th-century technique of stretching a delicate membrane over the bottle’s neck, then securing it with black lacquered cotton threads to create an airtight seal. A specially designed thread cutter accompanies every bottle. Application, too, favours intimacy over convenience. Instead of the conventional spray, the wearer dips a glass dabber into the fragrance and presses it gently onto pulse points.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CHANEL
For those on the move, Chanel also offers the Extrait-To-Wear Glass Bottle (SGD260 for 6.5 ML). The refillable purse spray housed in a tall, faceted case is exclusive to Chanel's Fragrance & Beauty boutique in The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands. Interchangeable refills (SGD185 for 6.5 ML) also come in all 11 fragrances for this format.
The full Les Extraits de Chanel collection is now available at the same boutique and on Chanel’s official online store. The N°5 Extrait is priced at SGD615 for 30 ML, while sets that include a faceted case and thread cutter retail at SGD595 for 15 ML and SGD705 for 30 ML. The remaining 10 extraits come in at SGD565 for a 30 ML bottle and SGD655 for the 30 ML set.
