Chloe by Chloe

The much-hyped Chloé fragrance has been on my radar for some time now, but I hadn't gotten a chance to give it a sniff until today. While I don't loathe it like The Moment does, I'm underwhelmed.

It had great potential, being the brainchild of a fashion house known for its ethereal creations. Michel Almairac, creator of Gucci Rush, developed this scent, so I hoped for something similarly complex and pleasing. Unfortunately, Chloé lacks the nuance I'd expect for its high price tag. Instead, it smells overwhelmingly like musky rose. There are some notes of spiciness in there, but nothing mind-blowingly unique.

Plus, I can't shake the feeling that I've smelled this somewhere before. I was having a sniff when Katie Sugar's babysitter walked by and said, "Whoa, something smells like B.O." I think she was talking about Taco Thursday at Sugar HQ, but her remark suddenly helped me identify the mental association I had with the fragrance. Chloé reminds me of sitting too close to a sweet little old lady who hasn't showered, but who's instead doused herself in copious amounts of perfume. The fragrance itself is not unpleasant at all, but I have the sneaking suspicion it's covering up something that is.

Chloé by Chloé ($85-$110) is available exclusively at Saks Fifth Avenue.

You may have remembered the earlier perfume by Chloé called Chloé, but the company joined forces with Michel Almairac (the creator of Farenheit for Dior, Gucci Rush and Kiton) to create a new version of the discontinued fragrance. The redesigned bottle has similar lines to the hugely successful Heloise bag.

The floral scent has a rose base, with notes of peony, lychee, freesia, magnolia, and lily of the valley. Amber and cedar wood might temper those florals, but that's a lot of competing floral scents. An early review gives Chloé a big thumbs down, describing it as an "an uninteresting, clichéd floral that smells like a perfume masquerading as a fabric softener." Yikes.

You can smell for yourself in February, when Chloé ($110) lands in Saks Fifth Avenue. I'm interested in smelling this solely because I like the bags, shoes and clothes—so I'm hoping it's not as awful as it sounds. Are you excited about Chloé? (And Harry Potter fans, check out who's in the ads!)

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