BellaSugar

BellaSugar's Insider's Guide To Chanel

BellaSugar — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 10:58:37 PDT

I hope you've all enjoyed my series called BellaSugar's Inside Look Into Chanel. Below you can find a five-post roundup about my trip to Paris. It was an experience I will never forget.

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BellaSugar's Insider Look Into Chanel, Part V: Jacques Helleu's Movie

BellaSugar — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 09:35:29 PDT

The last surprise on my Parisian Chanel Excursion was going to Chanel Corporate and meeting with their Artistic Director, Jacques Helleu. Since joining the company in 1956, he has been responsible for making all of the mini Chanel films, choosing the muses for beauty and fragrance, overseeing all packaging designs and creating the striking J12 watch.

As we sat inside the office of such a distinguished man, we watched three versions of the latest Coco Mademoiselle film, and then were treated to a question-and-answer session. Although, most of us were too timid to ask more than one question-you should have heard the way he spoke to his wife when she called.

A couple of weeks ago I showed you some behind-the-scenes footage from the one-minute movie, and here is is the final cut. It was was directed by Joe Wright who most recently directed Keira Knightley in Atonement. As you watch, notice the symbols from Coco Chanel's apartment and the perfume bottle-which is the same shape as the parameters of Place Vendome. I think you'll really appreciate how all of the details come together. Enjoy the show!

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BellaSugar's Insider Look Into Chanel, Part IV: Coco's Apartment

BellaSugar — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 14:59:38 PDT

If ever I've experienced an a-ha moment, it was standing outside of 31 Rue Cambon, the home of Mademoiselle Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel. This is where the creative genius of one of the world's most luxurious brands dwelled, and I couldn't wait to take it all in. What many of you might not know is that Mademoiselle Chanel was a very superstitious woman. All of the knick-knacks in her apartment are in pairs, and she never liked to be alone. Because of this, she only used her apartment for entertaining and conducting interviews, and she slept in a suite at the Hôtel Ritz across the street.

I entered the ground floor of the building, not through the public store entrance, but through the private entrance to her home. The first thing you see is a giant framed black and white photograph of Coco Chanel. What struck me the most was that the employees that we were greeted by were so in tune with Coco's life and the symbolism behind every single tiny detail in her home.

The first stop in the House of Chanel was the stunning, modern and spacious haute couture fitting rooms. We were told that anything we saw was of utmost secrecy since Karl Lagerfeld was busy on the fourth floor with the couturiers, getting ready for the Emmy Awards and the spring 2008 fashion show.

Next, we went up the famous winding, mirrored staircase to the apartment. The staircase itself is where Coco would sit from high above to make sure that everyone was on top of their daily tasks. She could also watch the faces and reactions of editors without them ever being the wiser.

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To read about all of the secret symbolic details of the apartment, read more As the doors to the exquisite apartment open, I must say that I was surprised by all of the ornate Baroque detailing. Her fashions are so modern, yet her home was full of antiques and lavish collectibles. A notable and symbolic fixture was the mirror in her reception room. She loved it so much that it eventually inspired the stopper for the world's best-selling fragrance, Chanel No.5. There are camellias (the flower of Chanel) all over the wall screens, and who knew that her quilted brown couch was the inspiration for the classic 2.55 handbag. And remember the 1992 ads for Coco Chanel where Vanessa Paradis swings from a a tiny gold birdcage? The original (and very tiny) version sits beside the couch on a table. The two black lacquer tables in her dining room served as the source of inspiration for all of the sleek black packaging of Chanel Beauté. The last piece I will mention is the massive chandelier in the living room that is constructed of iron shaped by hidden "G's" (for Gabrielle), "5's" for Chanel No. 5 and "CC's" as in her initials (and of course, the Chanel logo.) It made me think: If only everyone had this much symbolism and meaning in the tiny details. It is truly remarkable how the brand is still inspired by her even though she has been gone for over 36 years. To see the new Coco Mademoiselle movie starring Keira Knightley, come back again tomorrow!

BellaSugar's Insider Look Into Chanel, Part III: Coco Mademoiselle

BellaSugar — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 15:00:16 PDT

During my visit to the Chanel perfumery, there was most definitely a focus on the big re-launch of Coco Mademoiselle. I am glad that I got to ask a few questions about this re-launch business, because all of the hype had me totally confused. Here's the scoop.

The original perfume was launched in 2001, featuring ads with Kate Moss. Now Keira Knightley has become the new face of the campaign, portraying a young Coco Chanel. Although this perfume isn't new, two new travel items have been added to the collection.

The first is a .25 oz purse-size perfume ($100), which is great for on-the-go touch-ups. The pearlized white compact with gold trim is a pretty pocketbook accessory.

The second item is an eight-gram, limited-edition solid perfume ($120). This compact is super slim, long lasting and very discreet. Ça c'est bon!

To read about my experience inside Coco Chanel's apartment, and to see more pictures, stay tuned for tomorrow's post!

BellaSugar's Insider Look Into Chanel, Part II: The Perfumery

BellaSugar — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 13:05:28 PDT

I felt like such a lucky girl to be given the opportunity to travel to Paris to see the inner workings of Chanel's perfume laboratory with my own eyes. The space was white, the staff wore lab coats and the tables were lined with bottles of essential oils and beakers. It was all the the things you would expect to see in a lab. But when Jacques Polge, who has been "The Nose" of Chanel since 1978, entered the room to greet us, I realized that this experience was anything but ordinary.

Mr. Polge has reached legendary status both within Chanel and the fragrance world. As I stood there listening to him (while taking diligent notes) I was most inspired by his passion for his work and the pride he takes in the luxury scents he has created. Here's what he had to say.

First, he explained that the ingredients in Chanel fragrances are all natural, meaning they come from plants. They are harvested during their peak months, then the formulas are mixed and recorded - and they never, ever change. The main ingredients in Chanel's fragrance range, which we all got to smell in a highly concentrated condition, are jasmine (Chanel has its own jasmine fields in Grasse), iris, vetiver, vanilla and patchouli.

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To read about the second part of the perfumery tour and to find out my top-secret product release scoop, read more Did you know that Chanel actually employs ten women to perform a process called baudruche all by hand? When translated, this term means rubber skin. The process seals the tops of the perfumes with a thin rubber coating, followed by a meticulous rope tie that is sealed with melted black wax and finally stamped with the Chanel logo. This process guarantees the quality of the brand to the customer. If the seal is broken, you know your product has been tampered with. These women work hard for their money too. Get a load of this: 2,500 perfumes are produced a day. After leaving the perfumery, it was no wonder anymore why Chanel perfumes are such indulgences. Meticulous thought, energy, time and care goes into each and every bottle. Also, I've got a little secret for you. Chanel is coming out with a brand new fragrance called Eau Premiere, a rendition of the famous N°5 scent. It is due out in October. Once I know more, you'll be the first to find out! To be the first to see the new Keira Knightley Chanel Coco Mademoiselle movie, be sure and come back again all week! Source

BellaSugar's Insider Look Into Chanel, Part I: The Experience

BellaSugar — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 15:00:55 PDT

When it comes to Chanel, it's no wonder that feelings of elegance, luxury and timeless sophistication come to mind. It has been nurtured, parented and protected by designer Karl Lagerfeld, art director Jacques Helleu and "nose" Jacques Polge-three extremely distinguished men that have been with the company for more than 30 years.

Last weekend, I was given the opportunity along with fourteen other bloggers from around the world to visit Paris and spend one incredible day viewing the inner workings of Chanel. This was a marketing effort from the company to get in touch with their consumers as well as to build buzz about the new Coco Mademoiselle campaign.

We toured the perfume lab, dined at the famous Ritz hotel and the Mini-Palais, toured Coco Chanel's apartment, visited the fine jewelry store, and saw the premiere of the Coco Chanel Mademoiselle movie starring Keira Knightly that will relaunch the new products in the Coco Mademoiselle range. It was a day I will surely never forget.

Something I've learned from my experience is that each new product that Chanel creates contains intentional symbolism intended to reflect and carry on the vision of Mademoiselle Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel. However, judging from the success of the brand, it is evident that the ghost of Chanel is not a hindrance that holds back creativity, but rather an omnipresent force of inspiration. The respect these creators have for her is like nothing I've ever encountered, but I do know that it is contagious.

After learning all about her past and her vision, it's understandable why in the world of luxury brands, Chanel is the considered nothing short of the crème de la crème. So stay tuned all week to read my five-part series about my Chanel experience. You won't want to miss some of the amazing surprises I've got in store for you.

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