Olivier Polge holds one of the few hereditary jobs in perfumery: in-house nose at Chanel, succeeding his father Jacques. The work here predates and accompanies that appointment, and it is quietly impressive in its spread: Flowerbomb's floral explosion (co-composed), the tobacco-amber gravitas of The One for Men, Invictus's fresh-marine punch, and Chance Eau Tendre's grapefruit-quince softness, one of the gentlest bestsellers on the shelf. Polge's signature is finish: textures feel sanded, transitions smooth, nothing shouts over anything else. It is house-style perfumery of the highest order, which makes sense given where he ended up. Smell Chance Eau Tendre and The One back to back to hear the same politeness at two temperatures.
Fragrances composed by the perfumer Olivier Polge — the nose behind the bottle. 4 scents across houses.