Fragrances have a special place in our hearts. Each fragile vessel carries immense power — more than just igniting your sense of smell, fragrances take you places, bring back memories, convey moods. The same can be said for the CHANEL Chance, the luxury brand’s playful, unexpected take on scents, with four interpretations in vividly-coloured bottles meant to be shown off.
This time, count us lucky. The Parisian house invites all of us to twirl right into their latest installation, the CHANEL Chance Studio, a cheery space meant to celebrate the fragrance line’s unique spunk, or shall we say, joie de vivre.
To top it off, we even got a chance to explore it together with 987FM DJ and quirky personality Sonia Chew. As you’ll see in the video below, we had one heck of a time.
CHANEL CHANCE STUDIO
Date: Till 5 May (Sunday)
Time: 11am – 9pm, daily
Venue: #B2-53, ION Orchard
The space.
Don’t you dare call it dreary. When CHANEL takes over prime space in town, you bet they’re doing something special with it. And so they did — with a palette of pastel-neon set against stark white, we’d call this store an instant mood-lifter.
Inspired by the four dancers in the advertising campaign by Jean-Paul Goude, it’s modelled after a dreamy dance studio full of interactive experiences. Follow the signs and make your way through the space, taking a whiff of each of the four scents along the way. You’ll also get to spin the Wheel of Chance, where — spoiler alert — you’ll then be treated to a surprise spritz or a complimentary beauty service after.
The fragrances.
Here’s a brief look at the four interpretations of the CHANEL Chance.
Chance, unexpected and optimistic.
A floral full of contrasts — with floral notes and sensual, spicy and gourmand accords of pink pepper, jasmine and amber patchouli.
Eau Tendre, radiant and feminine.
A dazzling floral-fruity fragrance — with a radiant heart intensified by jasmine absolute and rose essence.
Eau Fraîche, joyful and sparkling.
An invigorating floral-sparkling fragrance — with the zesty freshness of citron, soft jasmine, and a vibrant teak wood note.
Eau Vive, lively and zesty.
An explosive floral-zesty fragrance — with a jasmine heart stirred by the lively notes of grapefruit and blood orange.
The experience.
Of course, as with all fragrances, your love for them goes beyond just reading about top notes and base notes off a page, which is why the experience of CHANEL Chance is just as important. In our session with CHANEL fragrance expert, Jean Loy, she takes us through an enchanting multi-sensorial olfactory experience that left us appreciating the nuances of the Chance even more.
There’s something elusive yet empowering about chance, she tells us, while bringing us through each of the scents. At CHANEL, luck isn’t blindly bestowed — it happens when you believe in chance, when you open yourself up to opportunity, and when you seize each moment.
For Eau Vive, we’re meant to be swept up by its radiant, feminine notes, akin to a zesty drink on a hot day; for Eau Fraîche, the joy of music and dance. We also found out what gives the original Chance its unexpected make-up, thus elevating the iconic floral fragrance that comprises of Coco Chanel’s favourite bloom, the jasmine.
Even Sonia was impressed. “It was such an invigorating experience, we found out so many different quirks, not just about the fragrance but also the entire experience — the packaging, the feel of it, all these little secrets. I think that’s what makes CHANEL so unique,” she says.
If you’re not yet convinced by the thought that CHANEL puts into every gesture of theirs, consider these. A departure from the classic angular N°5, the Chance is instead housed in a rounded bottle, meant to represent boundless energy and the ‘wheel of fortune’. As for the square cap that tops each fragrance? It’s shaped like a dice, another symbol of luck, calling you to take a chance with each spritz of the scent.
We’ll end off with some choice words from Sonia. When asked about ‘Take A Chance’ and ‘Get Lucky’, the two spots she landed on after spinning the Wheel of Chance, she gives us her take on what they mean: “When I think of ‘Take A Chance’, I think of being a risk-taker, you know, plunging yourself into the deep end, trying something you’re not familiar with, really pushing your boundaries. And obviously when I think of ‘Get Lucky’, well, we all know what that means…” She follows that with several eyebrow raises. Yep, yep we do.
CHANEL CHANCE STUDIO
Date: Till 5 May (Sunday)
Time: 11am – 9pm, daily
Venue: #B2-53, ION Orchard
To book a slot for an intimate ‘Choose Your Chance’ session, call the boutique (+65 6634 5500) to make a reservation.
Video Credits
DIRECTED BY, AMelia tan.
shot and edited by, shazrina shamsudin.
styled by, joe tan.
model, sonia chew.
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