Coco Mademoiselle (2001)
by Chanel

This review is for the EdP formulation.

Coco Mademoiselle opens with a lovely burst of citrus, and it is the orange in particular that captures my attention. To my nose, it is a slightly bitter orange, and I think I perceive it this way because the orange and grapefruit fit together so beautifully. The orange lasts well into the heart of the fragrance, and adds to the airy, optimistic tone of the composition.

The citrus opening is very quickly joined by the heart notes, and the two parts join together rather than one fading out and one fading in. The litchi gives CM a lovely grown up fruity feel, and provides something for the slightly bitter orange to connect with. The rose and jasmine are not the typical Chanel variety: the rose gains substance from connecting with the fruit, and the jasmine is greener and moister than in many other Chanel fragrances. The heart of CM is simultaneously fruity, floral, and green, and it is my favourite Chanel heart.

The dry down is a predominantly patchouli affair, with enough vetiver to add to the patchouli’s earthy, sweet feel. The combination of the patchouli and vetiver keeps the vanilla in a supporting role, which gives CM extra depth and substance. The musk is very feminine and just a little bit sexy.

Coco Mademoiselle is a fragrance for optimistic women who see the glass as being half full. If you see the glass as being half empty, then sniff elsewhere. CM is a confident fragrance for confident women of all ages.

The opening is stunning. Certainly not what I've come to expect from a typical orange, grapefruit and bergamot combo. Credit must go to Jacques Polge for adroitly allowing the heart notes to join the top in the opening act, and particularly for the inspired use of lychee which adds an oddly 'fruity-yet-flirty' dimension to what could have been just another citrus-floral-vanilla scent. I feel COCO MADEMOISELLE is decidedly contemporary and captivatingly feminine but falls a little short of the class and sophistication of Coco or other Chanel classics; I would even say this is one of the least Chanel-like releases from the house. Nevertheless it seems perfectly suited for anyone who is no longer a girl, but not yet a woman.

*** This review is of the EDP ***

It is so difficult for me to review these superb classic Chanel women’s fragrances – the No. 5’s, No. 19, Cristalle, Bois des Iles, Coco, and more. Although they are all different, I tend to take one sniff of any one of them and the only thing that pops into my mind is: “Perfect!” There’s not much more that I can say about it. Coco Mademoiselle is softer than Coco, and, like Coco… it’s perfect…

One of my favourite perfumes - I own the edt and edp. I think its a 'feel good' perfume I always feel good & happy when I wear it. I think its suitable for the office as well as evenings out. Its expensive but definitely worth it in my eyes. The best chanel perfume by far!

This one is warmer and spicier than I remember, and deeper, too. I definitely get patchouli, more so than in Chance; and while Chance blooms in the heat, Coco Mlle. is a little stifling. In the end, it is a mildly sweet fruity floral, and my skin probably doesn't do it justice. It's too heavy for me to want to wear in the heat, and not dark or rich enough for me to place it with my cooler weather orientals.

**This review is of the EDP***

Top: Orange, Bergamot
Middle: Rose, Jasmine
Base: Patchouli, Vetiver

Coco Mademoiselle (CM) is the flagship Chanel offering for young 'youthful' women, and is arguably Jacque Polge's most finely tuned contemporary composition for the mainstream market. Ignore the anemic, bony Keira Knightly as the face of CM; CM is a lush chypre-floral. It opens with the top and middle note phases revealing themselves as a unified block; a juicy orange note immediately linking with an expansive floral heart...rose and jasmine swirling with juicy oranges resulting in a dense fruity floral with gourmand highlights. Although indicated in the pyramid of the EDT, I also detect a minute lychee note in the EDP. The rose note seems embellished with lychee, the accord smelling like many Mistral soaps I have tried (albeit of a better quality) and could also be responsible for the gourmand-ness inherent within. Several hours later CM dries down to a light base of vetiver and patchouli...I would have like a dose of tree-moss to provide a snappier feel to the base, but it does its job of anchoring the floral mid-half well.

A standard but accomplished fruity floral accord, good materials, and compliments galore....refined, approachable, trendy, instead of unique, ground breaking, avant-garde...quite a bit like Keira Knightly really.

Rating: 8.0/10.0