Chanel Threw A Mega Crush-worthy Party in Paris
To celebrate the launch of its latest scent, Coco Mademoiselle Crush Absolu, Chanel transformed the historic Le Trianon into a Parisian cafe and threw one hell of a party.
A perfume launch can be many things: a few bottles lined up on a plinth, perhaps some canapes and a suitably photogenic backdrop. But Chanel, naturally, had other ideas for the global launch of Coco Mademoiselle Crush Absolu, the newest member of the house’s popular Coco Mademoiselle collection.
Held on September 17 at Le Trianon, the 19th-century Parisian theatre was transformed for one night into the world of the new fragrance, with nearly 750 guests from around the world in attendance. Among them were Gracie Abrams, Angele, Honey Dijon, Jorja Smith, Go Youn-Jung and Mackenyu, alongside a cast of creatives, models and friends of the house.
A look at the cafe setup within Le Trianon
The choice of venue felt pretty apt. After all, the Crush Absolu campaign sees Gracie Abrams wander into a Parisian cafe, where her arrival seems to set off a spontaneous chain reaction of attraction and dancing.
That cafe becomes the heart of the story, eventually transforming into a dance floor. So for the launch party, Chanel took that same idea and brought it into one of Paris’ grand old performance spaces: Le Trianon, a theatre and concert hall that has been part of the city’s entertainment scene since 1894.
The star of the evening: the new Coco Mademoiselle Crush Absolu. Think of her as the black silk slip dress you reach for after dark, versus the crisp white shirt that was the original Coco Mademoiselle, which first launched in 2001 and remains a best-seller for Chanel.
As for the fragrance itself, Crush Absolu keeps the fresh citrus-and-patchouli tension that makes Coco Mademoiselle so recognisable, but amped up the fruit-iness and warmth. There’s a bright lychee-grapefruit opening, a floral heart of rose and jasmine, then patchouli wrapped in ambery notes, with vanilla and vetiver adding depth. The result is bright and flirtatious at first, then warmer, darker and more enveloping as it settles on the skin.
Yeah, Chanel really turned the entire theatre into one giant cafe-meets-bar set.
The evening began in the cafe, awash in Coco Mademoiselle’s signature pink hue.
The fortune-telling felt especially on brand: Gabrielle Chanel was famously superstitious, with astrology, lucky numbers and the stars all playing a part in her life.
Genius jazz pianist Chassol opened with a gorgeous set suspended between poetry and groove, while bartenders, fortune tellers and manifestly gorgeous wait staff kept us occupied with drinks, games and a little mysticism.
Then the ballroom doors opened.
DJ Breakbot on his set
DJ Breakbot kicked things off with his remix of Candi Staton’s Young Hearts Run Free, the same song that soundtracked the Crush Absolu campaign. Thirty dancers, led by choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, then recreated the campaign film’s choreography live in the ballroom.
From there, the party was properly on. Honey Dijon went back-to-back with French DJ Chloe Caillet, before American producer Alissia closed the night with funk and electro soul.
There was a lot of style — and dancing.
Nearly 750 people, one historic Parisian theatre and a lot of dancing later, Chanel had managed to turn a perfume campaign into an unforgettable night out. Not a bad way to launch a crush at all.
Here, some of the many, many famous faces that turned up for the night:
Gracie Abrams
Lena and Miu
Go Youn-jung
Mackenyu
Angele
Bhavitha Mandava
Quenlin Blackwell
Hannah Quinlivan
Lux Pascal
Paloma Faith
Rina Sawayama
Jorja Smith
