How Chanel Bottled Joy: The Story Of Chance Eau Splendide
FEMALE travels to Tokyo to explore Chance Eau Splendide, Chanel’s first fruit-led scent—a bright, raspberry-centred twist on its free-spirited line.
Ah, Tokyo – the always‑bustling Japanese capital is the perfect example of the past blending with the future. And much like the city itself, Chance Eau Splendide – Chanel’s latest addition to its Chance line of fragrances – can be said to balance the new with the nostalgic.
For starters, here’s a quick refresher on Chance: Introduced in 2003 by Chanel’s then long‑time in‑house perfumer Jacques Polge (he held the role from 1978 to 2014), Chance – the French word for “luck” – has always stood out among Chanel’s stable of perfumes as the youthful rebel. Often described as the flirty, free‑spirited outlier among the brand’s more elegant classics (think N°5 and Coco Mademoiselle), it’s the one that doesn’t always follow the rules – and it’s not meant to.
This April, Tokyo became the launching pad for Chanel’s latest perfume, Chance Eau Splendide, and to commemorate the occasion, the maison had the Japanese city’s iconic Tokyo Tower lit up in the scent’s purple hue. Following the history of according a different shade to every addition to the Chance family, Chanel’s in‑house nose Olivier Polge chose the colour instinctively to reflect the perfume’s sparkling raspberry brightness and floral complexity.
Now, with Chance Eau Splendide, Chanel’s present‑day in‑house nose Olivier Polge (yep, he’s Jacques’s son) builds on this unpredictable streak both in composition and mood. Launched in stores this April, the pretty lilac‑hued scent opens with a bright hit of raspberry before mellowing into notes of rose geranium, some of which is cultivated in Chanel’s own fields in Grasse.
A line‑up of every Chance scent to date, with the newest entrant, Eau Splendide (in purple), taking the spotlight front and centre. A Y2K baby, the Chance line marked a shift in tone in Chanel’s olfactory universe when it debuted in 2003 with more fun and playful compositions, rounder bottles that were a break from the more structured vials that usually characterise Chanel perfume bottles, and an emphasis on brightness and the impression of movement over formality.
As it settles, the EDP reveals a base composed of soft cedar, clean white musk and a hint of powdery iris, grounding the sparkle of those lively notes with something calmer. Already, early online reviews have singled out the crisp raspberry top note and soft floral heart as standout elements that have resulted in a scent that feels light, clean and subtly romantic, which – if you ask us – is quite apropos for the times.
It also makes sense then that Chanel would go with the Belgian synth‑pop chanteuse Angele as the face of Chance Eau Splendide. The 29‑year‑old, who has been working with Chanel as a beauty and fashion ambassador since 2020, personifies the perfume’s boldness: Her journey to fame – not unlike that of brand founder Gabrielle Chanel – has been largely self‑made, beginning in the cafes of Brussels, where she performed while studying jazz.
The night’s performers included Belgian singer and face of Chance Eau Splendide, Angele. She even showed off her jaunty new tune A Little More, which she composed exclusively for the Chance Eau Splendide campaign.
“At 20, I took my two managers by their hands and we went to Paris to play our demos. It was a real gamble,” she tells us in Tokyo, where the brand held the launch party for Chance Eau Splendide. “I suddenly found myself face to face with people from the music industry and I was afraid they wouldn’t understand the direction I wanted to go in. I wanted to remain independent, and to be able to write and produce my songs under my own label and publishing company, which was a big risk. At the time, the path to independence, which today seems obvious to me, was difficult to take – and I’m still grateful for the audacity that I had at that age to pursue it.”
Also in Tokyo for the launch event was the creator of Chance Eau Splendide, Olivier Polge. Here, he speaks more about the creative process behind this audacious new scent.
Taiwanese singer 9m88 (pictured seated) and – the man behind Chance Eau Splendide – Chanel’s in‑house nose Olivier Polge.
What was the starting point for the creation of Chance eau Splendide?
“At Chanel, fragrance is above all a state of mind. Gabrielle Chanel expressed her style and personality through her creations. Today, the creation of Chanel fragrances still conveys the expression of a unique vision and emotion, and Chance reflects the most natural, impactful and surprising facets of the brand … The creation of Chance Eau Splendide started with a playful and carefree spirit that characterises the identity of Chance fragrances. I wanted to give material form to this olfactory universe – tinged with freshness and optimism – through the prism of new ingredients as well as different notes and colours.”
The house of Chanel had guests seeing purple everywhere at the launch event for Chance Eau Splendide in Tokyo last month that includes an interactive game room bathed in purple light.
To what extent does Chance Eau Splendide differ from the other fragrances in the Chance line?
“The olfactory interpretations of Chance are connected by a colourful, floral style composed of bright and luminous tones. Each interpretation is unique, but they all convey a form of liveliness that reveals itself in different olfactory ways. Chance Eau Splendide is no exception. For this new interpretation, I wanted to construct the collection’s characteristic freshness with something innovative – an uncharted accord. I thought of a red fruit accord – raspberry in particular. Chance Eau Splendide is distinguished by this note, which allows for a remarkable opening that is undoubtedly the fruitiest in the line. That’s how we achieved this immediate feeling of comfort and elegance, as well as a vivid, sparkling impression.”
Guests include Japanese actor Hiroya Shimizu Japanese; South Korean‑Japanese rapper and pop musician Chanmina; model Kiko Arai; and Chinese singer‑songwriter Shan Yichun.
Besides the hero raspberry accord, why did you choose rose geranium as one of the key ingredients in this perfume?
“It was essential that nothing darkens the structure of Chance Eau Splendide, so that the fragrance can remain luminous. Floral notes are an integral part of the olfactory identity of Chance fragrances. The use of rose geranium is one such facet, and it adds freshness and elegance to Chance Eau Splendide, allowing it to be fruity without being too sweet. This ingredient is important to Chanel, and we produce some of it in our own fields in Grasse.”
The entrance of the event space.
The perfume industry has changed quite a bit in recent years, especially with Gen Z consumers and their perfume habits, which include regularly switching up perfumes instead of sticking to a signature scent. How has this impacted how chanel approaches perfume‑making?
“Well, the industry is always changing … I love this quote from Gabrielle Chanel. She said that fashion changes all the time, but style remains. And I think there’s something valuable about being in tune with your time. Your creations should come from curiosity. You need to have an interest in everything that surrounds you. At the same time, with our perfumes, we’ve often managed to create scents that go beyond trends. You might recognise a connection to the time in which they were made, but the idea is to look past that and find something more lasting. Even when there’s a strong demand for a specific style or signature, you can still suggest something that fits without being confined by it. It’s about going a little beyond trends.”
Other famous faces that graced the festivities included Thai pop star and actress Achiraya Nitibhon, aka Ally; rising Hong Kong actress, dancer and model Natalie Hsu; Indonesian actress, singer and model Syifa Hadju; and Japanese rapper and singer‑songwriter Lana.
What are some surprising facts about this perfume that you haven’t spoken about before?
“What I think has surprised people most is that Eau Splendide is a fruity scent. It’s actually the first time that we’ve intentionally had fruit (raspberries) as the dominant element of a Chanel fragrance. There’s often a misconception that fruity notes are less sophisticated, and maybe even superficial. I don’t agree. I think there’s far more to fruit than people give it credit for. Many floral notes already carry subtle fruity undertones and, for me, that opens up a world of creative possibilities. With Eau Splendide, I hope we’ve shown just how interesting fruit can be.”
Describe Chance Eau Splendide in three words.
“Joy, colour, spontaneity”
THIS INTERVIEW HAS BEEN EDITED FOR BREVITY AND CLARITY.
This article first appeared in the May 2025 Travel Edition of FEMALE