Sycomore

Chanel introduced Sycomore in 2008 within Les Exclusifs, its collection of exceptional fragrances. It is the work of Jacques Polge, then head of fragrance creation at Chanel, and Christopher Sheldrake. The juice first appeared as an eau de toilette and was sold notably in Chanel boutiques.

A Name from 1930

The name is not new. Chanel writes that Gabrielle Chanel created a perfume called Sycomore in 1930. Elena Vosnaki of Perfume Shrine attributes it to Ernest Beaux and describes it as a woody scent with balsamic notes, poorly received in its day and soon gone.

The two compositions have nothing in common. According to perfume historian Octavian Coifan, whom she cites, the old Sycomore rested on a tobacco and violet accord; the 2008 version is built around a smoky vetiver.

Mademoiselle’s Roots

Today the house ties Sycomore to Gabrielle Chanel’s childhood in Auvergne. The name of an immense, centuries-old tree is meant to evoke that land of ancient volcanoes, which the designer said had taught her freedom.

From Eau de Toilette to Extrait

The collection now offers Sycomore as an eau de parfum, in 75 ml and 200 ml bottles, and as a perfumed body oil. An extrait signed by Olivier Polge, Jacques’s son and successor, appeared in 2022; the house now places it among Les Extraits de Chanel.

Chanel specifies that the eau de parfum and the extrait are two distinct interpretations, each highlighting materials or accords of its own. The extrait comes in a case, as an extrait-in-oil, and as a purse spray, the latter reserved for physical stores.