Jacques Polge

Chanel's perfumery also counts numerous best-sellers in its catalog. While several perfumers have succeeded one another in creating them, Jacques Polge has become an essential figure at the Chanel house and can boast having created many masterpieces of contemporary perfumery.

Jacques Polge's fabulous career

Jacques Polge is a French perfumer born in June 1943 in Lagnes, in the Vaucluse. He was a fragrance creator at Givaudan Roure before joining the Chanel house in 1978. A careerist at heart, he very quickly turned to this house with the aim of securing worldwide renown. Indeed, at that time, Chanel was already recognized across the planet, notably thanks to the success of its emblematic Chanel N°5. When he joined the house, Jacques Polge succeeded Henri Robert, creator of the perfumes N°19 and Cristalle. He then had the heavy task of perpetuating his predecessors' legacy and keeping Chanel's perfumes at the highest rank of their renown. Also, if the fate of his numerous creations and his longevity in this position at Chanel are anything to go by, it seems that Jacques Polge succeeded brilliantly in his wager. Very quickly, several of his creations ranked among the best-selling perfumes on the planet. Moreover, he managed to perpetuate the elegance and identity of the brand founded by Gabrielle Chanel while adding his own personal touch.

Jacques Polge's creations

Jacques Polge can boast having given Chanel a boost of youth and modernity. Moreover, he did not hesitate to create bold blends and to pave the way for innovative trends in perfumery. Furthermore, he started off at full speed by creating a very first fragrance known to all today: Coco. It was a tribute to Gabrielle Chanel, founder of the house and nicknamed thus. This oriental composition has now become timeless and was followed by many other best-sellers. Thus, Jacques Polge is notably the creator of the perfumes Allure and its numerous derivatives (Allure Homme Sport for instance), of Bleu de Chanel and of Coco Mademoiselle. Likewise, he did not hesitate to rework older Chanel creations and thus created, among others, N°19 Poudré.

Nevertheless, after this immense career crowned with glory, Jacques Polge decided to retire. Since 2013, he has handed over his position to his son, Olivier Polge. The latter seems to possess an innate talent in the field of perfumery. Far from being there solely because of his name, he is already recognized for his expertise by all his peers. For example, we owe him the recent, but already legendary, La Vie Est Belle by Lancôme. Jacques Polge's succession therefore seems to be assured!