WHAT I SMELL: Jersey’s opening consists of a soft, cottony lipstick tinged lavender that is soon met with a warmed, lightly brown sugared and caramelized vanilla. The vanilla isn’t heavy nor overly sweet, and as such it’s the perfect companion for the powdery lavender that resides on top of it. At this juncture, Jersey feels as if it’s made from cotton which has been milled and then folded into a bottle. As the perfume continues to develop, the lavender and vanilla begin to add a bit of cream that softens the perfume and turns it from the muslin towards a lightly sweet lotion. And basically that’s it; Jersey is a simple…no make that…Jersey is a simply beautiful perfume.
From the Chanel website:
The Roaring Twenties. In this era of jazz and folly, Mademoiselle Chanel dressed women in sailor sweaters made of jersey, creating clothing in which to laugh and dance with effortless elegance.
Composed by Jacques Polge—Creator of CHANEL Fragrance from 1978 to 2014—JERSEY reveals the feminine treasures of lavender by combining it with bourbon vanilla in a creamy accord heightened by notes of white musk. A scent of life and joy.
WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Dreamy lavendered cottoned clouds.
THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE JERSEY: uncomplicated, delightful, happy
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT JERSEY: The reviews I found were for the eau de toilette version that was discontinued in 2016 to make way for the new line of eau de parfums in the Les Exclusifs line. As there may be significant differences, I have not included any of them here. The only eau de parfum review I found is from Viora London.
BOTTOM LINE: Funny, I wrote the following about 31 Rue Cambon just weeks ago and I have to say that it also applies perfectly to Jersey: Once again, Chanel does it with a perfume that is clean, easy to wear, and anything but boring. Jersey is an uncomplicated perfume that rises to the occasion when you don’t want to fuss about what you’re going to wear. And it does so beautifully.
- Bone Rating: 4 out of possible 5 bones
- Scent: Floral Woody Musk
- Nose: Jacques Polge
- Classification: Unisex
- Expense: $200 for 2.5 oz. eau de parfum
WHAT I SMELL: Flamenco dances open with a cotton candy raspberry that’s quickly met with a sweet and candied violet. Very soon after, a soft orris makes a quick entrance making the super sweet opening something a bit more tame. But don’t get me wrong, the perfume still remains in the confectionary, but now it includes a lovely musky undertow. Soon the florals begin to break through with a rounded rose front and center. Here, Flamenco begins to quickly grow and rise as it seems to spin wildly off of the skin. It’s here that the perfume resides for some time; at times soft, at other times projecting greatly. But each time it moves, Flamenco becomes a bit warmer and more comforting. Flamenco doesn’t morph all that much after this point, and in the end the rose, mixed with the soured woods, wafts along as if they’re ready to once again start a fire on the dance floor.
WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: With the name Flamenco, can there be any other visual than a whirling Flamenco dancer?!
WHAT I SMELL: Russa opens with a zesty lemon and buzzing bergamot that is quickly met with a soapy orange that brings it out of the citrus groves and moves it behind the villa wall to the flower and herb garden where sprigs of lavender join the blend. What was hanging ripened on the branch is now a mix of citrus and freshly picked herbs and flowers gathered in a bountiful basket ready to come into the house. As soon as the basket makes it to the house, the mixture turns from the garden towards that of the barber. Here, a foamy herbal soapy mixture that reminds me of traditional barbershop shaving cream breaks forward through the goodness of the garden. There is something really comforting about Russa at this point. It’s masculine, reassuring and lightly warmed in a sun-kissed way. There’s nothing of a “take-charge” kind of masculinity here, but just an ease where the perfume doesn’t require itself to be anything but nicely clean and proper, yet comfortably based in the garden’s bounty. As the perfume continues its journey, it becomes more “zestified” as the benzoin becomes more pronounced. Because of this, Russa grows from a rather quiet perfume to one that demands just a bit more attention. And in the end, a hay-like note comes forward as the perfume makes its final round back to the outdoors and to the sunny fields of the countryside.
The Scented Hound 