As revealed by The Moodie Report’s Twitter and Instagram feeds, yesterday in Paris Coty unveiled the new pillar fragrance from the house of Chloé. Love Story Eau de Parfum will be introduced to travel retail worldwide at the end of September.
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Chloé Love Story, fronted by Clémence Poésy, will be launched into travel retail in September |
Coty has high hopes for its latest scent, the work of leading nose Anne Flipo – who is making her fragrance debut for the group. (Flipo’s portfolio to date includes L’Homme Yves Saint Laurent, Lady Million, La Vie Est Belle and Invictus.)
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Love Story signals a new chapter for Chloé |
| Chloé’s new Love Story fragrance looks set for a happy ending, underpinned by a concept that is clever, original and completely coherent with the codes of the brand. |
“Love Story will be a second pillar for Chloé, alongside the successful signature edp,” Coty Prestige Marketing Director Travel Retail and Export Worldwide Markus Stauss told The Moodie Report. “It will be launched into the current Chloé travel retail distribution, which is more than 2,000 doors”¦We will support the launch with a number of HPPs in key airport locations.”
The bigger picture involves boosting the Chloé fragrance brand to a top five position globally, from its current 10-15 ranking (Europe). “We are still number one on the Japanese local market,” Stauss confirmed. “Asian consumers are big fans of the brand, and its Parisian heritage. When they travel, they like to buy it as a souvenir of Paris. There is a strong link to the city and the idea of French chic.”
Coty will continue to capitalise on that connection with the launch of Love Story, which was inspired by the “love-locks” of the Pont des Arts, a Parisian bridge now extensively decorated with padlocks, which are engraved with the names or initials of couples, who then throw the padlock key into the River Seine below, in a gesture said to represent their love and commitment.
Both the flacon and the ad campaign reference the bridge’s (and the Chloé brand’s) famous padlocks; the latter within the context of a whirlwind Parisian romance. The Love Story bottle, which incorporates the brand’s signature “pleated” glass, is subtly shaped like a padlock. The arch is adorned with a narrow blush ribbon. The outer carton is white with gold lettering.
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Left: Coty’s Markus Stauss on the Pont des Arts, whose “love-locks” inspired the new Chloé Love Story fragrance; right: Driving force – press guests at the launch event were treated to a full French immersion, including a trip in a vintage 2CV | |
Yesterday’s launch event shadowed several of the locations featured in the ad campaign, including the Pont des Arts, a rooftop party venue and the city’s picturesque (and recently renamed) Marché aux Fleurs Reine Elizabeth II, on Place Louis Lépine. Transport took the form of vintage convertible Citroen 2CVs and a boat along the River Seine.
“We wanted to tell a new story about Paris and romance,” explained Coty Prestige Group Vice President Marketing Balenciaga, Chloé and Roberto Cavalli Caroline Javoy, of the ad campaign. “We also wanted to show the “˜insider’ side of Paris, and where real Parisians go.”
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Love Story nose Anne Flipo explains the finer details of the fragrance juice in the sublime surroundings of the Marché aux Fleurs Reine Elizabeth II | |
The TV ad was directed by Mélanie Laurent, and features music performed by Vanessa Paradis. The fragrance face is French actress Clémence Poésy, one of a trio who fronted the signature Chloé Eau de Parfum, launched in 2008.
“We chose Clémence because she perfectly embodies the Chloé brand,” Javoy noted. “She is natural, graceful, modern and spirited.” She concluded: “As with everything the Chloé brand does, this new fragrance is a story of women, by women, for women.”
The lure of l’amour
The Chloé Love Story juice – which took a year to create – explores new floral territory, notably orange blossom, neroli and jasmine stephanotis. The Chloé fragrance portfolio to date has been underpinned by rose. Other key ingredients include musk and woods.
“This second signature is all about white flowers,” confirmed nose Flipo, “which I was asked to reinterpret and reinvent for Chloé. I consider Chloé to be a unique and particular brand for a perfumer to work with.”
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The eye-catching fragrance ‘bar’ at the Chloé Love Story evening event |
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Left: White florals underpin the Chloé Love Story juice; right: Christine And The Queens get the rooftop launch party started | |
Flipo discussed how she spent a lot of time with Javoy, in a bid to really understand the DNA of the brand. Of the fragrance brief she revealed: “It had to be fresh, sexy and floral. But above all it had to be clean.”
Flipo selected orange flower for its seductive and attractive qualities. “Men love it when women wear this,” she chuckled. “I just needed to find the best way to interpret this flower for Chloé. It’s my job to understand – and create – exactly what the people in front of me are looking for.”
Flipo also underlined the quality of the raw materials used. “This is very important,” she explained. “You can have best recipe, the best formula in the world, but it means nothing if you use inferior ingredients.”
Flipo concluded: ” This is my first Chloé fragrance – in fact my first Coty fragrance – and it was a good challenge.”
The face of love
Face Poésy described the invitation to return as a Chloé face as the “perfect Christmas gift”, in line with the timing of the offer. “I was very touched by their loyalty and the fact that they wanted to work with me again,” she explained. “Also, before there were three of us, representing different personalities of the Chloé woman. The launch of the signature [scent] was more about an affirmation of identity. This time there is more of a narrative, it’s more about a story that they created”¦there was a lot of dancing and movement. It was very free and very fun. We laughed a lot.”
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The Moodie Report’s Rebecca Mann embraces the Love Story ideal |
Poésy described the juice as feminine and summery. “There’s something quite joyful about it,” she noted. “And I think it’s suitable for day and night”¦I feel like it’s got the right balance between fresh and feminine.”
Dressed casually in skinny black jeans, top and flat black shoes, Poésy admitted she was not at all high-maintenance in terms of maquillage. “I love leaving the house with no make-up on, but I really feel like something is missing if I’m not wearing perfume,” she explained.
Poésy laughed off the idea of having beauty secrets. “I sleep a lot,” she offered. “I nap when I can. And when possible I swim.” Slim and lithe, she nonetheless doesn’t deny herself treats. “When I’m travelling I buy duty free stuff, and I always know what I want,” she observed. “In Germany I buy boxes and boxes of dark chocolate Lübeck marzipan. I can eat a whole box in half an hour.”
