Jacques has been with Chanel for twenty years and he began his brilliant career at Roure, now Givaudan Roure, in New York and later worked with Jean Amic in Paris.

To be in the presence of one legend is an extraordinary experience. But, when it is two, the moment is awe-inspiring. That is precisely what happened when we met with Chanel’s elegant master perfumer, Jacques Polge, in the historic and romantic apartment of Mlle Chanel on the Rue Cambon in Paris this past spring.

There amidst the glamorous memorabilia and momentos that reflect the life and times of this awesome and influential woman, we talked of the wonders of Mlle Chanel and her trailblazing breakthrough fragrance, Chanel No 5. We also discussed the wonders of fragrance as it exists today and anticipated changes in the future.

Of course, we were eager to have Jacques Polge share his thoughts about the reasons why Chanel No 5 has remained one of the world’s great all-time fragrance classics though it was introduced in 1921. "There are a lot of things to say about that" Jacques Polge explained. "I don’t believe there is just one reason. Not only was Chanel No 5 the first couturier fragrance, but Mlle Chanel was the first to link the world of fashion and fragrance together. Then there was the presentation, particularly the bottle. It was something very new at the time, and proved to exemplify modernity from generation to generation. It is interesting to note that the bottle has been photographed more than any other in or out of the industry over these many years."

"The name was also something new, as was the fragrance. In the 1920s, fragrance was always related to the precise smell of flowers, but Chanel No 5 was the first abstract fragrance. In a way, I believe this was the reason why it never went out of fashion."

"At the same time Chanel No 5 has become almost mythological, which is something very few fragrances ever achieve. Perhaps there are things you cannot explain. What can be said is that the fragrance has been managed, since the time it was created, by dedicated perfumers who are committed to the highest standard of quality. Chanel No 5 has always been very carefully watched and every element which makes a fragrance a success is there and has always been there." Jacques Polge then expressed to us that when Mlle Chanel created the fragrance "she was fighting against perfumers. Her idea was that the bottle should be as simple as possible and everything should be in the fragrance."

Jacques Polge also shared with us his thoughts about how dramatically our industry has changed in contemporary times. "It is not enough" he said "to look to the past. We must all be concerned about what is around us. Obviously, when a new fragrance is introduced, we all want it to be successful. The question we face, however, is will it last? In reality, very few fragrances do."

We spoke of what had inspired him to become a perfumer. He laughed and explained, "It’s very difficult to say, because there are things you are aware of and things of which you are not aware. My father was a doctor and had no connection with perfume. But I think because I was living, by chance, in Grasse in the south of France, from the time I was twelve until I went to the university at eighteen, I became aware there was such a profession as a perfumer. If I had lived in the north of France or in Paris, I would not have known."

When we asked Jacques Polge what he thought women wanted from fragrance in today’s world, he was quick to respond. "Women want to feel free and are eager to be comfortable with who they are. For instance, since I started long ago * the tremendous difference between what was called a woman’s fragrance and what was called a man’s fragrance has narrowed considerably. I think women have taken our trousers and are now taking our fragrances. That is very important to understand. It must be considered whether you are working on a man's, woman’s or unisex fragrance. In fact, some companies have been very successful with unisex fragrances. Really, it all depends on what is right for a particular company. For us, there is still the important difference between the two and I think women want that, regardless of age."

As for the influence of fashion on the fragrance experience, Mr. Polge was quick to respond "Perfume is at the service of fashion. Fashion leads. It gives the style. The biggest problem for the perfumer is when you compare it with the business of fashion. In fashion, there are at least four shows during the year and many, many models. We launch a fragrance very seldom, so the problem is to choose a fragrance which will express different fashion trends. In the instance of Mlle Chanel, when she created No 5, it was her influence even more than that of the great perfumer, Ernest Beaux, who interpreted her vision. The same is true of all of the Chanel fragrances. It was always and still is Mlle Chanel’s influence, more than the perfumer, which gives each fragrance its unique character."

Jacques Polge expressed his personal feelings about fragrance in an extremely introspective way. "What I like about fragrance is the poetic element; the fact that fragrance is a silent language that does not use words. One can express with fragrance things that cannot be expressed in any other way. And, that’s what I like. It is the very subjective, invisible, silent part of fragrance which greatly appeals to me." Overall he expressed his conviction "that the moment was coming that the perception of perfume, which for such a long time was only considered from the point of view of seduction, was changing and now many men and women cannot start their day without fragrance and that probably means all the psychological elements are important. The key, I believe, is that fragrance makes people feel good about themselves."

His observation triggered a discussion of the current trend in America in which the public is increasingly looking for fragrances with benefit beyond a pleasurable and beautiful scent. We explained the growing desire for fragrances which help to reduce stress, exhilarate, calm or energize. We talked about the science of aroma-chology developed by the Olfactory Research Fund. He, of course, knew about the worth of the Fund and that Dr. Jack Mausner, senior vice president and director, Research and Development of Chanel is the Chairman of the Board of the Fund.

Mr. Polge explained he’s been hearing a lot about the trend. "Certainly," he emphasized "there is a big difference between fragrance and medicine but, of course, I understand we are talking about the psychological impact of fragrance. It’s another way of talking about perfume. A different way. In the future, Chanel will probably have to move toward this direction." When we explained to him that we had been in discussion with industry members in France about holding a symposium about aroma-chology in Paris, he was quite enthusiastic.

Finally, weI asked, if he could look into his crystal ball, what does he think fragrance will be like in the future. "Well," he responded "based on what we have just said together, it will be more important than it has ever been. But, no matter how large the industry becomes, I don’t see any contradiction in being successful and being creative. It is essential that we never lose sight of the dimension of the artisan in the creation of fragrance. Take the instance of M. Beaux who created Chanel No 5 in 1921. Though his world and ours are totally different, there are still things that are the same, most particularly the artistry. We must help people to feel and appreciate this dimension." We couldn’t have agreed more, but then it was perfectly natural to be sympatique with this charming and talented contemporary olfactory genius who shared the same love of perfume and the world of the senses which make it possible.