By Thomas
This just might be the scent I’ve worn the most. Back when my morning routine consisted of selecting between just two bottles, Chanel Platinum Egoiste was the default choice (Herrera for Men was the other). Never mind what the critics say about the sharp, sporty fougeres, this one served me well.
The bottle has a shiny cap which evokes the opening notes. To be frank – it’s glossy, brittle, and angular. It smells metallic and watery and maybe a tad whiny/pushy. Just as Yatagan has no floral notes (or HAD no floral notes), PE seems to have nothing to tone down the brittle angularity. Lavender, juniper, and rosemary (excuuuse me, is that gin you’re wearing?) are loaded up in the front end of this one, along with calone and something metallic.
After a short while the florals start to emerge. Well, let’s say the gentle florals – PS develops some depth to the scent and the initial sharpness starts to soften. This is where it gets good – when I arrive at the office. PE develops a reasonable balance crisp and pleasant, radiates fairly strongly, and stays very cool. I’d think iris was in here, but the rest of the scent is so pushy that the iris wouldn’t stand a chance. We’ll say there’s some sage and call it even.
Towards drydown, things settle only slightly. Cedar appears only lightly, probably a bit of oakmoss and anise give a little more depth to PE, but nothing else really jumps out to add warmth – no vanilla, no amber, no musk. It’s as though the scent wants to stay as sleek and cool as the bottle itself.
Is this a good scent? There are plenty of detractors to Platinum Egoiste, probably because a) it’s available outside of the Chanel boutiques and b) it lacks the Chanel ‘ambience’. Just as Pour Monsieur and Antaeus have a rich, classical fullness (labdanum, beeswax, etc. etc.), Platinum Egoiste goes in the opposite direction with cool watery floral astringency. It’s as though Chanel is being punished for Polge making a scent to follow the Cool Water trend. I still wear this from time to time, but to me it’s a younger man’s scent. Give it a chance, wait for the drydown, then cast your judgment – It’s as good as any in the genre.
Year: 1993
Perfumer: Jacques Polge
Notes: Lavender, Rosemary, Petitgrain, Clary Sage, Geranium, Galbanum, Vetiver, Cedarwood, Labdanum, Tree Moss
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I wish I could share your enthusiasm for PE. Like Cool Water, I just can't bear to smell this type of scent anymore...I blame it on the stench of high school.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever had the opportunity to sniff Bois Noir? Now that was a beauty. I've shelled out way to much on overly expensive decants for my husband. Chanel discontinued it in the '80's and replaced it with Egoiste. Which is like BN on a diet. I've never tried Platinum though.
ReplyDeleteI'm not as enthusiastic as I once was about PE. My tastes have of course changed through the years, but this was about as good as it got for me maybe 12 years ago. I wouldn't have touched Antaeus or Pour Monsieur back then. How times change.
ReplyDeleteKathleen - re: Bois Noir, I never sniffed it but I didn't go for Egoiste at all. For some reason I have a thing against scents that are too refined, and the Sandalwood in Egoiste just hit me wrong. I do recall a few giggly moments about the rampant proliferation of Perfumes using Bois or Noir in the name. Bois Noir must have been outrageously expensive to make if Chanel shelved it for BN-lite.
This is one that I used to wear frequently - my April thru September Chanel, with Allure Homme for the colder months. PE is probably the "coldest" fragrance I've ever smelled. It's also the sharpest. Your words "glossy, brittle, and angular" are also terrific adjectives to describe it. I think it's pretty good, though.
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