Antaeus, the hero of Chanel
In 1955, Gabrielle Chanel embarked on men’s perfumery. She decides to pay them a real tribute by inventing “For Monsieur”. In 1981, at a time when everyone was passionate about Greek mythology, Chanel released “Antaeus”, a perfume committed to a strong concept. “Antaeus” is the symbol of a masculinity that is both powerful and sensitive.
Antaeus or the myth of a hero
“Antaeus” is the story of a Greek hero. Son of Gaia and Poseidon, Antaeus is half God, half human. Antaeus attacked and robbed all foreigners who passed through his lands. He was killed by Heracles. With “Antaeus” Chanel signs a fragrance or opposes the power of a myth and the sensitivity of a man. Powerful as a god and tender as a man, “Antaeus” tells the story of an olfactory duality, the duality between earthly gentleness and divine strength. The man who wears “Antaeus” manages to harmonize his power and his delicacy. This man is virile and extrovert, he likes women to admire his body. However, behind his armor and his “Antaeus” insurance hides mysteries, a certain subtlety or even a vulnerability that he does not show to everyone… It’s up to you to find out!
The contrasting notes of Antaeus
Chanel wanted to create a perfume of contrast. What stands out in “Antaeus” is the duality of his character. Here, the leather / aromatic accord is subtle and suggests the whole myth of our vulnerable hero. “Antaeus” starts with herbal notes such as myrtle and clary sage. These latter are sublimated by the lavender of the Hautes-Alpes. The heart is floral, especially with jasmine and rose, which gives the composition an elegant and feminine side. The trail is warm with the presence of patchouli, Haitian vetiver and Mysore sandalwood. The whole is elegantly linked by tonka bean and cistus labdanum. A leather accord sublimates the whole and confers a torrid force. As for the bottle, it has clean lines and a square structure. Its black color is very bright and intense. It perfectly reflects the image of the hero imagined by Chanel. If we take a good look at the bottle, it also reflects light purplish reflections, a symbol of the sensitivity of our beautiful hero.
In 1991, Chanel launched “Antaeus”. Inspired by Greek mythology, Antaeus is half God, half man. This hero fascinates by his undisputed strength, but also by his share of gentleness. The story of Chanel’s hero is broadcast here with great truth. A leather accord that contrasts with aromatic notes, makes Antaeus a scent of duality, like the character of the Greek hero.
Released in 1981, “ Antaeus ”symbolizes the modern hero of Chanel. Antaeus is a character from Greek mythology. Son of Poseïdon and Gaia, Antaeus is half god and half man and had the reputation of robbing all foreigners who passed through his lands. Antaeus was killed by Heracles, but nonetheless remained a hero… Thanks to the house of Chanel, Antaeus returns among us in the form of a hero of modern times. Both strong and sensitive, “Antaeus” is the fragrance of a resolutely contemporary man, sensual and virile.
Jacques Polge at the origin of the hero of modern times of CHANEL
It is Jacques Polge, official perfumer of the time, who imagined the composition of ” Antaeus “. In 1978, Jacques Polge succeeded Henri Robert, father of N ° 19. At that time, the bar was high and Jacques Polge imagined more modern, even daring creations , recalling the spirit of Gabrielle Chanel. Jacques Polge is a discreet man who does not like to talk about himself. Jacques Polge is the third nose of the house of Chanel, a nose which secretly transmits the composition of the legendary “N ° 5”. Jacques Polge has succeeded in perpetuating the heritage of the house of Chanel by keeping the spirit instilled by Mademoiselle. We owe him exceptional perfumes such as “N ° 19 Poudré”, “Coco Mademoiselle” or “Chance”. Today,
Antaeus, a scented composition made of contrasts
“Antaeus” is a scent of character. Jacques Polge has succeeded in creating a composition of duality between strength and tenderness. “Antaeus” is the result of a perfect alchemy between aromatic notes, mixed with a leather accord, all enhanced with spices. “Antaeus” begins with an association of aromatic and herbaceous notes with the presence of myrrh and clary sage, both enhanced by Hautes-Alpes lavender. You should know that lavender is the emblem of Provence. First exploited in the wild, lavender was cultivated and marketed at the end of the 19th century. In perfumery, we use the essence of lavender. The latter is obtained by steam distillation of freshly cut flowers. In perfumery, lavender is mainly used in men’s compositions. It gives off herbaceous, aromatic, balsamic and very masculine tones. The heart of “Antaeus” is surprisingly feminine and combines the beauty of rose and the opulence of jasmine, which are generally feminine notes. Finally, the base is powerful, warm and sensual, because it associates sandalwood, patchouli and cistus labdanum. A leather accord then sublimates the whole while giving the whole a torrid force.
“Antaeus” is one of Jacques Polge’s great successes. The composition made up of character and contrasts offers a masculine essence that is at once powerful, virile, sensitive and sensual… A fragrance for the heroes of modern times.
Leather Spicy