This fall, Cartier will follow Chanel (Les Exclusifs), Giorgio Armani (Armani Privé) and Hermès (the Hermessences) into high-end niche perfume territory. Les Heures de Parfum, the new collection, will be...
...“a really ‘haute’ collection of exclusive fragrances for connoisseurs,” says Daninos [Cartier's marketing development director Sabrina], explaining each one will have — along with its name — a number, like hours in the day. Number 12, for instance, is also called L’Heure Mystérieuse (or “the mysterious hour”).
Look for the first 5 (out of a projected 13) fragrances to launch this year in limited distribution. All of the scents will be developed by perfumer Mathilde Laurent, who currently oversees Cartier's bespoke fragrance business, and they'll run around $255 for 75 ml. (via wwd)
Update: the first five perfumes, due to launch in October at Saks, are ~
I L’Heure Promise "represents a moment of possibility" and features petitgrain, fresh herbs, iris, sandalwood and musk.
VI L’Heure Brilliante "was inspired by high-energy nightlife and neon effervescence" and includes notes of lemon, flaxseed, gin notes and aldehydes.
X L’Heure Folle was inspired by Cartier’s Tutti Frutti jewelry collection, and the notes feature redcurrant, pink peppercorn, grenadine, blueberry, blackcurrant, blackberry, violet, leafy notes, ivy, boxwood, shiso, aldehydes and polygonum.
XII L’Heure Mystérieuse includes notes of jasmine, patchouli, elemi gum, coriander, incense, frankincense and juniper.
XIII La Treizième Heure is described by Laurent as “olfactive trickery, like a crime with premeditation”; the notes include leather, maté, birch, narcissus, bergamot, patchouli and vanilla.
(via cosmeticworld)
Update: see a review of Cartier Les Heures de Parfum.
$255 for 75 ml = ouch :-/
Yep. Par for the course though!
At that price I lose interest in even trying them out!
How expensive are the Chanel/Hermes and how large are the bottles?
I don’t know off the top of my head.
I looked around the Armani/Chanel/Hermes posts here, so the prices should be about…
Hermes: 100 ml for $180
Chanel: 200 ml for $175
Armani: 50 ml for $185
I hope these Cartier Les Heures perfumes are really good
where did you see Chanel Exclusif for $175 ?? I bought a bottle of 31 Rue Cambon last month from the boutique in Washingon for $225 (including shipping) —maybe I need a different boutique!
I’m getting that from here: https://nstperfume.com/2006/12/22/les-exclusifs-de-chanel-the-thymes-azur-azzaro-now-new-fragrances/
I’ve never seen a Chanel Exclusiv ever
ahh, I see ….that was a while ago; prices have gone up…rats, I was excited about getting a better deal.
The Les Exclusif line is only available in the boutiques —of course you can call them to order but then they slap that $25 shipping charge on it (and probably laugh raucously) the entire time.
I’ve read somewhere that soon the exclusifs will be availble online at the chanel store.
Hermessences are now $235 for 100ml.
$255 per 75 ml? They had better be pretty damn ‘haute.’ xP
Finally, the only one that didn’t have a niche line of my 4 favorite fragrance houses will launch a niche line! Considering that all cartier fragrances have a vintage and classy aura, i think i’ll love these ones. But, 255 dollars? Very expensive 🙁
I don’t know why none of the other lines are doing anything like the Hermes discovery sets 🙁
Hold up!
I love Hermes. What’s this “discovery set” you’re referring to?
You can buy the Hermessences in sets of four 15 ml bottles…still not cheap (and sorry I don’t know the current price) but you can split them w/ others to just get a single 15 ml bottle.
$145. I’ve been eyeing a set of VT, maybe setting up a split.
Actually, just tried their new colognes and was impressed. But I’ll wait until you review them.
I don’t know if it is Robin’s discovery set, but you can buy the hermessences in sets comprising four travel size, either of the same fragrance, or of a selection of the first hermessences. As far as I know, you cannot choose which ones… it should be the first four…;)
Ops, robin already answered! It is the same set I was referring to….
I think this concept of exclusivity is absurd. At least in most cases.
I recently tried Beige, from the exclusive Chanel collection.
I really liked it a lot, I actually loved it, but except for my personal taste, I don’t see anything that sets it apart from the Sephora-distributed Eau première. Except the stupid 200 ml size.
The same I would say for the (recently discovered) Hermessence: I liked almost everything I tried in the collection(well, except for Vanille Galante); but there again I don’t see any serious reason keeping the hermessences too far from the Jardin series.
This fake “exclusivity” is an annoying marketing strategy, at least in my opinion.
I completely agree with everything you said. Le Labo is also guilty of this with their City Exclusives.
I wholeheartedly second that! It’s just annoying!
It’s annoying, but it works…people are drawn in by the exclusivity factor, no doubt. Beyond that, not sure all these scents would sell in regular department stores, and even more, not sure all department stores would even be interested in carrying them — I think that is a factor far more often than consumers realize….I don’t think it’s entirely a matter of strategy that so many scents are only at Bergdorf Goodman or Saks.
Interesting that these will all be done by one perfumer. That’s a large collection in a short amount of time. Must be quite the challenge for Ms. Laurent! Roadster seems to be quite a hit, so it will be interesting to see what she does with these.
I’m not very familiar with any of the exclusive scent lines – mostly staying away cause I’d probably never spend so much on a bottle of perfume. I have ordered a couple from Perfumed Court, though, and liked them – Chanel’s 31 Rue Cambon and Coromandel. But are either bottle worthy for me? Nope. There are plenty of really great scents at much cheaper price points, IMO. I won’t balk at small samples, though. 🙂
200ml is a lot of one perfume anyhow, unless it’s your Complete, Unchallenged Holy Grail Scent….. so if it’s not your HG, a trip to scent splits is in order!
Rue Cambon is one of your HGs, isn’t it, Daisy? It is really beautiful, and I’m really looking forward to a decant.
sigh….yeah, I love the stuff….I have your 10ml waiting for a post office run. Gotta finish making J’s birthday goody. In fact maybe I should do that right now!
Karin, it’s the same at Hermes w/ Jean Claude Ellena and at Chanel with Jacques Polge.
WOW…$255 for 75ml!!! I think on general principal I am not interested no matter how good they are. There are plenty of wonderful fragrances for much less.
It makes the Chanel Exclusifs look like a down right bargain at $200 for 200 ml. BTW Helg at Perfume Shrine noted that the exclusifs will be available on Chanel.com soon.
That’s good news.
If they start making les exclusivs in smaller sizes, I would be really happy!
Anyone else loved Beige?
I’m thinking about it for my weeding….
I can’t see buying one, but I’ll certainly try them eventually. Wonder if Cartier has the “cachet” to sell this sort of thing though…they aren’t generally mentioned in the same breath as other high end fragrane lines.
You’re right. When I think of Cartier I think watches and jewelry, not perfume.
Chanel Les Exclusifs collection is available at Chanel.com’s US site–as far as I know it can only ship to US addresses. Sort of like Serge Lutens’ site can only ship to European areas.
Following in the footsteps….why I am tired of all those inexplicable launches? (even though I totally respect ML)
These things are soooo easy to predict nowadays, even if they are issued in completely different economic circumstances than others before. Who’s left to do a comparable project? YSL! Expect to hear from them soon. 🙂
Christian Dior also, although they did that sort of half-hearted attempt a year or so ago.
Chanel Les Exclusifs is expensive, but you do get a lot; it works out at $1 for 1 ml, after all. So the real concern for me is the commitment that buying 200 ml implies. On a per 1 ml basis, Tauer costs twice as much, and many of the niche brands even more. The Cartier line is $3.40 per 1ml, and that seems quite expensive to me.
On the other hand, the restricted distribution is a pain. I understand Chanel is getting ready to sell the Les Exclusifs online, which I think we should applaud. (Buy one if you can, so that they keep doing that!) It is very annoying when things are restricted to a particular location. I live in the boonies!
Well, most places will ship…being able to buy the Exclusifs online doesn’t do anything except save you a phone call, which admittedly is convenient, but doesn’t change the fact that if you live in the boonies, you’ve no easy way to try them.
Exactly. I’m sufficiently phone-averse to have trouble with the idea of making a phone call… but I HAVE done, when I really had to. Still, one has to buy blind.
The web is easier, no doubt! Just saying that it isn’t like Chanel is increasing distribution in any big way. But will be interesting to see if any other brands follow suit.
So glad I’m not the only one! LOL! And now my husband is the great enabler…he’ll gladly make any call I ask him to make.
Although it’s a bigger bottle but the concentration of the juice is another consideration. So 1ml of Chanel may not be comparable to 1ml of Cartier. And then there is the cost of ingredients to think about. Eitherway these companies have discovered that releasing new exclusive perfumes is a good way to separate money from people with good amount of disposable income, so why not?
I am sorely tempted by the Chanel Exclusifs but unluckily (luckily for my wallet) there is no Chanel stores in my town.
Ordering online in the States would be good though – they have complimentary free shipping for orders over a certain amount. I don’t recall the exact figure except that buying a jug of Exclusif will definitely get you qualify for free shipping.
I’m overjoyed to get to smell more of Mathilde Laurent’s work: Roadster is excellent, and while she was at Guerlain she did superior stuff: Guet-Apens (now Attrape-Coeur), Shalimar Light, the most interesting Aqua Allegorias (Herba Fresca and Pamplelune). Very much looking forward to this, though I probably won’t be able to afford much…
Agree, she has done lovely work and it seems a waste that she now does mostly custom work.
I second what Carmencanada above has written. Love and/or greatly respect ML’s work and heavens she must have been working hard since she went to Cartier! 13 fragrances (14 inc Roadster). The stepped release is probably a good idea. Those 12 Tom Fords all in one go were a bit much and it’s only in this last year that I’ve spent any time with one or the other and feel I can evaluate properly. (How do Luca and Tania do it? Respect!) The price point is pretty painful though I haven’t for one second ever regretted buying 31 rue Cambon and that was my spendiest purchase (still is).
Whew, agree entirely on the TF Private Blends…way too much at one go.
I want to know – are they doing a 12 hour clock or are they doing a 24 hour clock. They projected 13 but why 13? Hmmm… interesting.
No idea, sorry!
Cartier global headquarters = 13, Rue de la Paix, 75002 Paris, France. As you can see it is not directly related to the hours but more in veins of Chanel 31 rue Cambon; Hermès 24, Faubourg; Guerlain Cologne du 68; and Balenciaga Le Dix. I might be missing a few number-inspired ones but that’s the jist of it.