From Coco Noir, launched in 2012, Chanel took a break until 2017, when the house launched Gabrielle. I was looking forward to smelling it and I had such high expectations, considering the fact that all other designer fragrances from the house are simply divine. Allure is in my top five of all-time loved fragrances, high on a list of designer fragrances that I love. Well, Gabrielle unfortunately did not meet my expectations.

The design of the bottle, that resembles very well with the classics, made me think of a more complex and complete juice, but that actually it is not the case for me, when it comes to describing Gabrielle.

Olivier Polge, the nose that created Gabrielle is a genius, but this one is just too simple, linear, and doesn’t stand out. If Gabrielle were to be created by other designer brands, newer and not so iconic la Chanel, maybe it would have been a different experience for me.

The fragrance is perfect for the summer, because it is citrusy, fresh, soapy and a bit sweet. Definitely one can feel the grapefruit, the mandarin, a hint of jasmine and tuberose, just a little bit of spice from pink pepper, and some musk.

After 10-15 minutes, the citric explosion becomes milder and the feeling on my skin is purely soapy. When I was little, I use to put soap bars between clothes and sheets to maintain the freshness. That is the smell I get from Gabrielle’s base.

For me, it is just a casual fragrance for casual wear, perfect for work or fun and most likely feminine.

If you know you love fresh, citrusy, light fragrances then give this one a try. If you’re into strong, statement fragrances then you might feel just like me when it comes to Gabrielle.