In 1917, there was a new shape in the air when Coty launched its now legendary Chypre de Coty. Putting forth the idea that a perfume could smell as indefinably complex as the person who wore it, this landmark scent swept away the cobwebs of the simpler floral perfumery of the previous century. In the century that followed, the chypre idea proved to be an enduring one, its seemingly endless permutations of bergamot, labdanum, and oakmoss giving rise to some of the most meaningful perfumes in the world, like Mitsouko, Tabac Blond, and Pour Monsieur.
Of course, time stops for no man (and no chypre). In this post-IFRA age, and 100 years on from the launch of Chypre de Coty, Parle-Moi de Parfum suggests that Chypre Mojo is what a chypre now looks like. Despite the absence of oakmoss, Chypre Mojo rolls in with all the presence of a proper “old skool” perfume. Its combination of carnation and patchouli conjures up a phantasmagoric impression of a massive rose-patch chypre that’s been soaked in plum wine and dusted with black pepper. A bright, pulpy heart of mango takes the stiff bones of the chypre and ages it backwards until it feels more legible for a younger audience. Chypre Mojo never feels less than a chypre, though. While the fruit keeps those feel-good endorphins flowing, the peppery carnation and patchouli duo adds that touch of vermouth dryness that says chypre as clear as a bell. Confident, modern, and ebullient, Chypre Mojo makes us think that, 100 years on, the chypre still has its mojo.
