Angèle in Chanel: retro allure at the Trianon for the launch of Coco Mademoiselle Crush Absolu

Léa FontaineSeptember 24, 20266 Mins read1

The maison Chanel organised an evening event at the Trianon in Paris on 17 September 2026 to unveil its new olfactory creation.
The event celebrated the launch of the Coco Mademoiselle Crush Absolu fragrance, composed by perfumer Olivier Polge.

The artist Angèle stood out in a retro playsuit paying tribute to the beachwear silhouettes of 1914.

This Thursday, 17 September 2026, the Belgian singer Angèle in Chanel captured all eyes during the launch party for the Coco Mademoiselle Crush Absolu fragrance at the Trianon theatre in Paris. Dressed in a retro playsuit paying tribute to the first beachwear creations of Gabrielle Chanel, the artist shared this celebratory moment with actor Pierre Niney and a host of prestigious guests. This event marks a new olfactory chapter for the maison of Rue Cambon, twenty-five years after the creation of the original fragrance. In the cosy setting of this monument in the eighteenth arrondissement, the artistic and social effervescence recalled the haute couture house’s visceral attachment to Parisian cultural life, uniting historical elegance with the most contemporary expressions of music and cinema.

Maison: Chanel

Maison: Chanel

Event: Launch of the Coco Mademoiselle Crush Absolu fragrance

Venue: Le Trianon, Paris (18th arrondissement)
Angèle’s silhouette: Knitted playsuit from the Cruise 2026 collection

Inspiration: Gabrielle Chanel’s swimsuit in Biarritz (1914)

A Parisian setting for an olfactory reinterpretation

The world of haute parfumerie demands backdrops that match its prestige, capable of materialising the spirit of a scent through a unique architecture and atmosphere. The choice of the Trianon fits perfectly into this quest for cultural resonance. This Parisian performance venue, renowned for its monumental facade and Belle Époque aesthetic, offers an ideal theatricality to celebrate the heritage of a house that has always maintained close ties with the stage, dance, and live performance. By taking over this historic theatre in the eighteenth arrondissement, the brand asserts its desire to anchor its major launches in places steeped in memory, transforming a simple product presentation into a true total artistic experience, where the senses respond to and complement each other in perfect visual and olfactory harmony.

The olfactory heritage of Rue Cambon and the Polge lineage

The creation of a new perfume at Chanel is a meticulous process where respect for tradition is combined with a constant search for modernity. Since the beginnings of its perfumery activity, the maison of Rue Cambon has distinguished itself by an approach of independence and excellence, symbolised by the presence of an exclusive nose responsible for watching over the brand’s olfactory heritage while imagining the signatures of tomorrow. The launch of Coco Mademoiselle Crush Absolu is part of this dynamic of intergenerational transmission that characterises the luxury house.

The original formula, developed by Jacques Polge a quarter of a century ago, shook up the codes of women’s perfumery by offering a bold accord of fresh patchouli and bright fruity notes. Twenty-five years later, it is his son, Olivier Polge, who directs the olfactory creation and offers this new interpretation. This technical and artistic lineage guarantees the preservation of manufacturing secrets and the continuity of an inimitable style, while allowing subtle variations adapted to contemporary sensibilities. By reworking the main lines of the original scent, the perfumer manages to reconcile the rigour of classical proportions with an unexpected freshness, thus asserting the durability of the Chanel style through the eras.

A Parisian setting for a new olfactory creation

The historic Trianon theatre, located in the heart of the 18th arrondissement of Paris, served as the backdrop for the global unveiling of Coco Mademoiselle Crush Absolu. Embodied by singer Gracie Abrams, this new olfactory score stands out as a contemporary reading of a great classic of perfumery. This new scent offers a contemporary reinterpretation orchestrated by perfumer Olivier Polge, a quarter of a century after the formulation of the initial juice by his father, Jacques Polge, thus perpetuating a unique family and technical transmission within luxury creation.

This exceptional evening highlighted the remarkable architecture of the venue, whose ornamental details and metallic structure recall the industrial and artistic audacity of late nineteenth-century Paris. By combining this period aesthetic with sleek contemporary installations, the house created a striking contrast that echoes the very composition of the perfume, where classic notes blend with more modern and bold accords. The general atmosphere of the event thus celebrated a form of reinvented classicism, dear to the brand’s philosophy.

A shower of celebrities at the Café Mademoiselle

To celebrate this creation, many personalities from the French and international artistic scene gathered. Among the guests were singer Clara Luciani, artist Eddy de Pretto, as well as Lux Pascal (the sister of actor Pedro Pascal) and content creator Léna Situations. The guests met in a temporary setting called Café Mademoiselle, specially set up for the occasion within the Trianon. Present in her capacity as a historic ambassador, Angèle was notably spotted in deep conversation with actor Pierre Niney.

The Café Mademoiselle recreated the cosy atmosphere of traditional Parisian salons, mixing elegant furniture with contemporary graphic touches. This meeting point allowed the artists to exchange in a relaxed setting, illustrating the brand’s ability to bring together different generations of creators from various disciplines. From song to cinema, via the digital world, the diversity of the profiles present testified to the persistent influence of the Rue Cambon brand among the world’s creative youth, confirming its role as a crossroads of cultural influences and trends.

The beachwear inspiration of Angèle’s playsuit in Chanel

The garment chosen by the Belgian artist for this occasion was no coincidence. It is part of an in-depth reinterpretation of the house’s archives, highlighting an essential part of the history of sportswear and beach fashion. The knitted playsuit from the Cruise 2026 collection refers directly to the introduction of jersey into the female wardrobe by Gabrielle Chanel. This approach, initiated in Biarritz, consisted of repurposing comfortable and utilitarian materials to design garments synonymous with freedom of movement and independence for women at the beginning of the last century.

Biarritz 1914: the genesis of Chanel’s stylistic freedom

The summer of 1914 marked a decisive turning point in the career of Gabrielle Chanel and in the history of Western fashion. Established in Biarritz, far from the Parisian bustle and close to an aristocratic clientele in search of novelty, the designer perceived the need for a major aesthetic break. She noted that traditional women’s clothing, heavy and restrictive, was unsuited to outdoor activities and changing lifestyles. Inspiring herself from the male wardrobe and maritime outfits, she decided to use wool jersey to make her first sports creations and her revolutionary swimsuits.

This fluid and flexible material, once reserved for the manufacture of men’s underwear, allowed the sculpting of light silhouettes that hugged the body without restricting it. Success was immediate among the bold women of the time, seduced by this promise of ease and natural elegance. By freeing herself from corsets and rigid structures, Gabrielle Chanel laid the foundations of what would become the modern allure. The Cruise 2026 collection reactivates this historical heritage by reinterpreting these pioneering beachwear pieces, proving that the spirit of independence born on the beaches of Biarritz remains an inexhaustible source of inspiration for contemporary fashion.

Angèle’s retro allure inspired by Gabrielle Chanel

Faithful to the spirit of relaxed elegance specific to the brand, the 30-year-old singer caused a sensation in a black playsuit with white piping featuring a pronounced open back, four welt pockets and a matching belt. From Chanel’s Cruise 2026 collection, this creation draws its direct inspiration from the personal history of Gabrielle Chanel, who designed her first swimsuits in Biarritz in 1914 using the jerseys of her lover, Boy Capel. While the silhouette was initially presented at the Casino de Biarritz with high rubber boots, the performer preferred to pair it with high heels to refine her walk.

This choice of accessorising demonstrates a fine understanding of the house’s codes, where daywear can easily be transformed into eveningwear through a subtle play of associations. By combining this knitted playsuit with high-heeled shoes, the artist preserved the relaxed and sporty aspect of the original piece while giving it a sophistication ideal for a Parisian night event. The contrasting details of the white piping highlight the graphic structure of the cut, while the open back brings a touch of assertive femininity, faithful to the bold spirit of the house’s historic designer.

A creative complicity destined to last

This appearance at the Trianon confirms Angèle’s deep anchoring within the ecosystem of the French house, an alliance initiated in 2019. After lending her features to the Eyewear campaign in 2020, then embodying the Coco Beach line in 2021, the artist reached a new creative milestone with the Rue Cambon brand. This long-term collaboration was consolidated in 2025 when Angèle became the face of the Chance Eau Splendide fragrance, directed by director Jean-Pierre Jeunet in an aesthetic universe very close to her own compositions.

This artistic complicity between the Belgian singer and the Rue Cambon brand illustrates the permanent dialogue of the house with music and the art of living. This prestigious alliance thus sublimates the launch of Coco Mademoiselle Crush Absolu, an olfactory creation signed by perfumer Olivier Polge.