Jacques Polge
"I like to think that my fragrances have a certain understated elegance, like a well-cut garment."
Jacques Polge is a renowned French perfumer, known for his pivotal role at Chanel, where he was the exclusive nose from 1978 to 2015. Trained at the Givaudan perfumery school, he began his career in the 1960s, working in particular for Roure Bertrand Dupont, a composition house where he honed his art.
His arrival at Chanel marked a turning point in the company's history. For over 35 years, Jacques Polge brilliantly reinterpreted the brand's olfactory codes, while at the same time innovating. He was responsible for such iconic fragrances as Coco (1984), Égoïste (1990), Allure (1996), Coco Mademoiselle (2001) and Chance (2002).
He also modernised the house's classics, such as N°5, by creating versions like Eau Première. Under his leadership, Chanel continues to combine timeless elegance with olfactory innovation.
Jacques Polge is renowned for his precise and refined style, based on a balance of raw materials and a distinctive olfactory signature, as well as for his ability to combine tradition and modernity. When he stepped down in 2015, he passed the torch to his son, Olivier Polge, himself a talented perfumer.
