Diplomatic Chanel

When it comes to fashion, lifestyle and luxury, France has no better global “diplomat” than the name Chanel. For decades, too numerous to even mention, the name Coco Chanel has lent itself to providing France a mystique and élan that’s hard to beat. And when we speak of fragrances, the list of iconic scents bear witness to how Chanel S.A. has consistently trumped the competition, showing how business acumen, heady marketing and solid research can achieve a two-fold mission-vision — keeping fragrances that can only be described as institutions still relevant, while producing new and modern scents that are hallmarked to follow the footsteps of their progenitors. And when you consider how the brand has survived beyond the years of the gamine Coco, one begins to appreciate how this fashion brand has evolved and stayed on top.

In the arena of men’s fragrances, Chanel has also parlayed its equity to creating scents that have made it to the top of the FiFi Awards (sponsored by The Fragrance Foundation, and held annually in NYC). Both Allure Homme and Bleu de Chanel took home the prized Men’s Fragrance of the Year — Luxe, in 2000 and 2011, respectively. And for 2014, with a marketing campaign hinged on summer and surfing, Chanel introduces the new Allure Homme Sport Eau Extreme refillable travel spray. This new travel format comes in a box where we find the sleek, metallic, twist and spray 20 ml. canister, and two refills. Sexy, portable, sturdy and convenient!

The musky aromatic Allure Homme Sport is an intoxicating mélange of masculinity and freshness. The fresh aromatic top notes consist of Sicilian Mandarin, Moroccan Cypress, Spearmint and Clary Sage, while White Musk and Venezuelan Tonka Bean provide the musky top notes. The icy heart of the scent is Madagascar Black Pepper, while the woody base are Cedar Wood and Sandalwood. These most precious of ingredients make for a scent that’s long-lasting, and perfect for the summer months when we strive to be active outdoors! In this new travel format, Chanel has created one perfect accessory for the sporty man.

Global warming

With the summer heat upon us, the three novels today come from all over the globe, warming up our reading list. Setterfield’s drama/fantasy romp is set in England; while one of today’s hottest novelists, Vasquez, sets his tale in Colombia. As for Svetkey’s lad-lit story, American style, it takes us from Manhattan to sunny LA. Enjoy!

Bellman & Black by Diane Setterfield (available at National Book Store) Authoress of the highly regarded The Thirteenth Tale, Setterfield once again takes us back to the Victorian Era with this creepy tale about a young man’s rise through life when the odds were against him. And how a cruel childhood incident, killing a rook with a slingshot, comes back to haunt and torment him throughout his life. Our protagonist is the illegitimate son of a wastrel born into a family that owns a textile mill. When given the chance to work at the mill, he proves to be a more than zealous entrepreneur, more of an asset to the future fortune of the mill than the legitimate heir. But death to those close to him hounds him in an inexplicable manner. A Gothic tale that sparkles!

The Sound of Things Falling by Juan Gabriel Vasquez (available at Kinokuniya) After two literary novels, well-received by critics, Vasquez is back with a story that takes one deeply into Colombia’s checkered recent history, from a very personal perspective. Young Law professor, Antonio Yammara, befriends Ricardo Laverde at a local billiards hall. Laverde is a pilot of light aircraft, and the mystery raises its head when Laverde reveals he’s an ex-con trying to reconcile with his American Peace Corps wife, and long-lost (to him) daughter. Assassinated on a street corner with Yammara wounded, all is revealed, piece by piece, as Yammara meets said daughter, and the cocaine and weed Medellin trade inserts itself into our tale. Engrossing!

Leading Man by Benjamin Svetkey (available at Fully Booked) If the concept of lad-lit (close relative of chick lit) were to bloom American-style, Svetkey would be one of its leading lights — in the same manner that Nick Hornby and Mike Gayle are the British proponents. Max and Samantha are childhood sweethearts, living together in New York; he,  an Entertainment writer and she, an aspiring actress. Story develops as Sam marries a co-actor who happens to be Jack Montana, a big Hollywood star and childhood screen idol of Max. Jealousy, humor, the fragility of one’s ego after being crushed, all form themes for this book, and the arc of Max’s character. When terminal illness strikes Montana, story shifts to something unexpected, yet so rewarding.