Chloe

Chloé was founded in Paris in 1952 by Gaby Aghion, an Egyptian-born Frenchwoman who created the concept of luxurious ready-to-wear — beautiful clothes that could be purchased directly rather than custom-ordered. The name Chloé was chosen simply for its euphonic femininity. The house attracted a remarkable succession of creative directors: Karl Lagerfeld (1966-1983 and 1992-1997), Martine Sitbon (1987-1992), Stella McCartney (1997-2001), Phoebe Philo (2001-2006), Hannah MacGibbon (2007-2011), and Clare Waight Keller (2011-2017, now Givenchy). Each brought their own interpretation of Chloé's founding spirit: feminine, free, and gracefully Parisian. Richemont Group acquired Chloé in 1985. The fragrance programme, operated under Coty licensing, has produced several of the most commercially significant feminine fragrances of the 21st century.

Chloé EDP (2008) was created by Michel Almairac — who also created Gucci Guilty Intense — using sheer rose, freesia, magnolia, cedarwood, and amber to create what became one of the defining feminine fragrances of its decade. Almairac's genius was restraint: every note is present, but none dominates, creating a soft, sheer quality that feels like the idea of flowers rather than flowers themselves. Nomade (2018), created by Quentin Bisch — known for Boss The Scent and Guerlain Mon Guerlain — uses mirabelle plum, oak moss, and pink pepper over vetiver and amber for the house's most interesting and complex feminine.

Chloé EDP (2008) is the house's most commercially significant achievement — a sheer, feminine floral of peony-magnolia-rose-cedar that became one of the bestselling feminines of the 2000s decade. Its soft, powder-free character filled a gap between heavy orientals and watery florals that a generation of fragrance wearers had been searching for. Nomade (2018), by Quentin Bisch, has become the critical favourite — its plum-oak moss-vetiver structure is genuinely unusual for a mainstream feminine and rewards the exploratory wearer. Love Story (2014), an orange blossom-vetiver composition created by Christine Nagel (now at Hermès), is elegant and memorable. Rose Naturelle Intense (2021), with Turkish rose and musks, is the house's most explicitly floral recent statement.

Chloé occupies premium accessible luxury — EDPs from €85-€130 — with a Parisian feminine identity that is consistently more aesthetically coherent than comparable-priced competitors. Their customer is the woman who has graduated from mass-market fragrance and wants something genuinely beautiful rather than merely popular.

Every Chloé fragrance at The Scent Stories® is 100% authentic, factory-sealed and brand-packaged — sourced from authorised channels and shipped worldwide.

Chloe — Common Questions

When was Chloé founded?

Chloé was founded in Paris in 1952 by Gaby Aghion, an Egyptian-born Frenchwoman who pioneered the concept of luxurious ready-to-wear — beautiful clothes purchased directly rather than custom-ordered. The name was chosen for its pure femininity. The house attracted an exceptional succession of creative directors including Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney, and Phoebe Philo. Richemont Group acquired Chloé in 1985. The fragrance programme, operated under Coty licensing, launched the iconic Chloé EDP in 2008.

What makes Chloé EDP so popular?

Chloé EDP (2008), created by Michel Almairac, filled a gap in the market that a generation of fragrance wearers had been searching for: a feminine floral that was sheer and soft without being watery or forgettable, and sophisticated without being heavy or old-fashioned. Its combination of peony, magnolia, rose, freesia, and cedarwood achieves transparency through restraint — every note is present but none dominates. It became one of the bestselling feminines of the 2000s decade and remains in the global top ten over 15 years later.

Who are the perfumers behind Chloé fragrances?

Michel Almairac — who also created Gucci Guilty Intense and D&G The One — created the signature Chloé EDP (2008), bringing his philosophy of elegant restraint to the composition. Christine Nagel (now Hermès's master perfumer) created Love Story (2014). Quentin Bisch — known for Boss The Scent and guiding major Guerlain compositions — created Nomade (2018), the most critically interesting recent Chloé. Olivier Polge (now at Chanel) contributed to earlier extensions.

How does Chloé compare to Elie Saab and Lancôme in feminine luxury?

All three produce deeply feminine luxury fragrances at similar price points, but with distinct characters. Chloé is the most French and understated — its sheer quality has no equivalent in either Elie Saab or Lancôme's range. Elie Saab is more luminous and bridal; Lancôme more warmly commercial. Chloé Nomade, with its plum and oak moss over vetiver, is genuinely the most intellectually complex of the three houses' portfolios — a consideration that distinguishes Chloé from the purely commercial.

Can I try Chloé fragrances before buying?

Yes — The Scent Stories® stocks authentic Chloé samples, miniatures, and tester bottles including Chloé EDP, Nomade, Love Story, Rose Naturelle, and more. All are factory-sealed and brand-packaged, shipped worldwide. Sampling Chloé EDP and Nomade together is particularly worthwhile — both are feminine and Parisian but through completely different lenses: the original's sheer transparency versus Nomade's earthy, plum-vetiver depth illustrate the range's full creative span.