Chimère by Prince Matchabelli: launched in 1979.
In September 1979, Cheesebrough-Ponds, who owned Prince Matchabelli at the time, undertook a four month 4.5 million dollars advertising and promotional campaign for the introduction of Chimere, which was a new fragrance aimed at older women.
Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 1980
"Chimere, a new women's fragrance introduced last fall by the company's Prince Matchabelli Division. More Chimere perfume was sold in the first four months than Revlon Inc, sold in its first full year of its successful introduction of Charlie in the mid 1970s. And this year Prince Matchabelli is coming out with a men's fragrance called Matchabelli."
Marketing Communications, 1982:
"Prince Matchabelli characterizes the company's dilemma at the time. "We needed a positioning that was unique and dramatic enough to stand out among the proliferation of existing choices. Yet it had to be broad enough to deliver a mass market without heavily cannibalizing the sales of our three successful brands already in the market." Over one year and $250,000 worth of research later. a strategy emerged that was to culminate in the introduction of Chimere. research showed that over 50% of American women were working. Many of them were newly employed and well-educated, with aspirations for executive positions. They wanted it all - fortune and femininity. This arose the dual Chimere image: "To the world, it's discreet, elegant. But up close, it's something else."
In September 1979, Cheesebrough-Ponds, who owned Prince Matchabelli at the time, undertook a four month 4.5 million dollars advertising and promotional campaign for the introduction of Chimere, which was a new fragrance aimed at older women.
Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 1980
"Chimere, a new women's fragrance introduced last fall by the company's Prince Matchabelli Division. More Chimere perfume was sold in the first four months than Revlon Inc, sold in its first full year of its successful introduction of Charlie in the mid 1970s. And this year Prince Matchabelli is coming out with a men's fragrance called Matchabelli."
Marketing Communications, 1982:
"Prince Matchabelli characterizes the company's dilemma at the time. "We needed a positioning that was unique and dramatic enough to stand out among the proliferation of existing choices. Yet it had to be broad enough to deliver a mass market without heavily cannibalizing the sales of our three successful brands already in the market." Over one year and $250,000 worth of research later. a strategy emerged that was to culminate in the introduction of Chimere. research showed that over 50% of American women were working. Many of them were newly employed and well-educated, with aspirations for executive positions. They wanted it all - fortune and femininity. This arose the dual Chimere image: "To the world, it's discreet, elegant. But up close, it's something else."
Fragrance Composition:
It is classified as a floral-woody chypre fragrance for women. It starts off with an aldehydic top note, followed by a narcotic floral heart, resting on a warm, woody, mossy base. It was described by Prince Matchabelli as a "semi-oriental, a brilliant floral blend of roses, jasmine, gardenia and lily of the valley touched with a subtle splurge of mysterious spices and darker notes."
- Top notes: aldehydes, gardenia, galbanum, Calabrian bergamot
- Middle notes: lily of the valley, jasmine, narcissus, rose, tuberose, orris, carnation, ylang ylang
- Base notes: spices, patchouli, East Indian vetiver, Abyssinian ambergris, castoreum, Tibetan musk, oakmoss, benzoin
Fate of the Fragrance:
Discontinued most likely around 1990.
Note: Please understand that this website is not affiliated with the Prince Matchabelli company in any way, it is only a reference page for collectors and those who have enjoyed the Prince Matchabelli fragrances.
The goal of this website is to show the present owners of the Prince Matchabelli company how much we miss the discontinued classics such as CHIMERE and hopefully, if they see that there is enough interest and demand, they will bring back the perfume!
Please leave a comment below (for example: of why you liked the perfume, describe the scent, time period or age you wore it, who gave it to you or what occasion, any specific memories), who knows, perhaps someone from the company might see it.
The reason I now have an extensive collection of perfumes is because of Chimere, I won it as a prize as a young girl, and have loved perfume ever since.
ReplyDeleteThe reason I now have an extensive collection of perfumes is because of Chimere, I won it as a prize as a young girl, and have loved perfume ever since.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite perfume from the release date to the discontinued date. I still miss it.
ReplyDelete