In the late 80's a design house emerged from Chadstone, the fashion capital of Australia. At the helm was Christopher Chronis, an astute young Greek-Australian businessman with an extraordinary eye for fashion. The company carried his name - Christos - and by the late 90's it went on to celebrate many successes both nationally and abroad with its well-tailored line of women's, men's and bridal fashions.
In 1998, his first fragrances for men and women were launched onto the Australian market: Christos Man and Christos Woman. As the first successful Australian designer to make the transition from catwalk to cologne, the media surrounding the release was staggering. Major retail outlets swelled with customers wishing to sample this exotic elixir, which was dispensed from purple crucifix-shaped flacons, by promotional staff wearing dramatic violet-coloured couture coats. As for the scents themselves, the men's eau de toilette was classed as a woody oriental, and the women's a fruity woody oriental... both with mouth-watering gourmand qualities, which were very much in the same strain as the much celebrated Angel and A*men, produced by fellow designer Thierry Mugler. A very clever press and media campaign supported the launch, and innovative coffrets were offered that both charmed and surprised the consumer. For instance, an exquisitely packaged miniature perfume bottle was presented inside a delicious box of Christos chocolates, each of which was flavoured with an individual accord from the scent itself. Very quickly, it seemed at one stage, that the entire continent had fallen to its knees swooning over "Christos"... until, quite unexpectedly, it vanished. Barely a year had passed since its launch, and retail stores were already completely devoid of a single bottle. Speculations were offered, and rumors followed... but it seemed there was no clear-cut reason why the business "went under". Some years passed, and the fragrance that had succeeded in captivating a nation, had become no more than a ghost. And I missed it dearly.
Christopher Chronis re-emerged in the early 00's and went on to open beautifully appointed fashion retail boutiques in Australia and New Zealand. Since then, Chronis has moved on to design clothes for the Playboy brand, which has secured his success for a great many years to come. As for his perfumes... unfortunately they are now lost to the corridoors of time. For those that came to know and love the scents, its a difficult pill to swallow. I'm sure I speak for many when I say I hope that Christos in its crucifix-shaped bottle, will one day be resurrected.
