Cocktails for a VIP Event with Chanel

Behind the scenes of Carmine…

We created the Carmine cocktail, in reference to the color of Coco’s first lipstick, a story that started in Venice and led us to Oaxaca in Mexico...

When Coco went to Venice, she visited the Arsenale and its galeries decorated with paintings from the 16th century with Titien red as the most emblematic color. Chanel’s Rouge Carmin was born from this encounter. 

When going back to the history of this incredible color we discovered that it was made possible by cochineal, a natural pigment that the Spaniards found in Oaxaca during the conquest of Mexico in 1519-21.  Four hundred years later, cochineal red and Coco Chanel met in Venice and history was made again.

We connected the dots and found out that the first Campari recipe included cochineal responsible for its iconic red color, and that today one of the best Mezcal brands from Oaxaca (Los Danzantes) produces a Mezcal infused with cochineal red. 

Along with a fascinating story to tell, we had found the recipe for Carmine!