Cookie policy
Cookies, browser storage and external services on Gentle Chic: what activates them, how long they last and how to manage your preferences.
Last updated: 2026-10-21
Choose whether to allow analytics
You can accept or reject Google Analytics. The Contact map loads Google automatically and is not controlled by this choice.
1. Cookies and similar technologies
Cookies let a server or service store and retrieve browser information. localStorage keeps data between visits; sessionStorage retains it for a tab’s session. Embedded content can connect to another provider even when no cookie is visible.
This policy covers the six Gentle Chic language versions on www.gentlechic.com. The controller is Merito Media LLC. See the Legal notice, use Contact, and read the Privacy policy for other processing.
2. What we use and why
We use sessions and form protection; newsletter notice preferences; tool drafts, designs and favourites; and Google Analytics with permission to measure pages and navigation activity. Language is identified in the URL; account preferences are held on the server.
ALTCHA is served by this project to verify production forms: challenges expire after five minutes and are linked to the session. No ALTCHA cookie or third-party captcha is added. The Contact page’s Google map is an external service that loads automatically.
3. Cookie inventory
Session names and technical durations match the project configuration. Production session and XSRF cookies are sent over HTTPS; the session cookie is HttpOnly. Analytics patterns describe cookies used by the configured tag, with variable suffixes.
Renewal, browser restrictions and manual deletion can change their effective lifespan. Expiry on the device differs from retention by a provider.
| Name or pattern | Technical domain | Managing entity | Purpose | Duration | Activation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
gentle-chic-session | www.gentlechic.com | Merito Media LLC | Maintain sessions, authentication and messages between pages. HttpOnly. | 120 minutes; renewed with site activity. | When visiting web routes that use sessions. |
XSRF-TOKEN | www.gentlechic.com | Merito Media LLC | Protect requests and forms against forgery. JavaScript can read it for legitimate requests. | 120 minutes; renewed with the session. | In responses from web routes with form protection. |
_ga / _ga_* | .gentlechic.com | Google LLC / Merito Media LLC | Identify browsers and maintain Analytics session information for audience measurement. | 28 days configured; the tag may renew expiry during consented visits. | Only with valid analytics permission and on eligible pages. |
4. Other storage technologies
These items belong to the site origin and the browser used. Rejecting analytics does not delete designs or favourites. Remove them within a tool where supported or delete site data; export designs you want to keep first.
The map is identified as external content without assigning unverified cookie names or lifespans. Its internal storage can vary with browser, region and Google sign-in state.
| Technology and key | Entity or provider | Information | Purpose | Persistence | Activation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
localStorage · gentlechic.com-analytics-consent | Merito Media LLC | Granted or denied choice, version and expiry. | Remember the analytics preference. | 180 days of validity; expired records may remain until replaced or deleted. | When choosing; earlier rejections are migrated without granting consent. |
localStorage · gc.newsletter.welcome | Merito Media LLC | Dismissed or request-made state and expiry. | Avoid repeating the newsletter notice after your interaction. | 30 days after dismissal; 180 after requesting. Records may remain after expiry until overwritten or deleted. | When dismissing or requesting subscription; it does not itself activate a subscription. |
sessionStorage · gc.newsletter.welcome.seen | Merito Media LLC | Notice-seen flag for this tab. | Avoid repeating the notice while navigating in the tab. | Tab session; browser restoration may retain it. | When displaying or managing the newsletter notice. |
localStorage · gentlechic-studio-v1 / gentlechic-drafts-v2 | Merito Media LLC | Current composition and drafts by profile. | Continue designing in Create your look. | No automatic expiry; until replaced or site data is cleared. | When using the studio and saving changes, including saving on exit. |
localStorage · gentlechic-looks-v1 / gentlechic-pieces-v1 | Merito Media LLC | Saved outfits, templates and garments. | Keep requested wardrobe items and designs. | No automatic expiry; designs or site data can be deleted. | When saving, importing, duplicating or removing designs. |
localStorage · gc-century-favorites | Merito Media LLC | Favourite proposal identifiers. | Remember the A century of fashion collection. | No automatic expiry; until favourites change or data is cleared. | When adding or removing favourites. |
iframe · www.google.com/maps/embed | Google LLC / Google Ireland Limited | Google requests and technical connection data. | Show the publisher’s location. | Connection when opening Contact; internal storage managed by Google, with no lifespan set by Gentle Chic. | Automatic on Contact, independently of Analytics permission. |
5. Providers and data
The table distinguishes the publisher from Google services. The privacy information on external services supplements this inventory. Providers are not all described as data processors.
| Entity and service | Purpose | Involvement | Further information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merito Media LLC | Sessions, forms, preferences and tools. | Publisher and controller for the site’s own purposes. | |
| Google LLC · Google Analytics | Audience measurement with permission. | Measurement provider under Analytics terms; the publisher decides activation. | |
| Google LLC / Google Ireland Limited · Google Maps | Automatically loaded external map. | Map provider responsible for its own processing. Google Ireland Limited for consumer services in the EEA and Switzerland; Google LLC elsewhere under its terms. |
6. Making a choice
The panel offers Reject and Accept analytics through equally styled buttons. “Configure cookies” opens that panel; analytics is the available optional category, with no additional advertising selection. Opening it, continuing to browse, scrolling or saving a design does not grant permission.
Before acceptance the Analytics tag is not inserted. Analytics remains disabled on accounts, private links, searches and signed-in visits. The Contact map loads separately: rejecting Analytics does not prevent that Google connection.
7. Changing or withdrawing permission
Reopen the panel using the permanent “Configure cookies” button or this page. Rejection disables Analytics, deletes accessible _ga and _ga_* cookies for this domain and reloads the page if the tag had loaded. The choice is communicated to other open tabs on the same origin.
Withdrawal stops future operations; it does not erase data already received by Google or cookies on Google domains. Use its controls and browser settings for those. The automatic map, local designs, newsletter subscription and unsubscribe links have separate controls.
8. Remembering your choice
We store the analytics choice, notice version and expiry in localStorage for 180 days from your decision, for both acceptance and rejection. No personal identifier is added to remember it. Expiry or a version change may require another choice.
Earlier rejections are preserved; older grants without a verifiable date require a new decision. Clearing storage or changing origin, browser or device can reset the panel. If storage is blocked, the choice only applies to the page currently open.
9. Maps, links and external communications
The Contact map loads automatically, even without Analytics consent, connecting to www.google.com/maps/embed. Google may process technical information and use its own technologies. Their operation and duration are not set by this manager. “Open in Google Maps” links to the external service.
The reviewed implementation adds no advertising tags, conversion pixels, social players or proprietary newsletter opening pixels. Email images are embedded in the message; article links do not use individual measurement redirects. Commercial and source links lead to sites with their own terms; this choice does not control activity after leaving Gentle Chic.
10. Browser, editions and settings
The preference is shared across the six languages on the same origin, https://www.gentlechic.com, and communicated between its tabs. It is not synchronised with other group publications, other devices or the local environment http://gentlechic.local. Analytics cookies use the domain shown in their table; that does not broaden the stored consent’s scope.
Browser settings let you inspect or delete cookies and storage, including third-party data. Deleting technical data can sign you out; deleting designs may make them unrecoverable. Browser controls supplement the site manager.
11. Updates and contact
The initial date identifies this version. We will update the text and inventory when technologies change. A document change does not authorise new purposes or providers; any required new choice must be requested before enabling analytics.
For questions use Contact. Controller: Merito Media LLC. See Privacy and the Legal notice. This description of operation is not a certification of universal compliance.