S A M A R A T J O E
First known representation of CHANEL N°5 perfume by famous sketch artist of the era, Sem, 1921.
1921
Gabrielle Coco Chanel 1883
She is known for revolutionizing women’s fashion by introducing comfortable and practical clothing, such as the little black dress, and for popularizing the use of jersey fabric in women’s clothing.
In addition to her fashion designs, Chanel is also known for her contributions to the world of fragrance. Chanel’s impact on Chanel No. 5 was significant, as she was intimately involved in its development.
1971 -
A French fashion designer and businesswoman who founded the Chanel brand.
ERNEST BEAUX 1881
1961 -
In the early 1920s, Chanel began working with the perfumer Ernest Beaux to create a fragrance that would capture the modern and sophisticated spirit of the Chanel brand.
Beaux presented her with several fragrance samples, each numbered from one to five and then numbered 20 to 24. Chanel selected the fifth sample, which became known as Chanel No. 5.
Beaux had created several variations of the No. 5 formula, and Chanel ultimately selected a blend that included a high concentration of natural and synthetic materials, including aldehydes, jasmine, ylang-ylang, as well as the rare May rose flower also known as rosa centifolia.
However, the truth behind the selection of the fragrance is more complex.
Beaux and Chanel continued to work together to refine the fragrance, creating a unique and complex scent that would become one of the most famous and popular perfumes in the world.
Rosa centifolia, also known as the cabbage rose or the Provence rose or the “hundred petal” rose, is one of the key ingredients in Chanel No. 5 perfume.
ROSA
The rose is known for its full and rich fragrance, with a sweet, floral scent that has been used in perfumery for centuries.
CENTIFOLIa
In the creation of Chanel No. 5, perfumer Ernest Beaux used a blend of several different rose oils, including Rosa centifolia, to create the iconic floral heart of the fragrance.
The use of Rosa centifolia in Chanel No. 5 is a testament to the importance of natural ingredients in perfumery, and to the skill and creativity of Beaux in creating a fragrance that was both innovative and timeless.
LA FLEUR AU FLACON
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THE FLOWER INTO THE BOTTLE
pegomas
The luminous village of Pégomas in the arrondissement of Grasse, the world’s long-reigning perfume capital.
The rose oil was combined with other floral notes, such as jasmine and ylang-ylang, as well as synthetic ingredients like aldehydes, to create a complex and modern scent that was unlike any other fragrance of its time.
“This jasmine has a specific scent that cannot be reproduced elsewhere,” explains Joseph Mul, patriarch of the family-owned estate that has exclusively supplied Chanel for decades.
the first bottle
Chanel envisioned a design that would be an antidote for the over-elaborate, precious fussiness of the crystal fragrance bottles then in fashion popularized by Lalique and Baccarat. Her bottle would be “pure transparency...an invisible bottle”.
revolution of femininity
Before the creation of Chanel No. 5, floral scents were associated with femininity because they were thought to evoke the natural beauty and sweetness of flowers, which were traditionally associated with women. Many perfumes at the time featured single floral notes, such as rose or lavender, which were considered to be delicate and romantic.
However, when Coco Chanel created Chanel No. 5, she wanted to break away from these traditional notions of femininity and create a scent that was modern, bold, and sophisticated. Thus inspiring a complex composition of scents that included aldehydes, which were synthetic ingredients that had never been used in perfumery before.
“What do I wear in bed? Why, Chanel No. 5, of course.”
In 1952, Marilyn Monroe famously declared that she wore nothing to bed but a few drops of Chanel No. 5.
This statement catapulted the perfume into the public consciousness and helped to establish it as a symbol of Hollywood glamour.
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MARILYN monroe
MARILYN monroe
CATHERINE DENEUVE
The French actress
Catherine Deneuve has been associated with Chanel No. 5 since the 1970s.
She appeared in a series of television advertisements for the perfume, which were directed by the legendary filmmaker Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Deneuve’s association with the perfume helped to reinforce its image as a symbol of French sophistication and elegance.
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For their latest film celebrating N°5, the Maison tapped Oscar-winning French actress — and new Chanel N°5 ambassdor — Marion Cotillard.
Marion Cotillard: I felt an immediate connection with N°5. It’s more than a perfume, it’s a work of art. Its composition is full of mysteries and its bottle is designed like a modernist painting. N°5 is a classic, which knew how to keep its singularity. It is the characteristic of an icon, to cross time. So I feel very lucky to continue to bring the story of this iconic perfume to life.
COTILLARD
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MARION COTILLARD
MORE THAN JUST A SCENT
