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{{Short description|Perfume by Coco Chanel}}
{{for2|the fictional character|]}}
{{For|the Camila Cabello song|C,XOXO}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2011}}
{{Distinguish|Channel 5 (disambiguation){{!}}Channel 5}}
{{advert|date=April 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox fragrance {{Infobox fragrance
|Name = No. 5 |Name = No. 5
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|Endorsed by = ] |Endorsed by = ]
|Type = Floral-aldehydic feminine fine fragrance |Type = Floral-aldehydic feminine fine fragrance
|Released = 5 May 1921, to select clientele in Chanel rue Cambon boutique |Released = 5 May 1921, to select clientele at Chanel, rue Cambon, Paris
|Label = ] |Label = ]
|Tagline = |Tagline =
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|Successor = |Successor =
|URL = |URL =
|Perfumer = ]
}} }}
] ]
'''Chanel No. 5''' is the first ] launched by French ] ]. The chemical formula for the fragrance was compounded by French-Russian chemist and perfumer ].


'''Chanel No. 5''' is the first ] launched by French ] ] in 1921. The scent formula for the fragrance was compounded by French-Russian chemist and perfumer ]. The design of its bottle has been an important part of the product's branding. Coco Chanel was the first face of the fragrance, appearing in the advertisement published by '']'' in 1937.<ref name="first ad" />
==Aesthetic inspiration ==
Traditionally, fragrance worn by women had adhered to two basic categories: respectable women favored the pure essence of a single garden flower, and sexually provocative perfumes heavy with animal ] or ] were associated with women of the ], ]s or ].{{sfn|Mazzeo|2010|p=20}} Chanel felt the time was right for the debut of a scent that would epitomize the ] and would speak to the liberated spirit of the 1920s.{{citation needed|date=May 2012}}
{{peacock|date=August 2018}}
==Iconography of the No. 5 name==
At the age of twelve, Chanel was handed over to the care of nuns, and for the next six years spent a stark, disciplined existence in a convent orphanage, ], founded by 12th Century ]<ref>Vaughan, Hal, "Sleeping With The Enemy, Coco Chanel's Secret War," Alfred A. Knopf, 2011, p. 4</ref> in the ] region of central ]. From her earliest days there, the number five had potent associations for her. For Chanel, the number five was especially esteemed as signifying the pure embodiment of a thing, its spirit, its mystic meaning. The paths that led Chanel to the cathedral for daily prayer were laid out in circular patterns repeating the number five.{{sfn|Mazzeo|2010|pp=8–9}}


== Inspiration ==
Her affinity for the number five co-mingled with the abbey gardens, and by extension the lush surrounding hillsides abounding with '']'' (rock roses).{{sfn|Mazzeo|2010|p=10}}
Traditionally, fragrances worn by women fell into two basic categories. "Respectable women" favored the essence of a single garden flower while sexually provocative ] perfumes heavy with animal ] or ] were associated with women of the ], ]s, or ].<ref name=Mazzeo-2010>{{cite book|last1=Mazzeo|first1=Tilar J.|author-link=Tilar J. Mazzeo|title=The Secret of Chanel No. 5: The Biography of a Scent|year=2010|publisher=HarperCollins|location=New York|isbn=978-0-06-179101-7}}</ref>{{RP|20}} Chanel sought a new scent that would appeal to the ] and celebrate the seemingly liberated feminine spirit of the ].{{citation needed|date=May 2012}}


== The No. 5 name ==
In 1920, when presented with small glass vials containing sample scent compositions numbered 1 to 5 and 20 to 24 for her assessment, she chose the fifth vial. Chanel told her master perfumer, Ernest Beaux, whom she had commissioned to develop a fragrance with modern innovations: "I present my dress collections on the fifth of May, the fifth month of the year and so we will let this sample number five keep the name it has already, it will bring good luck."{{sfn|Mazzeo|2010|pp=60–61}}
At the age of twelve, Chanel was handed over to the care of nuns, and for the next six years spent a stark, disciplined existence in a convent orphanage, ], founded by 12th-century ]<ref name=Vaughan-2011>{{cite book |title= Sleeping with the Enemy: Coco Chanel's Secret War|last= Vaughan |first= Hal |year= 2011 |publisher= Knopf |location= New York |isbn= 978-0-307-59263-7}}</ref>{{RP|4}} in what is now the ] region of central ]. From her earliest days there, the number five had potent associations for her. For Chanel, the number five was especially esteemed as signifying the pure embodiment of a thing, its spirit, its mystic meaning. The paths that led Chanel to the cathedral for daily prayers were laid out in circular patterns repeating the number five.<ref name=Mazzeo-2010 />{{RP|8–9}}


Her affinity for the number five commingled with the abbey gardens, and by extension the lush surrounding hillsides abounding with '']'' (rock roses).<ref name=Mazzeo-2010 />{{RP|10}}
==Design of the 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 ] and ]. Her bottle would be "pure transparency&nbsp;...an invisible bottle." It is generally considered that the bottle design was inspired by the rectangular beveled lines of the ] toiletry bottles, which, outfitted in a ] traveling case, were favored by her lover, ].<ref>{{cite book
|last=Bollon
|first=Patrice
|title=Esprit d'époque: essai sur l'âme contemporaine et le conformisme naturel de nos sociétés
|page=57
|language=French
|isbn=978-2-02-013367-8
|publisher=]
|year=2002
|quote=L'adaptation d'un flacon d'eau de toilette pour hommes datant de l'avant-guerre du chemisier Charvet
}}</ref> Some say it was the ] ] he used that she admired and wished to reproduce in "exquisite, expensive, delicate glass."<ref>Mazzeo, Tilar J., ''The Secret of Chanel No. 5'', HarperCollins, 2010, p. 103</ref>


In 1920, when presented with small glass vials containing sample scents numbered 1 to 5 and 20 to 24 for her assessment, she chose the fifth vial. Chanel told her master perfumer, Ernest Beaux, whom she had commissioned to develop a new fragrance, "I present my dress collections on the fifth of May, the fifth month of the year and so we will let this sample number five keep the name it has already, it will bring good luck."<ref name=Mazzeo-2010 />{{RP|60–61}}
The first bottle produced in 1919, differed from the Chanel No. 5 bottle known today. The original container had small, delicate, rounded shoulders and was sold only in Chanel boutiques to select clients. In 1924, when "Parfums Chanel" incorporated, the glass proved too thin to sustain shipping and distribution. This is the point in time when the only significant design change took place. The bottle was modified with square, faceted corners.<ref name="MazzeoTilar">Mazzeo, Tilar J., ''The Secret of Chanel No. 5'', HarperCollins, 2010, p. 104</ref>


== Bottle design ==
In a marketing brochure issued in 1924, "Parfums Chanel" described the vessel, which contained the fragrance: "the perfection of the product forbids dressing it in the customary artifices. Why rely on the art of the glassmaker&nbsp;...Mademoiselle is proud to present simple bottles adorned only by&nbsp;...precious teardrops of perfume of incomparable quality, unique in composition, revealing the artistic personality of their creator."<ref name="MazzeoTilar" />
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 ] and ]. Her bottle would be "pure transparency...an invisible bottle". It is generally considered that the bottle design was inspired by the rectangular beveled lines of the ] toiletry bottles, which, outfitted in a ] traveling case, were favored by her lover, ].<ref>{{cite book|last=Bollon|first=Patrice|title=Esprit d'époque: essai sur l'âme contemporaine et le conformisme naturel de nos sociétés|page=|language=fr|isbn=978-2-02-013367-8|publisher=]|year=2002|quote=L'adaptation d'un flacon d'eau de toilette pour hommes datant de l'avant-guerre du chemisier Charvet|url=https://archive.org/details/espritdepoqueess0000boll/page/57}}</ref> Some say it was the ] ] he used that she admired and wished to reproduce in "exquisite, expensive, delicate glass".<ref name=Mazzeo-2010 />{{RP|103}}


The first bottle produced in 1922, differed from the Chanel No. 5 bottle known today. The original container had small, delicate, rounded shoulders and was sold only in Chanel boutiques to select clients. In 1924, when "Parfums Chanel" incorporated, the glass proved too thin to survive shipping and distribution. The bottle was modified with square, faceted corners, its only significant design change.<ref name=Mazzeo-2010 />{{RP|104}} In a 1924 marketing brochure, Parfums Chanel described the bottle as, "the perfection of the product forbids dressing it in the customary artifices. Why rely on the art of the glassmaker...Mademoiselle is proud to present simple bottles adorned only by...precious teardrops of perfume of incomparable quality, unique in composition, revealing the artistic personality of their creator."<ref name=Mazzeo-2010 /> Others claim that the bottle's design was inspired by a whiskey bottle, while some say that the inspiration was drawn from glass pharmaceutical vials. In choosing the design for her perfume's bottle, was looking for something simple, even clinical, to stand apart from the overstated designs customarily seen on the perfume counter.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Art in the Everyday: The Chanel No. 5 Bottle – Design*Sponge|url=http://www.designsponge.com/2013/02/art-in-the-everyday-the-chanel-no-5-bottle.html|access-date=2020-06-10|website=www.designsponge.com|archive-date=28 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210728181712/http://www.designsponge.com/2013/02/art-in-the-everyday-the-chanel-no-5-bottle.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Unlike the bottle, which has remained the same since the 1924 redesign, the stopper has gone through numerous modifications. The original stopper was a small glass plug. The octagonal stopper, which became a brand signature, was instituted in 1924, when the bottle shape was changed. The 1950s gave the stopper a bevel cut and a larger, thicker silhouette. In the 1970s the stopper became even more prominent but, in 1986, it was re-proportioned so its size was more harmonious with the scale of the bottle.<ref>Mazzeo, Tilar J., ''The Secret of Chanel No. 5'', HarperCollins, 2010, p. 105</ref>


Unlike the bottle, which has remained the same since the 1924 redesign, the stopper has gone through numerous modifications. The original stopper was a small glass plug. The octagonal stopper, which became a brand signature, was created in 1924, when the bottle shape was changed. The 1950s gave the stopper a ] cut and a larger, thicker silhouette. In the 1970s the stopper became even more prominent but, in 1986, it was re-proportioned so its size was more harmonious with the scale of the bottle.<ref name=Mazzeo-2010 />{{RP|105}}
The "pocket flacon" devised to be carried in the purse was introduced in 1934. The price point and container size were developed to appeal to a broader customer base. It represented an aspirational purchase, to appease the desire for a taste of exclusivity in those who found the cost of the larger bottle prohibitive.<ref>Mazzeo, Tilar J., ''The Secret of Chanel No. 5'', HarperCollins, 2010, p. 121</ref>


The "pocket ''flacon,''" designed to be carried in a purse, was introduced in 1934. The price and container size were reduced to appeal to a broader customer base.<ref name=Mazzeo-2010 />{{RP|121}}
The bottle, over decades, has itself become an identifiable cultural artifact, so much so that ] chose to commemorate its iconic status in the mid-1980s with his ], silk-screen, ''Ads: Chanel.''<ref>Mazzeo, Tilar J., ''The Secret of Chanel No. 5'', HarperCollins, 2010, p. 199</ref>


The bottle, over the decades, has itself become an identifiable cultural artifact, so much so that ] chose to commemorate its iconic status in the mid-1980s with his ], silk-screened, ''Ads: Chanel''.<ref name=Mazzeo-2010 />{{RP|199}}
==Battle for control of Parfums Chanel==
In 1924, Chanel made an agreement with the Wertheimer brothers, ] and Paul, directors of the eminent perfume house ] since 1917, creating a corporate entity, "Parfums Chanel." The Wertheimers agreed to provide full financing for production, marketing and distribution of Chanel No.&nbsp;5. The Wertheimers would receive a seventy percent share of the company, and ], founder of the Paris department store, ], would receive twenty percent. Bader had been instrumental in brokering the business connection by introducing Chanel to Pierre Wertheimer at the ] races in 1922.<ref name=DT>Thomas, Dana, "The Power Behind The Cologne," ''The New York Times,'' 24 February 2002, retrieved 18 July 2012</ref> For ten percent of the stock, Chanel licensed her name to "Parfums Chanel" and removed herself from involvement in all business operations.<ref>Mazzeo, Tilar J., ''The Secret of Chanel No. 5'', HarperCollins, 2010, p. 95</ref> Displeased with the arrangement, Chanel worked for more than twenty years to gain full control of "Parfums Chanel." She proclaimed that Pierre Wertheimer was "the bandit who screwed me." <ref>Mazzeo, Tilar J., ''The Secret of Chanel No. 5'', HarperCollins, 2010, p. 153</ref>


A limited-edition, crimson red crystal glass bottle in the three editions of Chanel No. 5, namely ''Eau de Parfum'', ''Parfum'', and ''L'Eau'', was launched for Christmas in 2018.<ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=Harper's Bazaar |title=The iconic Chanel N°5 is launching in a limited-edition red bottle |url=https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/beauty/fragrance/a23776019/chanel-no-5-red-bottle/ |access-date=18 October 2018|date=15 October 2018}}</ref>
] brought with it the Nazi seizure of all Jewish owned property and business enterprises, providing Chanel with the opportunity to gain the full monetary fortune generated by "Parfums Chanel" and its most profitable product, Chanel No.&nbsp;5. The directors of "Parfums Chanel," the Wertheimers, were Jewish, and Chanel used her position as an "Aryan" to petition German officials to legalize her right to sole ownership.


== Battle for control of Parfums Chanel ==
On 5 May 1941, Chanel wrote to the government administrator charged with ruling on the disposition of Jewish financial assets. Her grounds for proprietary ownership were based on the claim that "Parfums Chanel" "is still the property of Jews" and had been legally "abandoned" by the owners.<ref>Mazzeo, Tilar J. (2010). ''The Secret of Chanel No. 5''. HarperCollins. p. 150. {{ISBN|978-0-06-179101-7}}.</ref>
In 1924, Chanel agreed with the Wertheimer brothers ] and Paul, directors of the perfume house ], creating a new ], Parfums Chanel. The Wertheimers agreed to manage the production, marketing, and distribution of Chanel No.&nbsp;5. The Wertheimers would receive a 70 percent share of the company, and ], founder of the Paris department store ], would receive 20 percent. Bader had been instrumental in brokering the business connection by introducing Chanel to Pierre Wertheimer at the ] races in 1922.<ref name=DT>Thomas, Dana, "The Power Behind The Cologne," ''The New York Times'', 24 February 2002, retrieved 18 July 2012</ref> For 10 percent of the stock, Chanel licensed her name to Parfums Chanel. She removed herself from involvement in all business operations.<ref name=Mazzeo-2010 />{{RP|95}} Later, unhappy with the arrangement, Chanel worked for more than twenty years to gain full control of Parfums Chanel. She said that Pierre Wertheimer was "the bandit who screwed me."<ref name=Mazzeo-2010 />{{RP|153}}

] brought with it the Nazi seizure of all Jewish-owned property and businesses, providing Chanel with the opportunity to gain control of Parfums Chanel and its most profitable product, Chanel No.&nbsp;5. The Wertheimers were Jewish, and Chanel used her position as an "Aryan" to petition German officials to legalize her right to sole ownership.

On 5 May 1941, Chanel wrote to the government administrator charged with ruling on the disposition of Jewish financial assets. Her grounds for proprietary ownership were based on the claim that Parfums Chanel "is still the property of Jews" and had been legally "abandoned" by the owners.<ref name=Mazzeo-2010 />{{RP|150}}
<blockquote> <blockquote>
I have, an indisputable right of priority&nbsp;...the profits that I have received from my creations since the foundation of this business&nbsp;...are disproportionate&nbsp;... you can help to repair in part the prejudices I have suffered in the course of these seventeen years.<ref>Mazzeo, pp. 152–53</ref></blockquote> I have an indisputable right of prioritythe profits that I have received from my creations since the foundation of this businessare disproportionate you can help to repair in part the prejudices I have suffered in the course of these seventeen years.<ref name=Mazzeo-2010 />{{RP|152–153}}</blockquote>


Chanel was not aware that the Wertheimers, anticipating the forthcoming ] mandates against Jews had, in May 1940, legally turned control of "Parfums Chanel" over to a Christian, French businessman and industrialist ]. At the end of World War II, Amiot turned "Parfums Chanel" back into the hands of the Wertheimers.<ref name=DT /><ref>Mazzeo, Tilar J., ''The Secret of Chanel No. 5'', HarperCollins, 2010, p. 150</ref> Chanel was not aware that the Wertheimers, anticipating the forthcoming ] confiscations, had, in May 1940, legally turned control of Parfums Chanel over to a Christian, French businessman and industrialist ]. At the end of World War II, Amit returned Parfums Chanel to the Wertheimers.<ref name=DT /><ref name=Mazzeo-2010 />{{RP|150}}


===Chanel maneuvers for control=== === Chanel maneuvers for control ===
] ]
By the mid-1940s, the worldwide sale of Chanel No. 5 amounted to nine million dollars annually; some two hundred forty million dollars a year in twenty-first century valuation. The monetary stakes were high and Chanel was determined to wrest control of "Parfums Chanel" from the Wertheimers. Chanel's plan was to destroy customer confidence in the brand, tarnish the image, crippling its marketing and distribution. She let it be known that Chanel No.&nbsp;5 was no longer the original fragrance as created by "Mademoiselle Chanel", it was no longer being compounded according to her standards and what was now being offered to the public was an inferior product, one she could no longer endorse. Further, Chanel announced she would be making available an authentic Chanel No.&nbsp;5, to be named "Mademoiselle Chanel No.&nbsp;5",<ref name=DT /> offered to a group of select clients.<ref name="Mazzeo, Tilar J. 2010, p. 171-172">Mazzeo, Tilar J., ''The Secret of Chanel No. 5'', HarperCollins, 2010, pp. 171–172</ref>


By the mid-1940s, the worldwide sales of Chanel No. 5 amounted to nine million dollars annually. The monetary stakes were high, and Chanel was determined to wrest control of Parfums Chanel from the Wertheimers. Chanel planned to destroy customer confidence in the brand and tarnish its image, crippling its marketing and distribution. She stated that Chanel No.&nbsp;5 was no longer the original fragrance created by "Mademoiselle Chanel," it was no longer being compounded according to her standards, and what was now being offered to the public was an inferior product that she could no longer endorse. Further, Chanel announced she would make available an authentic Chanel No.&nbsp;5, to be named "Mademoiselle Chanel No.&nbsp;5",<ref name=DT /> offered to a group of select clients.<ref name=Mazzeo-2010 />{{RP|171–172}}
Chanel possibly was unaware that the Wertheimers, who had fled from France to New York in 1940, had instituted a process whereby the quality of Chanel No.&nbsp;5 would not be compromised. In America the Wertheimers had recruited H. Gregory Thomas as European emissary for "Parfums Chanel". Thomas' mission was to establish the mechanisms required to maintain the quality of the Chanel products, particularly its most profitable fragrance, Chanel No.&nbsp;5. Thomas worked to ensure that the supply of key components, the oils of jasmine and tuberose, obtained exclusively in the French town of ], remain uninterrupted by warfare. Thomas was later promoted to position as president of Chanel US, a position he held for thirty-two years.<ref name=DT />


Chanel may have been unaware that the Wertheimers, who had fled from France to New York in 1940, had instituted a process whereby the quality of Chanel No.&nbsp;5 would not be compromised. In America, the Wertheimers had recruited H. Gregory Thomas as a European emissary for Parfums Chanel. Thomas' mission was to establish the mechanisms required to maintain the quality of Chanel products, particularly its most profitable fragrance, Chanel No.&nbsp;5. Thomas worked to ensure that the supply of key components, the oils of ] and ], obtained exclusively from the fields of the valley of ] above the French town of ], remained uninterrupted by war. Thomas was later promoted to position as president of Chanel US, a position he held for thirty-two years.<ref name=DT />
Chanel escalated her game plan by instigating a lawsuit against "Parfums Chanel" and the Wertheimers. The legal battle garnered wide publicity. '']'' reported on 3 June 1946:

Chanel escalated her game plan by instigating a lawsuit against Parfums Chanel and the Wertheimers. The legal battle garnered wide publicity. '']'' reported on 3 June 1946:
<blockquote> <blockquote>
The suit asks that the French parent concern be ordered to cease manufacture and sale of all products bearing the name and restore to her the ownership and sole rights over the products, formulas and manufacturing process 'inferior quality'.<ref name="Mazzeo, Tilar J. 2010, p. 171-172" /></blockquote> The suit asks that the French parent concern be ordered to cease manufacture and sale of all products bearing the name and restore to her the ownership and sole rights over the products, formulas and manufacturing process "inferior quality".<ref name=Mazzeo-2010 />{{RP|171–172}}</blockquote>


The Wertheimers were cognizant of Chanel's far from exemplary social entanglements and conduct during the Nazi occupation. The progress of legal proceedings would of necessity lead to revelations best kept from public scrutiny. '']'' magazine summarized the Wertheimers’ dilemma: how "a legal fight might illuminate Chanel's wartime activities and wreck her image—and his business".<ref>Mazzeo, Tilar J., ''The Secret of Chanel No. 5'', HarperCollins, 2010, p. 175</ref> The Wertheimers were aware of Chanel's collaboration during the Nazi occupation. '']'' magazine summarized the Wertheimers' dilemma: " a legal fight might illuminate Chanel's wartime activities and wreck her image—and his business".<ref name=Mazzeo-2010 />{{RP|175}}


Ultimately, the Wertheimers and Chanel came to an agreement, re-negotiating the original 1924 contract. On 17 May 1947, Chanel received wartime profits of Chanel No.&nbsp;5 in an amount equivalent to some nine million dollars in twenty-first century valuation, and in the future her share would be two percent of all Chanel No.&nbsp;5 sales worldwide. The financial benefit to her would be enormous. Her earnings would be in the vicinity of twenty-five million dollars a year, making her at the time one of the richest women in the world.<ref>Mazzeo, Tilar J., ''The Secret of Chanel No. 5'', HarperCollins, 2010, pp. 178–177</ref> The new arrangement also gave Chanel the freedom to create new scents, which would be independent of "Parfums Chanel," with the proviso that none would contain the appellation number "5" she never acted on this opportunity.<ref name=DT /> Ultimately, the Wertheimers and Chanel came to an agreement, re-negotiating the original 1924 contract. On 17 May 1947, Chanel received her share of the wartime profits of Chanel No.&nbsp;5. Post-war, her share was two percent of all Chanel No.&nbsp;5 sales worldwide. Her earnings were in the vicinity of US$25 million a year, making her at the time one of the richest women in the world.<ref name=Mazzeo-2010 />{{RP|176–177}} The new arrangement also gave Chanel the freedom to create new scents, which would be independent of Parfums Chanel, with the proviso that none would contain the number 5 in its name. She never acted on this opportunity.<ref name=DT />


==Advertising and marketing== == Advertising and marketing ==


===1920s and 1930s=== === 1920s and 1930s ===
Chanel's initial marketing strategy was to generate buzz around her new fragrance by hosting a promotional event. She invited a group of elite friends to dine with her in an elegant restaurant in ] where she surprised and delighted her guests by spraying them with Chanel No.&nbsp;5. The official launch place and date of Chanel No.&nbsp;5 was in her {{Interlanguage link multi|rue Cambon|fr}} boutique in the fifth month of the year, on the fifth day of the month: 5 May 1921. She infused the shop's dressing rooms with the scent, and she gave bottles to a select few of her high society friends. The success of Chanel No.&nbsp;5 was immediate. Chanel's friend ] exclaimed: "It was like a winning lottery ticket."<ref>Vaughan, Hal, ''Sleeping With The Enemy: Coco Chanel's Secret War'', Alfred A. Knopf, 2011, p. 29</ref> Chanel's initial marketing strategy was to generate buzz for her new fragrance by hosting a promotional event. She invited a group of elite friends to dine with her in an elegant restaurant in ] where she surprised and delighted her guests by spraying them with Chanel No.&nbsp;5. The official launch place and date of Chanel No.&nbsp;5 was in her {{Interlanguage link|rue Cambon|fr}} boutique in the fifth month of the year, on the fifth day of the month: 5 May 1921. She infused the shop's dressing rooms with the scent, and she gave bottles to a select few of her high society friends. The success of Chanel No.&nbsp;5 was immediate. Chanel's friend ] exclaimed: "It was like a winning lottery ticket."<ref name=Vaughan-2011 />{{RP|29}}


"Parfums Chanel" was the corporate entity established in 1924 to run the production, marketing and distribution of the fragrance business. Chanel wanted to spread the sale of Chanel No.&nbsp;5 from beyond her boutiques to the rest of the world. The first new market was New York City, the cultural and commercial center of America with the clientele for luxury goods. The inaugural marketing was discreet and deliberately restricted. The first ad appeared in '']'' on 16 December 1924. It was a small print ad for "Parfums Chanel" announcing the Chanel line of fragrances now available at ], an upscale department store. In the ad, all the bottles were indistinguishable from each another, displaying all the Chanel perfumes available, #9, #11, #22, and the centerpiece of the line, #5. This presentation of the product line was the extent of the advertising campaign in the 1920s and appeared only intermittently. In America, the sale of Chanel No.&nbsp;5 was promoted from perfume counters at high-end department stores by enthusiastic sales staff. The strategy in Europe was no less restrained. The Galeries Lafayette, a notable department store, was the first retailer of the fragrance in Paris. In France itself, Chanel No.&nbsp;5 was not advertised until the 1940s.<ref>Mazzeo, Tilar J., ''The Secret of Chanel No. 5'', HarperCollins, 2010, pp. 111–113</ref> Parfums Chanel was the corporate entity established in 1924 to run the production, marketing, and distribution of the fragrance business. Chanel wanted to spread the sale of Chanel No.&nbsp;5 from beyond her boutiques to the rest of the world. The first new market was New York City. The initial marketing was discreet and deliberately restricted. The first ad appeared in '']'' on 16 December 1924. It was a small ad for Parfums Chanel announcing the Chanel line of fragrances available at ], an upscale department store. In the ad, all the bottles were indistinguishable from each another, displaying all the Chanel perfumes available, Numbers 9, 11, 22, and the centerpiece of the line, No. 5. This was the extent of the advertising campaign in the 1920s and appeared only intermittently. In the US, the sale of Chanel No.&nbsp;5 was promoted at perfume counters in high-end department stores. The '']'' was the first retailer of the fragrance in Paris. In France itself, Chanel No.&nbsp;5 was not advertised until the 1940s.<ref name=Mazzeo-2010 />{{RP|111–113}}


The first real marketing blitz was planned for 1934–35. The first truly solo advertisement of Chanel No.&nbsp;5, as the most important Chanel perfume, comparable to her legend as a couturiere, ran in ''The New York Times'' on 10 June 1934.<ref>Mazzeo, Tilar J., ''The Secret of Chanel No. 5'', HarperCollins, 2010, p. 132</ref> The first solo advertisement for Chanel No.&nbsp;5 ran in ''The New York Times'' on 10 June 1934.<ref name=Mazzeo-2010 />{{RP|132}}


===1940s=== === 1940s ===
] ]
In the early 1940s, when other perfume makers were increasing brand exposure, "Parfums Chanel" took a contrary track and actually decreased advertising. In 1939 and 1940, ads had been significant. By 1941, they had been cut back dramatically so that there was almost no print advertising. The directors of "Parfums Chanel" may have felt the expenditure was not needed. Sales of fragrance had flourished during the years of World War II. Perfume sales in the United States from 1940 to 1945 had increased tenfold; Chanel No.&nbsp;5 flourished.<ref>Mazzeo, Tilar J., ''The Secret of Chanel No. 5'', HarperCollins, 2010, p. 147</ref>


In the early 1940s, when other perfume makers were increasing brand exposure, Parfums Chanel took a contrary track and decreased advertising. In 1939 and 1940, Chanel ads had been prominent. By 1941, there was almost no Chanel print advertising. Fragrance sales flourished during World War II. Perfume sales in the United States from 1940 to 1945 increased tenfold; Chanel No.&nbsp;5 prospered, even without advertising.<ref name=Mazzeo-2010 />{{RP|147}}
It was during the war years that the directors of "Parfums Chanel" came up with an innovative marketing idea. The intent to expand the sale to a middle-class customer had been instituted in 1934 with the introduction of the pocket flacon. The plan was now to extend the market by selling the perfume at military post exchanges, the PX. It was a risky move that may have hurt the exclusive status of the brand, but they went ahead and this marketing plan proved viable. It did not destroy the cachet of the brand, instead it came to epitomize a world of luxury and romance, a souvenir the soldier coveted for his sweetheart back home.<ref>Mazzeo, Tilar J., ''The Secret of Chanel No. 5'', HarperCollins, 2010, pp. 148–49</ref>


During the war years the directors of Parfums Chanel came up with an innovative marketing idea. Expanding sales to the middle-class customer had been started in 1934 with the introduction of the pocket ''flaçon''. The plan was now to grow the market by selling the perfume at military ]. It was a risky move that might have damaged the allure of the brand. But it did not: instead, it became a souvenir soldiers coveted for their sweetheart back home.<ref name=Mazzeo-2010 />{{RP|148–149}}
At the end of World War II, Coco Chanel's wartime collaboration with the enemy menaced her with the exposure of her treasonous activities. In an attempt at damage control, she placed a sign in the window of her rue Cambon boutique, announcing that free bottles of Chanel No.&nbsp;5 were available to American GIs. Soldiers waited in long lines to take a bottle of Paris ''luxe'' back home, and "would have been outraged if the French police had touched a hair on her head."<ref>Vaughan, Hal, "Sleeping With The Enemy, Coco Chanel's Secret War," Alfred A. Knopf, 2011, p. 188</ref>


At the end of World War II, Coco Chanel's wartime collaboration threatened her with arrest and incarceration. In an attempt at damage control, she placed a sign in the window of her rue Cambon boutique, announcing that free bottles of Chanel No.&nbsp;5 were available to American GIs. Soldiers waited in long lines to take a bottle of Paris ''luxe'' back home, and "would have been outraged if the French police had touched a hair on her head".<ref name=Vaughan-2011 />{{RP|188}}
===1950s===
In the 1950s the glamour of Chanel No. 5 was reignited by the celebrity of ]. Monroe's unsolicited endorsement of the fragrance provided invaluable publicity. In a 1954 interview, when asked what she wore to bed, the movie star provocatively responded: "Just a few drops of Chanel No.&nbsp;5."<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131231165236/http://www.marketingagencytalk.com/|date=31 December 2013}}</ref>


===1960s=== === 1950s ===
In April 1952, American actress ] appears for the first time on the cover of '']'', and the article mentions her answer to the question, "What do you wear to bed?" and her reply, "Chanel No.&nbsp;5." In an unpublished photo shoot for an article by ] in '']'' in 1953, a Chanel No.&nbsp;5 bottle is seen on her nightstand.<ref name=InsideChanel />
In the 1960s the glossy fashion magazines such as ''Vogue'' and ''Bazaar'' presented Chanel No. 5 as a required accessory to every woman's femininity. Print advertising for Chanel No.&nbsp;5 was staid and conservative in both visuals and text, eschewing the energy and quirky aesthetic of the burgeoning youth culture. Two catch phrases alternated as ad copy: "Every woman alive ''wants'' Chanel No.&nbsp;5" and "Every woman alive ''loves'' Chanel No.&nbsp;5."<ref>{{cite web|author=Virginia Postrel |url=http://www.deepglamour.net |title=At the Intersection of Imagination & Desire |publisher=Deep Glamour |date=2014-01-03 |accessdate=2014-02-14}}</ref>


===1970s and 1980s=== === 1960s ===
In the 1960s, the glossy fashion magazines such as ''Vogue'' and ''Bazaar'' presented Chanel No. 5 as a required accessory. Print advertising for Chanel No.&nbsp;5 was staid and conservative in both visuals and text, eschewing the energy and quirky aesthetic of the youth culture. Two catch phrases alternated as ad copy: "Every woman alive ''wants'' Chanel No.&nbsp;5" and "Every woman alive ''loves'' Chanel No.&nbsp;5".<ref>{{cite web |author=Virginia Postrel |url=http://www.deepglamour.net |title=At the Intersection of Imagination & Desire |publisher=Deep Glamour |date=2014-01-03 |access-date=2014-02-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150527022319/http://www.deepglamour.net/ |archive-date=27 May 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
During the 1950s the ads had diminished the allure of Chanel No. 5, identifying it with a scent for sweet, proper co-eds whose style bibles were teenage fashion magazines. In the 1970s the brand name needed revitalization. For the first time in and its long history it ran the risk of being labeled as mass market and passé. The fragrance was removed from drug stores and similar outlets. Outside advertising agencies were dropped. The remaking was re-imagined by Jacques Helleu, the artistic director for "Parfums Chanel." Helleu chose French actress ] for the new face of Chanel. The print ads showcased the iconic sculpture of the bottle. Television commercials were inventive mini-films with production values of surreal fantasy and seduction. Directed by ] in the 1970s and 1980s, they "played on the same visual imagery, with the same silhouette of the bottle," Under Helleu's control the vision to return Chanel to the days of movie glamour and sophistication was realized.<ref>Mazzeo, Tilar J., ''The Secret of Chanel No. 5'', HarperCollins, 2010, pp. 197, 199</ref>


===1990s=== === 1970s and 1980s ===
] ]
In the 1970s, the brand needed revitalization. For the first time it ran the risk of being labeled as "mass market" and passé. The fragrance was removed from drug stores and similar outlets. Outside advertising agencies were dropped. The rebranding was managed by Jacques Helleu, the artistic director for Parfums Chanel. Helleu chose French actress ] as the new face of Chanel. Print ads showcased the iconic sculpture of the bottle. Television commercials were inventive mini-films with production values of surreal fantasy and seduction. Directed by ] in the 1970s and 1980s, they "played on the same visual imagery, with the same silhouette of the bottle."<ref name=Mazzeo-2010 />{{RP|197,199}}
In the 1990s, more money was reportedly spent advertising Chanel No. 5 than was spent for the promotion of any other fragrance brand.<ref name="nessymon.com"> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140119111340/http://www.nessymon.com/|date=19 January 2014}}</ref> ] was the face of Chanel No.&nbsp;5 during this decade.<ref> {{dead link|date=February 2014}}</ref> It has been estimated, as of 2011, that between $20 to $25 million is spent annually on marketing for Chanel No.&nbsp;5.<ref>{{cite book|title=Fashion – Philosophy for Everyone: Thinking with Style|year=2011|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=9781444345544|page=73|last=Freeland|first=Cynthia A.|editor=Jessica Wolfendale, Jeanette Kennett}}</ref>

=== 1990s ===
In the 1990s, more money was reportedly spent advertising Chanel No. 5 than was spent for the promotion of any other fragrance.<ref name="nessymon.com">{{Cite web |url=http://www.nessymon.com/ |title=Nessymon.com |access-date=2 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140119111340/http://www.nessymon.com/ |archive-date=19 January 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref>{{failed verification|date=November 2018}} ] was the face of Chanel No.&nbsp;5 during this decade.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1988-01-27-8803250601-story.html |title=The Belle of Chanel |last=Anderson |first=Lisa |date=27 January 1988 |website=Chicago Tribune}}</ref> In the UK, this product was the first ever commercial aired on the newly launched ] network.

=== Since 2000 ===
In 2003, actress ] was enlisted to represent the fragrance. Film director ], brought in to conceive and direct a new advertising campaign featuring her, described his concept for what he titled '']'' as "a two-minute trailer ... for a film that has actually never been made, not about Chanel No.&nbsp;5 but Chanel No.&nbsp;5 is the touchstone".<ref name="nessymon.com" /> The eventual commercial, produced in two-minute and 30-second versions, cost £18&nbsp;million, with Kidman paid US$3.7&nbsp;million for her work.<ref name="nessymon.com" />

It has been estimated, as of 2011, that between US$20–25&nbsp;million was spent annually marketing Chanel No.&nbsp;5.<ref>{{cite book|title=Fashion – Philosophy for Everyone: Thinking with Style|year=2011|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=978-1-4443-4554-4|page=73|last=Freeland|first=Cynthia A.|editor=Jessica Wolfendale, Jeanette Kennett}}</ref>


In May 2012, the company announced that ] would be the first male to advertise Chanel No. 5.<ref name="pitt">{{cite web|url=http://www.adnews.com.au/adnews/brad-pitt-fronts-global-chanel-no-5-push |title=Brad Pitt fronts global Chanel No. 5 push |website=AdNews |date=2012-10-10 |access-date=2014-02-14}}</ref>
===Since 2000===
In 2003, actress ] was enlisted to represent the fragrance. Film director ], brought in to conceive and direct a new advertising campaign featuring her, described his concept for what he titled '']'' as "a two-minute trailer ... for a film that has actually never been made, not about Chanel No.&nbsp;5 but Chanel No.&nbsp;5 is the touchstone".<ref name="nessymon.com" /> The eventual commercial, produced in two-minute and 30-second versions, cost 18 million English pounds, with Kidman paid US$3.7 million for her work.<ref name="nessymon.com" />


In 2013 Chanel ran an advertising campaign using a recorded interview with ] in which she is asked about her use of Chanel No.&nbsp;5. It featured ]'s photograph of the actress splashing herself with a bottle of the perfume. {{blockquote|On her first cover of ''Life'' magazine in 1952, Marilyn Monroe famously said she wore only Chanel No.&nbsp;5 to bed. A recording of her discussing the subject further with ] for '']'' in 1960 has been found. She said people pose questions. "They ask me: 'What do you wear to bed? A pajama top? The bottoms of the pajamas? A nightgown?' So I said, 'Chanel No.&nbsp;5', because it's the truth" she explained. "And yet, I don't want to say nude. But it's the truth!"<ref name=InsideChanel>{{cite web |title=Chapter 2: Marilyn and No. 5 |url=http://inside.chanel.com/en/marilyn |publisher=Chanel |access-date=17 February 2019}}</ref>}}
In May 2012, the company announced that ] would be the first male to advertise Chanel No. 5.<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.adnews.com.au/adnews/brad-pitt-fronts-global-chanel-no-5-push |title=Brad Pitt fronts global Chanel No. 5 push |publisher=AdNews |date=2012-10-10 |accessdate=2014-02-14}}</ref>


In October 2014, Luhrmann again collaborated with Chanel, creating a second advertising campaign for No.&nbsp;5, this time starring ] and ].{{citation needed|date=November 2015}} Throughout the film, singer ] performs his rendition of '']''.{{citation needed|date=November 2015}}
In 2013 Chanel ran an advertising campaign using a recorded interview with ] in which she is asked about her use of Chanel No.&nbsp;5 fragrance. It featured ]'s photograph of the actress splashing herself with a bottle of the perfume.<ref>"On her first cover of ''Life'' magazine in 1957, Marilyn Monroe famously said she only wore Chanel No.&nbsp;5 to bed. Now, a newly found recording of her from 1960 discussing the subject further with ''Marie Claire''{{'}}s then-editor in chief Georges Belmont is being used in a new advertising campaign for the fragrance set to break this fall. She said people pose questions. "They ask me: 'What do you wear to bed? A pajama top? The bottoms of the pajamas? A nightgown?' So I said, 'Chanel No.&nbsp;5,' because it's the truth" she explained. "And yet, I don't want to say nude. But it's the truth!" The voice of Monroe who died in 1962 is to be accompanied by a photograph of her holding a scent bottle, taken by Ed Feingersh. The ad will run in publications and on television." Karimzadeh, Marc. "Memo Pad." WWD 18 October 2013: 11. Popular Magazines Plus. Web. 17 February 2016.</ref>


On 17 February 2020, French actress ] was announced as the new face of Chanel No. 5.<ref name="cotillard">{{Cite web |url=https://www.allure.com/story/marion-cotillard-chanel-no-5-ambassador |title=Marion Cotillard Is the New Face of Chanel No. 5 |last=Prinzivalli |first=Leah |date=17 February 2020 |website=]}}</ref> Her first commercial for the fragrance was released on 29 October 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chu |first=Ying |date=28 October 2020 |title=Marion Cotillard Fronts the Ultimate French-Girl Perfume |url=https://www.marieclaire.com/beauty/a34510624/marion-cotillard-chanel-no-5/ |website=] |access-date=31 January 2022 |archive-date=31 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220131015108/https://www.marieclaire.com/beauty/a34510624/marion-cotillard-chanel-no-5/ |url-status=live }}</ref> It was directed by ] and featured Cotillard dancing in the moon with French ballet dancer ] while singing a cover of ]'s "]".<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Schroeder |first=Roberta |date=27 October 2020 |title=Go behind the scenes with Marion Cotillard for Chanel No. 5 |url=https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/beauty/fragrance/a34490327/chanel-no5-marion-cottiliard-campaign-film/ |magazine=] |access-date=31 January 2022 |archive-date=31 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220131015117/https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/beauty/fragrance/a34490327/chanel-no5-marion-cottiliard-campaign-film/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
In October 2014, Luhrmann again collaborated with Chanel, creating a second advertising campaign for No.&nbsp;5, this time starring ] and ].{{citation needed|date=November 2015}} Throughout the film, singer ] performs his slower romantic rendition of '']''.{{citation needed|date=November 2015}}


In 2024, ] and Jacob Elotti starred in Chanel No. 5's new advertising film, directed by Luca Guadagnino, titled "See You at 5."<ref>{{Cite web |last=News |first=A. B. C. |title=Margot Robbie stars alongside Jacob Elordi in new Chanel No. 5 ad campaign |url=https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Style/margot-robbie-jacob-elordi-chanel-no-5-ad/story?id=114807670 |access-date=2024-12-10 |website=ABC News |language=en}}</ref> Robbie plays the producer and titular star of ]. She tells Vogue that she thinks the woman who wears Chanel No. 5 is "powerful" and has "desires".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chanel N°5 unveils new campaign starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi |url=https://cosmeticsbusiness.com/chanel-n-5-unveils-new-campaign-starring-margot-robbie-jacob-elordi |access-date=2024-12-10 |website=cosmeticsbusiness.com |language=en}}</ref>
==The scent==


===Provenance of the "recipe"=== == The scent ==
=== Provenance of the recipe ===
] ] (1881–1961)]]


Coco Chanel had wanted to develop a distinctly modern fragrance for some time by early 1920. At this time, Chanel's lover was ], the murderer of ]. The duke introduced her to Ernest Beaux on the French Riviera. Beaux was the master perfumer at A. Rallet and Company, where he had been employed since 1898. The company was the official perfumer to the Russian royal family, and "the imperial palace at St. Petersburg was a famously perfumed court."<ref>Mazzeo Tilar J., ''The Secret of Chanel No. 5'', HarperCollins, 2010, pp. 55, 52</ref> The favorite scent of the Czarina Alexandra, composed specifically for her by Rallet in Moscow, had been an eau de cologne opulent with rose and jasmine named ''Rallet O-DE-KOLON No.1 Vesovoi.'' Coco Chanel had wanted to develop a distinctly modern fragrance for some time prior to early-1920. At this time, Chanel's lover was ], the murderer of ]. The duke introduced her to ] on the ]. Beaux was the master perfumer at A. Rallet and Company, where he had been employed since 1898. The company was the official perfumer to the Russian imperial family, and "the imperial palace at St. Petersburg was a famously perfumed court."<ref name=Mazzeo-2010 />{{RP|52,55}} The favorite scent of the Tsarina Alexandra, composed specifically for her by Rallet in Moscow, had been an eau de cologne opulent with rose and jasmine named ''Rallet O-De-Kolon 1 Vesovoi''.


In 1912, Beaux created a men's eau de cologne, ''Le Bouquet de Napoleon'', to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the ], a decisive battle in the ]. The success of this men's fragrance inspired Beaux to create a feminine counterpart, whose jumping off point was the chemical composition of aldehydic multiflores in Houbigant's immensely popular ''Quelques Fleurs'' (1912).<ref>Mazzeo Tilar J., ''The Secret of Chanel No. 5'', HarperCollins, 2010, p. 55</ref> In 1912, Beaux created a men's cologne, ''Le Bouquet de Napoleon'', to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the ], a decisive battle in the ]. Its success inspired Beaux to create a feminine counterpart, whose starting point was the chemical composition of aldehydic multiflores in ]'s immensely popular fragrance, ''Quelques Fleurs'' (1912).<ref name=Mazzeo-2010 />{{RP|55}}


His experiments with the aldehydes in ''Quelques Fleurs'', resulted in a fragrance that he called ''Le Bouquet de Catherine''. He intended to use the scent to inaugurate another celebration in 1913, the 300th anniversary of the Romanoff dynasty. The debut of this new perfume proved ill-timed commercially. World War I was approaching, and the czarina and the perfume's namesake, the Empress Catherine, had both been German-born. A marketing misfortune that invoked unpopular associations, combined with the fact that ''Le Bouquet de Catherine'' was enormously expensive, made it a commercial failure. An attempt to re-brand the perfume, as ''Rallet No. 1'' was unsuccessful, and the outbreak of World War I in 1914 effectively prevented public acceptance of the brand. His experiments with the ]s in ''Quelques Fleurs'', resulted in a fragrance that he called ''Le Bouquet de Catherine''. He intended to use the scent to celebrate, in 1913, the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty. The debut of this new perfume was ill-timed commercially. World War I was approaching, and the tsarina and the perfume's namesake, the Empress Catherine, had both been German-born. Timing and unfavorable associations, combined with ''Le Bouquet de Catherine'''s hefty price tag, made it a commercial failure. An attempt to re-brand the perfume, as ''Rallet 1'' was unsuccessful, and the outbreak of World War I in 1914 effectively killed the product.


Beaux, who had affiliated himself with the Allies and the White Russian army, had spent 1917–19 as a lieutenant stationed far north, in the last arctic outpost of the continent, ], at Mudyug Island Prison where he interrogated ] prisoners.<ref>Mazzeo Tilar J., ''The Secret of Chanel No. 5'', HarperCollins, 2010, p. 56</ref> The polar ice, frigid seascape, and whiteness of the snowy terrain sparked his desire to capture the crisp fragrance of this landscape into a new perfume compound. Beaux, who had affiliated himself with the Allies and the White Russian army, had spent 1917–1919 as a lieutenant stationed far north, in the last Arctic outpost of the continent, ], at Mudyug Island Prison where he interrogated ] prisoners.<ref name=Mazzeo-2010 />{{RP|56}} The polar ice, frigid seascape, and whiteness of the snowy terrain sparked his desire to capture the crisp fragrance of this landscape in a new perfume.


Beaux perfected what was to become Chanel No. 5 over several months in the late summer and autumn of 1920. He worked from the rose and jasmine base of ''Rallet No. 1.'' altering it to make it cleaner, more daring, reminiscent of the pristine polar freshness he had inhabited during his war years. He experimented with modern synthetics, adding his own invention "Rose E. B" and notes derived from a new jasmine source, a commercial ingredient called Jasophore. The revamped, complex formula also ramped up the quantities of orris-iris-root and natural musks. Beaux perfected what was to become Chanel No. 5 over several months in the late summer and autumn of 1920. He worked from the ] and ] base of ''Rallet 1'', altering it to make it cleaner, more daring, reminiscent of the polar freshness he had experienced during his war years. He experimented with modern synthetics, adding his own invention "Rose E.B." and notes derived from a new jasmine source, a commercial ingredient called Jasophore. The revamped, complex formula also increased the quantities of ], iris root, and natural musks.


The revolutionary key was Beaux's use of aldehydes. Aldehydes are organic compounds of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen. They are manipulated in the laboratory at crucial stages of chemical reaction whereby the process arrests and isolates the scent. When used creatively, aldehydes act as "seasonings", an aroma booster. Beaux's student, ], said the aldehyde Beaux used had the clean note of the arctic, "a melting winter note". Legend has it that this wondrous concoction was the inadvertent result of a laboratory mishap. A laboratory assistant, mistaking a full strength mixture for a ten percent dilution, had jolted the compound with a dose of aldehyde in quantity never before used. Beaux prepared ten glass vials for Chanel's inspection. Numbered 1–5 then 20–24, the gap presented the core May rose, jasmine and aldehydes in two complementary series, each group a variation of the compound. "Number five. Yes," Chanel said later, "that is what I was waiting for. A perfume like nothing else. A woman's perfume, with the scent of a woman."<ref>Mazzeo Tilar J., ''The Secret of Chanel No. 5'', HarperCollins, 2010, pp. 60, 61–62, 65</ref> The key was Beaux's use of ]s. Aldehydes are organic compounds of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen. They are manipulated in the laboratory at crucial stages of chemical reaction whereby the process arrests and isolates the scent. When used creatively, aldehydes act as "seasonings", as aroma boosters. Beaux's student, ], said the aldehyde Beaux used had the clean note of the Arctic, "a melting winter note". A laboratory assistant, mistaking a full strength mixture for a ten percent dilution, had jolted the compound with a quantity of aldehyde never before used. Beaux prepared ten glass vials for Chanel's assessment. Numbered 1–5 and 20–24, each group a variation of the compound. "Number five. Yes," Chanel said later, "that is what I was waiting for. A perfume like nothing else. A woman's perfume, with the scent of a woman."<ref name=Mazzeo-2010 />{{RP|60,61–62,65}}


According to Chanel, the formula used to produce No. 5 has changed little since its creation, except for the necessary exclusion of natural ] and certain ].<ref>Mazzeo, Tilar J. ''The Secret of Chanel No. 5: The Intimate History of the World's Most Famous Perfume''. New York: Harper, 2010. Print.</ref> According to Chanel, the formula used to produce No. 5 has changed little since its creation, except for the necessary exclusion of natural ] and certain ].<ref name=Mazzeo-2010 /> The Eau de Parfum, though, is a different fragrance from the Parfum and the Eau de Toilette, and was composed in the eighties by Jacques Polge as a modern version of No. 5.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Turin |first=Luca |title=The Perfumes The A-Z Guide |publisher=Penguin Group |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-670-01865-9}}</ref>


== Celebrity ambassadors ==
==References==
* ] (1937)<ref name="first ad">{{Cite web |url=https://inside.chanel.com/en/no5/campaigns/1937_no5 |title=1937 – CHANEL N°5 advertisement published in Harper's Bazaar in 1937. For the first time, Gabrielle Chanel herself promoted her perfume |website=Inside CHANEL |access-date=1 March 2020}}</ref>
'''Notes'''
* ] (1957)<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://inside.chanel.com/en/no5/campaigns/1957_no5_parker |title=1957 – Suzy Parker, photographed by Richard Avedon for CHANEL N°5 advertising campaign in 1957 |website=Inside CHANEL |access-date=1 March 2020}}</ref>
{{Reflist|30em}}
* ] (1966)<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://inside.chanel.com/en/no5/campaigns/1966_no5_mcgraw |title=1966 – Ali MacGraw, photographed by Jérôme Ducrot for CHANEL N°5 advertising campaign in 1966 |website=Inside CHANEL |access-date=1 March 2020}}</ref>
* ] (1971)<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://inside.chanel.com/en/no5/campaigns/1971_no5_shrimpton |title=1971 – Jean Shrimpton, photographed by Helmut Newton for CHANEL N°5 advertising campaign in 1971 |website=Inside CHANEL |access-date=1 March 2020}}</ref>
* ] (1969–1979)<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.lexpress.fr/styles/parfums/video-chanel-n-5-en-12-publicites-cultes_1174556.html |title=VIDEOS. Chanel N°5 et ses publicités cultes |last=Bousquet |first=Elodie |date=15 October 2012 |website=L'Express |language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://inside.chanel.com/en/no5/campaigns/1972_no5_deneuve |title=1972 – Catherine Deneuve, photographed by Richard Avedon for a CHANEL N°5 campaign in 1972 that was shown exclusively in the United States |website=Inside CHANEL |access-date=1 March 2020}}</ref>
* ] (1986–1997)<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://inside.chanel.com/en/no5/campaigns/1986_no5_monuments |title=CHANEL N°5 advertising film from 1986, "Monuments", by Ridley Scott, with Carole Bouquet |website=Inside CHANEL |access-date=1 March 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://inside.chanel.com/en/no5/campaigns/1997_no5_e_bouquet |title=1997 – Carole Bouquet, photographed by Dominique Issermann for CHANEL N°5 advertising campaign in 1997 |access-date=1 March 2020}}</ref>
* ] (1998–2000)<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://inside.chanel.com/en/no5/campaigns/1998_no5_le_loup |title=CHANEL N°5 advertising film from 1998, "Le Loup", by Luc Besson, with Estella Warren |website=Inside CHANEL |access-date=1 March 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://inside.chanel.com/en/no5/campaigns/2000_no5_warren |title=2000 – Estella Warren, photographed by Jean-Paul Goude for CHANEL N°5 advertising campaign |website=Inside CHANEL |access-date=1 March 2020}}</ref>
* ] (2004–2005)<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/10/business/coming-soon-nicole-kidman-to-chanel-no-5.html |title=Coming Soon, Nicole Kidman to Chanel No. 5 |last=Friedman |first=Vanessa |date=10 November 2004 |website=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://inside.chanel.com/en/no5/campaigns/2005_no5_kidman |title=2005 – Nicole Kidman, photographed by Baz Luhrmann for CHANEL N°5 advertising campaign in 2005 |access-date=1 March 2020}}</ref>
* ] (2009)<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.ellecanada.com/beauty/star-scent-audrey-tautou-is-the-new-face-of-chanel-no-5 |title=Star scent: Audrey Tautou is the new face of Chanel No.5 |date=1 April 2009 |website=Elle Canada}}</ref>
* ] (2012)<ref name="pitt" />
* ] (2013)<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://inside.chanel.com/en/no5/campaigns/2013_no5_marilyn_and_n5 |title=2013 – Marilyn reveals the truth behind her legendary statement. "Marilyn and N°5" (30" version) |website=Inside CHANEL |access-date=1 March 2020}}</ref>
* ] (2014)<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/beauty/news-features/TMG10851135/Gisele-Bundchen-is-the-new-face-of-Chanel-No-5.html |title=Gisele Bundchen is the new face of Chanel No. 5 |date=23 May 2014 |website=Telegraph}}</ref>
* ] (2016–2019)<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.elle.com/uk/beauty/beauty-tips/a30609/lily-rose-depp-is-the-new-face-of-chanel-no5/ |title=Lily-Rose Depp Is The New Face of Chanel No.5 |date=23 May 2016 |website=Elle UK}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.papermag.com/lily-rose-depp-chanel-holiday-2641153184.html |title=Watch Lily-Rose Depp Transform in Chanel's New Holiday Film |date=29 October 2019 |website=Paper Magazine}}</ref>
* ] (2020–2024)<ref name="cotillard" />
* ] (2024 – present)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Margot Robbie Is The New Face Of Chanel N°5 |url=https://graziamagazine.com/me/articles/margot-robbie-chanel-no-5-campaign/ |access-date=2024-09-15 |website=Grazia Middle East |language=en-US}}</ref>


== References ==
'''Bibliography'''
{{refbegin}} {{reflist}}
*{{citation |last=Mazzeo |first=Tilar J. |title=The Secret of Chanel No. 5: The Biography of a Scent |year=2010 |publisher=HarperCollins |isbn=978-0-0617-9101-7}}
{{refend}}


==External links== == External links ==
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Latest revision as of 18:54, 21 December 2024

Perfume by Coco Chanel For the Camila Cabello song, see C,XOXO. Not to be confused with Channel 5.

No. 5
Bottle of Chanel No. 5, Eau de Parfum version
Fragrance by Coco Chanel
Released5 May 1921, to select clientele at Chanel, rue Cambon, Paris
LabelChanel
Perfumer(s)Ernest Beaux
Chanel No. 5 fragrance

Chanel No. 5 is the first perfume launched by French couturier Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel in 1921. The scent formula for the fragrance was compounded by French-Russian chemist and perfumer Ernest Beaux. The design of its bottle has been an important part of the product's branding. Coco Chanel was the first face of the fragrance, appearing in the advertisement published by Harper's Bazaar in 1937.

Inspiration

Traditionally, fragrances worn by women fell into two basic categories. "Respectable women" favored the essence of a single garden flower while sexually provocative indolic perfumes heavy with animal musk or jasmine were associated with women of the demi-monde, prostitutes, or courtesans. Chanel sought a new scent that would appeal to the flapper and celebrate the seemingly liberated feminine spirit of the 1920s.

The No. 5 name

At the age of twelve, Chanel was handed over to the care of nuns, and for the next six years spent a stark, disciplined existence in a convent orphanage, Aubazine, founded by 12th-century Cistercians in what is now the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of central France. From her earliest days there, the number five had potent associations for her. For Chanel, the number five was especially esteemed as signifying the pure embodiment of a thing, its spirit, its mystic meaning. The paths that led Chanel to the cathedral for daily prayers were laid out in circular patterns repeating the number five.

Her affinity for the number five commingled with the abbey gardens, and by extension the lush surrounding hillsides abounding with Cistus (rock roses).

In 1920, when presented with small glass vials containing sample scents numbered 1 to 5 and 20 to 24 for her assessment, she chose the fifth vial. Chanel told her master perfumer, Ernest Beaux, whom she had commissioned to develop a new fragrance, "I present my dress collections on the fifth of May, the fifth month of the year and so we will let this sample number five keep the name it has already, it will bring good luck."

Bottle design

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". It is generally considered that the bottle design was inspired by the rectangular beveled lines of the Charvet toiletry bottles, which, outfitted in a leather traveling case, were favored by her lover, Arthur "Boy" Capel. Some say it was the whiskey decanter he used that she admired and wished to reproduce in "exquisite, expensive, delicate glass".

The first bottle produced in 1922, differed from the Chanel No. 5 bottle known today. The original container had small, delicate, rounded shoulders and was sold only in Chanel boutiques to select clients. In 1924, when "Parfums Chanel" incorporated, the glass proved too thin to survive shipping and distribution. The bottle was modified with square, faceted corners, its only significant design change. In a 1924 marketing brochure, Parfums Chanel described the bottle as, "the perfection of the product forbids dressing it in the customary artifices. Why rely on the art of the glassmaker...Mademoiselle is proud to present simple bottles adorned only by...precious teardrops of perfume of incomparable quality, unique in composition, revealing the artistic personality of their creator." Others claim that the bottle's design was inspired by a whiskey bottle, while some say that the inspiration was drawn from glass pharmaceutical vials. In choosing the design for her perfume's bottle, was looking for something simple, even clinical, to stand apart from the overstated designs customarily seen on the perfume counter.

Unlike the bottle, which has remained the same since the 1924 redesign, the stopper has gone through numerous modifications. The original stopper was a small glass plug. The octagonal stopper, which became a brand signature, was created in 1924, when the bottle shape was changed. The 1950s gave the stopper a bevel cut and a larger, thicker silhouette. In the 1970s the stopper became even more prominent but, in 1986, it was re-proportioned so its size was more harmonious with the scale of the bottle.

The "pocket flacon," designed to be carried in a purse, was introduced in 1934. The price and container size were reduced to appeal to a broader customer base.

The bottle, over the decades, has itself become an identifiable cultural artifact, so much so that Andy Warhol chose to commemorate its iconic status in the mid-1980s with his pop art, silk-screened, Ads: Chanel.

A limited-edition, crimson red crystal glass bottle in the three editions of Chanel No. 5, namely Eau de Parfum, Parfum, and L'Eau, was launched for Christmas in 2018.

Battle for control of Parfums Chanel

In 1924, Chanel agreed with the Wertheimer brothers Pierre and Paul, directors of the perfume house Bourgeois, creating a new corporate entity, Parfums Chanel. The Wertheimers agreed to manage the production, marketing, and distribution of Chanel No. 5. The Wertheimers would receive a 70 percent share of the company, and Rheophile Bader, founder of the Paris department store Galeries Lafayette, would receive 20 percent. Bader had been instrumental in brokering the business connection by introducing Chanel to Pierre Wertheimer at the Longchamps races in 1922. For 10 percent of the stock, Chanel licensed her name to Parfums Chanel. She removed herself from involvement in all business operations. Later, unhappy with the arrangement, Chanel worked for more than twenty years to gain full control of Parfums Chanel. She said that Pierre Wertheimer was "the bandit who screwed me."

World War II brought with it the Nazi seizure of all Jewish-owned property and businesses, providing Chanel with the opportunity to gain control of Parfums Chanel and its most profitable product, Chanel No. 5. The Wertheimers were Jewish, and Chanel used her position as an "Aryan" to petition German officials to legalize her right to sole ownership.

On 5 May 1941, Chanel wrote to the government administrator charged with ruling on the disposition of Jewish financial assets. Her grounds for proprietary ownership were based on the claim that Parfums Chanel "is still the property of Jews" and had been legally "abandoned" by the owners.

I have an indisputable right of priority … the profits that I have received from my creations since the foundation of this business … are disproportionate … you can help to repair in part the prejudices I have suffered in the course of these seventeen years.

Chanel was not aware that the Wertheimers, anticipating the forthcoming Nazi confiscations, had, in May 1940, legally turned control of Parfums Chanel over to a Christian, French businessman and industrialist Felix Amit. At the end of World War II, Amit returned Parfums Chanel to the Wertheimers.

Chanel maneuvers for control

Coco Chanel, 1920

By the mid-1940s, the worldwide sales of Chanel No. 5 amounted to nine million dollars annually. The monetary stakes were high, and Chanel was determined to wrest control of Parfums Chanel from the Wertheimers. Chanel planned to destroy customer confidence in the brand and tarnish its image, crippling its marketing and distribution. She stated that Chanel No. 5 was no longer the original fragrance created by "Mademoiselle Chanel," it was no longer being compounded according to her standards, and what was now being offered to the public was an inferior product that she could no longer endorse. Further, Chanel announced she would make available an authentic Chanel No. 5, to be named "Mademoiselle Chanel No. 5", offered to a group of select clients.

Chanel may have been unaware that the Wertheimers, who had fled from France to New York in 1940, had instituted a process whereby the quality of Chanel No. 5 would not be compromised. In America, the Wertheimers had recruited H. Gregory Thomas as a European emissary for Parfums Chanel. Thomas' mission was to establish the mechanisms required to maintain the quality of Chanel products, particularly its most profitable fragrance, Chanel No. 5. Thomas worked to ensure that the supply of key components, the oils of jasmine and tuberose, obtained exclusively from the fields of the valley of Siagne above the French town of Grasse, remained uninterrupted by war. Thomas was later promoted to position as president of Chanel US, a position he held for thirty-two years.

Chanel escalated her game plan by instigating a lawsuit against Parfums Chanel and the Wertheimers. The legal battle garnered wide publicity. The New York Times reported on 3 June 1946:

The suit asks that the French parent concern be ordered to cease manufacture and sale of all products bearing the name and restore to her the ownership and sole rights over the products, formulas and manufacturing process "inferior quality".

The Wertheimers were aware of Chanel's collaboration during the Nazi occupation. Forbes magazine summarized the Wertheimers' dilemma: " a legal fight might illuminate Chanel's wartime activities and wreck her image—and his business".

Ultimately, the Wertheimers and Chanel came to an agreement, re-negotiating the original 1924 contract. On 17 May 1947, Chanel received her share of the wartime profits of Chanel No. 5. Post-war, her share was two percent of all Chanel No. 5 sales worldwide. Her earnings were in the vicinity of US$25 million a year, making her at the time one of the richest women in the world. The new arrangement also gave Chanel the freedom to create new scents, which would be independent of Parfums Chanel, with the proviso that none would contain the number 5 in its name. She never acted on this opportunity.

Advertising and marketing

1920s and 1930s

Chanel's initial marketing strategy was to generate buzz for her new fragrance by hosting a promotional event. She invited a group of elite friends to dine with her in an elegant restaurant in Grasse where she surprised and delighted her guests by spraying them with Chanel No. 5. The official launch place and date of Chanel No. 5 was in her rue Cambon [fr] boutique in the fifth month of the year, on the fifth day of the month: 5 May 1921. She infused the shop's dressing rooms with the scent, and she gave bottles to a select few of her high society friends. The success of Chanel No. 5 was immediate. Chanel's friend Misia Sert exclaimed: "It was like a winning lottery ticket."

Parfums Chanel was the corporate entity established in 1924 to run the production, marketing, and distribution of the fragrance business. Chanel wanted to spread the sale of Chanel No. 5 from beyond her boutiques to the rest of the world. The first new market was New York City. The initial marketing was discreet and deliberately restricted. The first ad appeared in The New York Times on 16 December 1924. It was a small ad for Parfums Chanel announcing the Chanel line of fragrances available at Bonwit Teller, an upscale department store. In the ad, all the bottles were indistinguishable from each another, displaying all the Chanel perfumes available, Numbers 9, 11, 22, and the centerpiece of the line, No. 5. This was the extent of the advertising campaign in the 1920s and appeared only intermittently. In the US, the sale of Chanel No. 5 was promoted at perfume counters in high-end department stores. The Galeries Lafayette was the first retailer of the fragrance in Paris. In France itself, Chanel No. 5 was not advertised until the 1940s.

The first solo advertisement for Chanel No. 5 ran in The New York Times on 10 June 1934.

1940s

Chanel N°5 Elixir sensuel

In the early 1940s, when other perfume makers were increasing brand exposure, Parfums Chanel took a contrary track and decreased advertising. In 1939 and 1940, Chanel ads had been prominent. By 1941, there was almost no Chanel print advertising. Fragrance sales flourished during World War II. Perfume sales in the United States from 1940 to 1945 increased tenfold; Chanel No. 5 prospered, even without advertising.

During the war years the directors of Parfums Chanel came up with an innovative marketing idea. Expanding sales to the middle-class customer had been started in 1934 with the introduction of the pocket flaçon. The plan was now to grow the market by selling the perfume at military post exchanges. It was a risky move that might have damaged the allure of the brand. But it did not: instead, it became a souvenir soldiers coveted for their sweetheart back home.

At the end of World War II, Coco Chanel's wartime collaboration threatened her with arrest and incarceration. In an attempt at damage control, she placed a sign in the window of her rue Cambon boutique, announcing that free bottles of Chanel No. 5 were available to American GIs. Soldiers waited in long lines to take a bottle of Paris luxe back home, and "would have been outraged if the French police had touched a hair on her head".

1950s

In April 1952, American actress Marilyn Monroe appears for the first time on the cover of Life, and the article mentions her answer to the question, "What do you wear to bed?" and her reply, "Chanel No. 5." In an unpublished photo shoot for an article by Sidney Skolsky in Modern Screen in 1953, a Chanel No. 5 bottle is seen on her nightstand.

1960s

In the 1960s, the glossy fashion magazines such as Vogue and Bazaar presented Chanel No. 5 as a required accessory. Print advertising for Chanel No. 5 was staid and conservative in both visuals and text, eschewing the energy and quirky aesthetic of the youth culture. Two catch phrases alternated as ad copy: "Every woman alive wants Chanel No. 5" and "Every woman alive loves Chanel No. 5".

1970s and 1980s

Chanel N°5 perfume

In the 1970s, the brand needed revitalization. For the first time it ran the risk of being labeled as "mass market" and passé. The fragrance was removed from drug stores and similar outlets. Outside advertising agencies were dropped. The rebranding was managed by Jacques Helleu, the artistic director for Parfums Chanel. Helleu chose French actress Catherine Deneuve as the new face of Chanel. Print ads showcased the iconic sculpture of the bottle. Television commercials were inventive mini-films with production values of surreal fantasy and seduction. Directed by Ridley Scott in the 1970s and 1980s, they "played on the same visual imagery, with the same silhouette of the bottle."

1990s

In the 1990s, more money was reportedly spent advertising Chanel No. 5 than was spent for the promotion of any other fragrance. Carole Bouquet was the face of Chanel No. 5 during this decade. In the UK, this product was the first ever commercial aired on the newly launched Channel 5 network.

Since 2000

In 2003, actress Nicole Kidman was enlisted to represent the fragrance. Film director Baz Luhrmann, brought in to conceive and direct a new advertising campaign featuring her, described his concept for what he titled No. 5 the Film as "a two-minute trailer ... for a film that has actually never been made, not about Chanel No. 5 but Chanel No. 5 is the touchstone". The eventual commercial, produced in two-minute and 30-second versions, cost £18 million, with Kidman paid US$3.7 million for her work.

It has been estimated, as of 2011, that between US$20–25 million was spent annually marketing Chanel No. 5.

In May 2012, the company announced that Brad Pitt would be the first male to advertise Chanel No. 5.

In 2013 Chanel ran an advertising campaign using a recorded interview with Marilyn Monroe in which she is asked about her use of Chanel No. 5. It featured Ed Feingersh's photograph of the actress splashing herself with a bottle of the perfume.

On her first cover of Life magazine in 1952, Marilyn Monroe famously said she wore only Chanel No. 5 to bed. A recording of her discussing the subject further with Georges Belmont for Marie Claire in 1960 has been found. She said people pose questions. "They ask me: 'What do you wear to bed? A pajama top? The bottoms of the pajamas? A nightgown?' So I said, 'Chanel No. 5', because it's the truth" she explained. "And yet, I don't want to say nude. But it's the truth!"

In October 2014, Luhrmann again collaborated with Chanel, creating a second advertising campaign for No. 5, this time starring Gisele Bündchen and Michiel Huisman. Throughout the film, singer Lo-Fang performs his rendition of You're the One That I Want.

On 17 February 2020, French actress Marion Cotillard was announced as the new face of Chanel No. 5. Her first commercial for the fragrance was released on 29 October 2020. It was directed by Johan Renck and featured Cotillard dancing in the moon with French ballet dancer Jérémie Bélingard while singing a cover of Lorde's "Team".

In 2024, Margot Robbie and Jacob Elotti starred in Chanel No. 5's new advertising film, directed by Luca Guadagnino, titled "See You at 5." Robbie plays the producer and titular star of Barbie. She tells Vogue that she thinks the woman who wears Chanel No. 5 is "powerful" and has "desires".

The scent

Provenance of the recipe

Le nez de Chanel: The perfumer Ernest Beaux (1881–1961)

Coco Chanel had wanted to develop a distinctly modern fragrance for some time prior to early-1920. At this time, Chanel's lover was Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich Romanov of Russia, the murderer of Rasputin. The duke introduced her to Ernest Beaux on the French Riviera. Beaux was the master perfumer at A. Rallet and Company, where he had been employed since 1898. The company was the official perfumer to the Russian imperial family, and "the imperial palace at St. Petersburg was a famously perfumed court." The favorite scent of the Tsarina Alexandra, composed specifically for her by Rallet in Moscow, had been an eau de cologne opulent with rose and jasmine named Rallet O-De-Kolon N°1 Vesovoi.

In 1912, Beaux created a men's cologne, Le Bouquet de Napoleon, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Borodino, a decisive battle in the Napoleonic Wars. Its success inspired Beaux to create a feminine counterpart, whose starting point was the chemical composition of aldehydic multiflores in Houbigant's immensely popular fragrance, Quelques Fleurs (1912).

His experiments with the aldehydes in Quelques Fleurs, resulted in a fragrance that he called Le Bouquet de Catherine. He intended to use the scent to celebrate, in 1913, the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty. The debut of this new perfume was ill-timed commercially. World War I was approaching, and the tsarina and the perfume's namesake, the Empress Catherine, had both been German-born. Timing and unfavorable associations, combined with Le Bouquet de Catherine's hefty price tag, made it a commercial failure. An attempt to re-brand the perfume, as Rallet N°1 was unsuccessful, and the outbreak of World War I in 1914 effectively killed the product.

Beaux, who had affiliated himself with the Allies and the White Russian army, had spent 1917–1919 as a lieutenant stationed far north, in the last Arctic outpost of the continent, Arkangelsk, at Mudyug Island Prison where he interrogated Bolshevik prisoners. The polar ice, frigid seascape, and whiteness of the snowy terrain sparked his desire to capture the crisp fragrance of this landscape in a new perfume.

Beaux perfected what was to become Chanel No. 5 over several months in the late summer and autumn of 1920. He worked from the rose and jasmine base of Rallet N°1, altering it to make it cleaner, more daring, reminiscent of the polar freshness he had experienced during his war years. He experimented with modern synthetics, adding his own invention "Rose E.B." and notes derived from a new jasmine source, a commercial ingredient called Jasophore. The revamped, complex formula also increased the quantities of orris root, iris root, and natural musks.

The key was Beaux's use of aldehydes. Aldehydes are organic compounds of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen. They are manipulated in the laboratory at crucial stages of chemical reaction whereby the process arrests and isolates the scent. When used creatively, aldehydes act as "seasonings", as aroma boosters. Beaux's student, Constantin Weriguine, said the aldehyde Beaux used had the clean note of the Arctic, "a melting winter note". A laboratory assistant, mistaking a full strength mixture for a ten percent dilution, had jolted the compound with a quantity of aldehyde never before used. Beaux prepared ten glass vials for Chanel's assessment. Numbered 1–5 and 20–24, each group a variation of the compound. "Number five. Yes," Chanel said later, "that is what I was waiting for. A perfume like nothing else. A woman's perfume, with the scent of a woman."

According to Chanel, the formula used to produce No. 5 has changed little since its creation, except for the necessary exclusion of natural civet and certain nitro-musks. The Eau de Parfum, though, is a different fragrance from the Parfum and the Eau de Toilette, and was composed in the eighties by Jacques Polge as a modern version of No. 5.

Celebrity ambassadors

References

  1. ^ "1937 – CHANEL N°5 advertisement published in Harper's Bazaar in 1937. For the first time, Gabrielle Chanel herself promoted her perfume". Inside CHANEL. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  2. ^ Mazzeo, Tilar J. (2010). The Secret of Chanel No. 5: The Biography of a Scent. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN 978-0-06-179101-7.
  3. ^ Vaughan, Hal (2011). Sleeping with the Enemy: Coco Chanel's Secret War. New York: Knopf. ISBN 978-0-307-59263-7.
  4. Bollon, Patrice (2002). Esprit d'époque: essai sur l'âme contemporaine et le conformisme naturel de nos sociétés (in French). Le Seuil. p. 57. ISBN 978-2-02-013367-8. L'adaptation d'un flacon d'eau de toilette pour hommes datant de l'avant-guerre du chemisier Charvet
  5. "Art in the Everyday: The Chanel No. 5 Bottle – Design*Sponge". www.designsponge.com. Archived from the original on 28 July 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
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  7. ^ Thomas, Dana, "The Power Behind The Cologne," The New York Times, 24 February 2002, retrieved 18 July 2012
  8. ^ "Chapter 2: Marilyn and No. 5". Chanel. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  9. Virginia Postrel (3 January 2014). "At the Intersection of Imagination & Desire". Deep Glamour. Archived from the original on 27 May 2015. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
  10. ^ "Nessymon.com". Archived from the original on 19 January 2014. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  11. Anderson, Lisa (27 January 1988). "The Belle of Chanel". Chicago Tribune.
  12. Freeland, Cynthia A. (2011). Jessica Wolfendale, Jeanette Kennett (ed.). Fashion – Philosophy for Everyone: Thinking with Style. John Wiley & Sons. p. 73. ISBN 978-1-4443-4554-4.
  13. ^ "Brad Pitt fronts global Chanel No. 5 push". AdNews. 10 October 2012. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
  14. ^ Prinzivalli, Leah (17 February 2020). "Marion Cotillard Is the New Face of Chanel No. 5". Allure.
  15. Chu, Ying (28 October 2020). "Marion Cotillard Fronts the Ultimate French-Girl Perfume". Marie Claire. Archived from the original on 31 January 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  16. Schroeder, Roberta (27 October 2020). "Go behind the scenes with Marion Cotillard for Chanel No. 5". Harper's Bazaar. Archived from the original on 31 January 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  17. News, A. B. C. "Margot Robbie stars alongside Jacob Elordi in new Chanel No. 5 ad campaign". ABC News. Retrieved 10 December 2024. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  18. "Chanel N°5 unveils new campaign starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi". cosmeticsbusiness.com. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
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  20. "1957 – Suzy Parker, photographed by Richard Avedon for CHANEL N°5 advertising campaign in 1957". Inside CHANEL. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  21. "1966 – Ali MacGraw, photographed by Jérôme Ducrot for CHANEL N°5 advertising campaign in 1966". Inside CHANEL. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  22. "1971 – Jean Shrimpton, photographed by Helmut Newton for CHANEL N°5 advertising campaign in 1971". Inside CHANEL. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  23. Bousquet, Elodie (15 October 2012). "VIDEOS. Chanel N°5 et ses publicités cultes". L'Express (in French).
  24. "1972 – Catherine Deneuve, photographed by Richard Avedon for a CHANEL N°5 campaign in 1972 that was shown exclusively in the United States". Inside CHANEL. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  25. "CHANEL N°5 advertising film from 1986, "Monuments", by Ridley Scott, with Carole Bouquet". Inside CHANEL. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  26. "1997 – Carole Bouquet, photographed by Dominique Issermann for CHANEL N°5 advertising campaign in 1997". Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  27. "CHANEL N°5 advertising film from 1998, "Le Loup", by Luc Besson, with Estella Warren". Inside CHANEL. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  28. "2000 – Estella Warren, photographed by Jean-Paul Goude for CHANEL N°5 advertising campaign". Inside CHANEL. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  29. Friedman, Vanessa (10 November 2004). "Coming Soon, Nicole Kidman to Chanel No. 5". The New York Times.
  30. "2005 – Nicole Kidman, photographed by Baz Luhrmann for CHANEL N°5 advertising campaign in 2005". Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  31. "Star scent: Audrey Tautou is the new face of Chanel No.5". Elle Canada. 1 April 2009.
  32. "2013 – Marilyn reveals the truth behind her legendary statement. "Marilyn and N°5" (30" version)". Inside CHANEL. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  33. "Gisele Bundchen is the new face of Chanel No. 5". Telegraph. 23 May 2014.
  34. "Lily-Rose Depp Is The New Face of Chanel No.5". Elle UK. 23 May 2016.
  35. "Watch Lily-Rose Depp Transform in Chanel's New Holiday Film". Paper Magazine. 29 October 2019.
  36. "Margot Robbie Is The New Face Of Chanel N°5". Grazia Middle East. Retrieved 15 September 2024.

External links

Media related to Chanel No. 5 at Wikimedia Commons

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