Chanel No. 5
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| No. 5 | ||
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Bottle of Chanel "No. 5" perfume.
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| Fragrance by Coco Chanel | ||
| Description | Women's fragrance | |
| Released | May 5, 1921 | |
| Label | Chanel | |
Chanel No. 5[1] was the first fragrance from Parisian couturier Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel, and has been on sale continuously since its introduction in 1921. It has been described as "the world's most legendary fragrance", and remains the company's most famous perfume.[2] The company estimates that a bottle is sold worldwide every 55 seconds.[3]
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[edit] History
According to one story of the creation of Chanel No. 5, Coco Chanel commissioned the renowned perfumer Ernest Beaux to make six perfumes for her choosing. They were labeled No. 1, No. 2, etc. through No. 6. (Breaux himself, q.v., relates a slightly different version of the story). It was bottle No. 5 that was to Chanel's liking and became the chosen formula. The number "5" was also her lucky number.[citation needed]
At the time of its inception, the most expensive perfume oil was jasmine due to the expensive distilling process. Chanel wanted to create the most costly perfume in the world, and as such No. 5 relies heavily on jasmine. Despite wanting to do this herself, when Jean Patou introduced Joy, which actually was the costliest perfume in the world, Chanel was actually very scornful, saying "Joy was for women who wanted to put their petty morals on display [by wearing the world's costliest perfume]".[citation needed]
Chanel introduced it first to some of her friends on May 5, 1921. Initially, it was given to preferred clients for free at her boutique. The fitting rooms in her boutique were also scented with No. 5. This strategy is imitated today by retailers.
In 1924, Pierre Wertheimer partnered Coco Chanel in her perfume business. He owned 70%, Coco owned 10%, and her friend Bader owned 20%. Chanel agreed to owning such a small amount in exchange for having complete control over the product. Today, the Wertheimer family still runs the perfume business.
No5 was originally available in three strengths: Parfum, Eau de Toilette and Eau de Cologne. In the late 1980s Eau de Parfum was introduced and the Eau de Cologne discontinued.
[edit] Style
"I want to give women an artificial perfume," said Chanel. "Yes, I really do mean artificial, like a dress, something that has been made. I don't want any rose or lily of the valley, I want a perfume that is a composition." [4] Although not the first fragrance to use them, No. 5 is famous for being the first perfume to heavily rely on synthetic floral aldehydes as a top note. Before synthetics, perfume either had to be applied very heavily or frequently so that the fragrance would last.
Chanel applied the French aesthetic theory that "ugly" placed next to "beautiful"[citation needed], by contrast, makes the beautiful object appear more so. In this era almost all perfumes were floral and "pretty" - designed to enhance a woman's beauty with more beauty. Instead of the scent of flowers, Coco wanted a perfume that "reflects my personality, something abstract and unique". She thought that a perfume should serve to spotlight a woman's natural beauty using contrast - i.e. the artificial perfume would make the woman's natural beauty more evident.[citation needed]
[edit] Notes
Chanel No. 5 is classified as a floral-aldehyde. Its top notes include ylang ylang, neroli and synthetic long chain aldehydes such as 2-methylundecanal;[5] its mid notes may rose and jasmine; and its base notes sandalwood, vetiver and vanilla.[6]
In the UK, Chanel No. 5 was originally available in three strengths: Pure Perfume, Eau de Toilette and Eau de Cologne. The Eau de Cologne was discontinued in the 1990s, and an Eau de Parfum introduced.
Laboratory tests have shown that Chanel No. 5 contains secretions from the perineal glands of civet cats. Civet is a powerful fixative, making the scent last a long time. Animal rights groups such as the World Society for the Protection of Animals express concern that civet is harvested in a method cruel to animals. The Chanel company claims that, starting in 1998, natural civet has been replaced with a synthetic substitute.[7]
[edit] Cultural influence
- Sales increased in the 1950s, especially after the perfume was introduced in the United States. Movie star Marilyn Monroe's endorsement of the brand is said to have contributed to its popularity. In 1953, when asked what she wore in bed, Monroe famously replied, "Why, Chanel No. 5, of course." Chanel herself is quoted as saying, "A woman should wear fragrance wherever she expects to be kissed."
- Andy Warhol sealed Chanel No. 5's status as cultural icon when he made nine silk screens of the perfume, elevating it to Campbell Soup status. And in 1959 the packaging itself made it into the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, New York.
- Famous spokesmodels for the fragrance have included Marilyn Monroe, Catherine Deneuve, Carole Bouquet, Estella Warren, Nicole Kidman, who in 2004 appeared opposite Rodrigo Santoro in a Baz Luhrmann-directed/Mandy Walker-filmed multi-million dollar commercial entitled No. 5 The Film. Actress Audrey Tautou became a spokesmodel for the perfume in 2009 when she appeared in the second short film for the fragrance. The short film was veiled on the 5th of May (5th of the 5th - in honour of No.5) on the Chanel website, 88 years to the day the fragrance was introduced. The short film was directed by French director Jean-Pierre Jeunet and was released in conjunction with Tautou's film Coco avant Chanel, in which Tautou portrays Coco Chanel.
- The first advertisement shown on British TV's Channel 5 was for Chanel No. 5.
- Film director Ridley Scott directed three TV commercials for the 'Share Your Fantasy' ad for Chanel No. 5; the most notable is the version with a woman lying beside a swimming pool which has been aired for decades since its 1979 introduction. Two other versions make use of the songs 'Sea of Love' and "I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire" from The Ink Spots.
- As part of his act, exhibition wrestler Gorgeous George would have the ring sprayed with disinfectant before a bout, a special mixture allegedly containing Chanel No. 5 -- although George claimed it was "Chanel No. 10," saying "why be half safe?"
- The scent is also used in the American idiomatic expression of suspicion, "Something smells here -- and it ain't Chanel No. 5!"
- The scent is mentioned in the 1963 Paul Newman film Hud when Alma Brown (Patricia Neal) says to Hud Bannon (Newman) "Somebody in this car smells like Chanel No. 5. It’s not me, I can’t afford it."
- The name, cover art and artwork of the album Mina n° 0, by Mina, are designed after the famous perfume.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Chanel N°5 Fragrance pyramid, vintage ads, videos and reviews
- ^ "The Chanel No 5 Story", The Independent, 15 October 2008
- ^ "Kidman reprises Moulin Rouge role for Chanel", The Guardian, 15 October 2004
- ^ Classic Elegance: Chanel Perfume
- ^ Chanel No 5 and 2-methylundecanal
- ^ See "The story of No. 5" at http://www.chanel.com Chanel's website
- ^ The Straight Dope: Does civet come from tortured cats? Does kopi luwak coffee come from pre-eaten beans?
[edit] External links
- Jean-Pierre Jeunet's film - Chanel website
- No 5 the Film as 17 MB mov
- No 5 the Film on YouTube
- long making of No 5 the Film
- short making of No 5 the Film
- Biography of Coco Chanel
