Le Chanel N°5 a story, a number, a revolution for the Brand

Flore Custot
19 nov. 2021
3 min de lecture

Dernière mise à jour : 1 déc. 2021

Like N°007, precious to Her Majesty's British agent, N°5 also has its universal reference because, for a large number of minds, Chanel N°5 symbolizes the most famous of perfumes, N°1 in sales, since 1929.

This lucky number hides an epic as well as unique know-how and process. If the history of this perfume is to be fascinating, its conception and its plant origin proceed from revelation and admiration. If the success of this perfume has never wavered, it is because it has known how to maintain its fantastic legend.

Gabrielle alias Coco Chanel was a visionary for fashion as well as for perfume. In the middle of the Russian trend, Gabrielle Chanel and the Tsars' perfumer created the French scent," un parfum de femme à odeur de femme ", with the most famous number in the world. They met in the circle of many Russian emigrants. Gabrielle Chanel was very inspired by the pomp of the Russian aristocracy. Ernest Beaux presented her with several versions of the fragrance. Most often, it is mentioned he showed her ten samples, numbered from 1 to 5 and from 20 to 24.

N°5 was created in 1921; it is a real olfactory revolution and the quintessential spirit of "Coco". At the time, the perfumes worn emphasized a single scent, unlike Chanel N°5, which does not refer to any specific odour. Coco Chanel wanted to differentiate herself by offering: "an artificial perfume, I say artificial like a dress, that is to say, manufactured. I am an artisan of sewing. I don't want roses, lily of the valley, I want a perfume which is a compound."

For this purpose, the first perfume with "aldehydes" was born thanks to Ernest Beaux. Aldehyde is a synthetic molecule, unknown at the time, which fixes floral notes while providing them with an element of mystery. Without the arrival of aldehydes in perfumery, Chanel N°5 would not exist. The aldehydes offer a significant number of olfactory notes and enhance perfumes like lemon reveals strawberries, messages which have the power to make flowers sing. Their discovery dates back to 1835, but it was not until the 20th century that perfumery used them. You can recognize the smell of aldehydes in Chanel No5 by their metallic and intense freshness. This olfactory family goes very well with already existing notes, particularly floral scents. Thus, this new chemical compound makes it possible to "make abstract" this trail, so one cannot distinguish one flower more than another in this luxurious olfactory bouquet. Ernest Beaux, the fragrance creator, will balance the original notes of jasmine, rose and ylang-ylang with the aldehyde to prevent them from taking over. This innovation responded to the olfactory desire of the fashion designer.

Composed of a subtle blend of 80 ingredients, it aims to combine strength and surprise effect.

No more unique scents of jasmine or rose.

Because she is the designer, Coco Chanel wishes that we could not recognize one flower rather than another.

By marketing Chanel N°5, Gabrielle Chanel becomes the first woman at the head of a fashion house to launch her perfume. By launching her fragrance in the Roaring Twenties, she instilled the same odace as for these collections with incredible modernity.

Mademoiselle Chanel was very attached to signs and symbolism, and she fell in love with the fifth numbered samples from Ernest Beaux. The number five, having always brought luck to Gabrielle, it was apparent. According to one of the most replicated versions, she said : "I present my collection of dresses on the fifth day of the fifth month, and so we will leave this sample number five with the same name that it already has, it will bring good luck. "Officially, Gabrielle Chanel launched N°5 during a parade organized on May 5, 1921. She first offered it to her best customers, who thus became her first muses. Gabrielle Chanel recommended using perfume extract "Where you want to be kissed".

Coco Chanel is superstitious, and the number 5 will accompany her throughout her life.

It is also no coincidence that Audrey Tautou, former muse of this fragrance, wore a star necklace in Jean-Pierre Jeunet's Night Train advertisement because it has five branches.

Coco's smell will match her flair. This recipe was fruitful since its perfume remained "number 1" in sales in France until 2011 when it was just overtaken by J'adore de Dior, another bouquet of flowers in a bottle. Today, 10 million bottles of N°5 are still sold each year.

Flore Brault Custot

19/11/2021