Seamus Hammond
Chanel No. 5 is a perfume created by French couturier Gabrielle Coco Chanel. The scent formula was compounded by French-Russian chemist and perfumer Ernest Beaux. The perfume was first launched in 1921 and was the first fragrance launched by Chanel. The name of the perfume is rooted in both fact and superstition. One theory is that it was the fifth scent introduced to Chanel by Beaux, and another is that Chanel was superstitious and believed in astrology, being a Leo herself, the fifth sign of the zodiac.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Creator | French-Russian chemist and perfumer Ernest Beaux |
| Launched | 1921 |
| First Bottle Produced | 1922 |
| Bottle Design Inspired By | A whiskey bottle or glass pharmaceutical vials |
| Bottle Shape | Elongated octagon, meant to mimic the layout of Paris' Place Vendôme |
| Notes | May rose, jasmine, ylang-ylang, neroli, sandalwood, and vanilla |
| Number of Ingredients | 80 |
| Variants | Eau de Parfum, Parfum, L'Eau, Eau de Toilette, Eau Première |
| Face of the Fragrance | Coco Chanel |
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What You'll Learn
Chanel No. 5's perfumer
Chanel No. 5 was created by French-Russian chemist and perfumer Ernest Beaux in 1921. Beaux was the master perfumer commissioned by Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel to develop a new fragrance. Chanel wanted to create a scent that would appeal to the flappers of the 1920s and celebrate their liberated feminine spirit. She asked Beaux to create something "that smells like a woman, not a flower bed".
Beaux presented Chanel with a series of small glass vials containing sample scents numbered 1 to 5 and 20 to 24. Chanel chose the fifth vial, saying, "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."
Chanel No. 5 was the first perfume in the floral-aldehyde group and the first by the quantity of aldehydes in its composition. Beaux created and used aldehydes—a synthetic component—for the first time while developing Chanel No. 5. The man-made element has a complex scent that, while not found in nature, is pleasant and recognizable to the nose.
In 2016, perfumer Olivier Polge, whose father was Chanel's main perfumer for decades, created his own iteration of the iconic scent. Chanel No. 5 L’Eau is a fresh, modern take on the classic perfume.
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The perfume's ingredients
Chanel No. 5 was 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.
Beaux spent several months in 1920 perfecting Chanel No. 5. He worked from the rose and jasmine base of Rallet N°1, altering it to make it cleaner and more daring. He added modern synthetics, including his own invention, "Rose E.B.", and notes derived from a new jasmine source called Jasophore.
Chanel No. 5 is described as having a floral-aldehydic bouquet. The perfume is said to have a strong musk, with notes of the deepest and velvetiest mosses, the finest floral bouquets, swanky furs, and fine old leather.
The full list of ingredients for the Chanel No. 5 Eau de Parfum Spray (EDP) includes:
- Alcohol
- Aqua (Water)
- Parfum (Fragrance)
- Benzyl Alcohol
- Benzyl Benzoate
- Benzyl Cinnamate
- Benzyl Salicylate
- Cinnamyl Alcohol
- Citral
- Citronellol
- Coumarin
- Eugenol
- Farnesol
- Geraniol
- Hydroxycitronellal
- Isoeugenol
- Limonene
- Linalool
- Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
- Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
- CI 19140 (Yellow 5)
- CI 15985 (Yellow 6)
- CI 17200 (Red 33)
- CI 14700 (Red 4)
Chanel No. 5 is also available in several other forms, including Eau de Toilette, Parfum, and L'Eau.
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The bottle design
The first Chanel No. 5 bottle, produced in 1922, had small, delicate, rounded shoulders and was only sold in Chanel boutiques to select clients. However, this design proved impractical as the glass was too thin to survive shipping and distribution. In 1924, the bottle was modified with square, faceted corners, the only significant design change it has undergone. The new bottle was described in a marketing brochure as:
> "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."
The inspiration behind the bottle's design has been a subject of debate. Some claim it was inspired by the rectangular beveled lines of the Charvet toiletry bottles, which were favoured by Chanel's lover, Arthur "Boy" Capel. Others suggest it drew inspiration from whiskey bottles or glass pharmaceutical vials. The bottle's stopper, cut like a diamond, is said to evoke the geometry of Place Vendôme, a space close to Chanel's heart.
Over the decades, the Chanel No. 5 bottle has become an identifiable cultural artifact, celebrated by artists such as Andy Warhol in his pop art prints in the mid-1980s. The bottle design has also inspired Chanel's N°5 Fine Jewelry collection, which features pieces modelled after the iconic shape. The collection includes a 55.55-carat diamond that mimics the minimalistic purity of the bottle and its signature stopper.
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The launch of Chanel No. 5
Chanel No. 5 was the first perfume launched by French couturier Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel. The scent formula was compounded by French-Russian chemist and perfumer Ernest Beaux. Chanel No. 5 was launched in 1921, on the fifth day of the fifth month of the year, in Chanel's rue Cambon boutique. Chanel hosted a promotional event in an elegant restaurant in Grasse, where she sprayed her elite friends with her new fragrance. The success of Chanel No. 5 was immediate.
The perfume's unique scent was inspired by Chanel's desire to create a fragrance that celebrated the liberated feminine spirit of the 1920s. Chanel wanted to move away from the traditional fragrances worn by women, which typically fell into two categories: the essence of a single garden flower or indolic perfumes heavy with animal musk or jasmine. Instead, Chanel No. 5 was designed to appeal to the flappers of the time and capture the crisp fragrance of the polar ice, frigid seascape, and snowy terrain that Beaux had experienced during his time in the military.
Beaux spent several months in late summer and autumn of 1920 perfecting the fragrance. He worked from the rose and jasmine base of Rallet N°1, altering it to make it cleaner and more daring, reminiscent of the polar freshness. He experimented with modern synthetics, adding his own invention, "Rose E.B.," and notes derived from a new jasmine source called Jasophore.
The design of the Chanel No. 5 bottle has also been an important part of the product's branding. The first bottle, produced in 1922, had small, delicate, rounded shoulders and was sold only in Chanel boutiques to select clients. However, when Parfums Chanel was incorporated in 1924, the glass was found to be too thin to survive shipping and distribution. The bottle was then modified with square, faceted corners, creating the iconic shape known today.
Over the years, Chanel No. 5 has become a legendary fragrance, with fans including Marilyn Monroe. The perfume has been advertised by various celebrities, including Carole Bouquet in the 1990s and Nicole Kidman in 2003.
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The marketing of the perfume
Chanel No. 5 was 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 perfume was an instant and disruptive novelty in the European market. Chanel No. 5 is known as one of the most iconic perfumes in the world.
Chanel No. 5's marketing strategy has evolved over the years, with the brand always focusing on innovation. From its creation until 1965, advertisements were simple in black and white, highlighting only the bottle. 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 early years, the marketing was discreet and deliberately restricted, and the advertising budget was limited.
In the 1940s, when other perfume makers were increasing brand exposure, Parfums Chanel took the opposite approach and decreased advertising. During World War II, perfume sales in the United States increased tenfold, and Chanel No. 5 prospered, even without significant advertising. During this time, Parfums Chanel expanded its market by selling the perfume at military post exchanges, allowing soldiers to purchase it as souvenirs for their loved ones back home.
In more recent years, Chanel No. 5 has continued to innovate its marketing strategy. In 2004, the brand began running Hollywood-style commercials featuring celebrities such as Nicole Kidman and Audrey Tautou. In 2012, Brad Pitt became the first male to advertise Chanel No. 5, a unique choice for a luxury women's perfume brand. Chanel has also leveraged endorsements from iconic actresses like Marilyn Monroe, who famously said she wore only Chanel No. 5 to bed.
The design of the Chanel No. 5 bottle has also been an important part of the product's branding. The original bottle, with its small, delicate, rounded shoulders, was modified in 1924 to a square, faceted shape to withstand shipping and distribution. The bottle's design is often described as radically minimal, reflecting the elegance and simplicity associated with the Chanel brand.
Chanel No. 5's marketing success can be attributed to its ability to adapt to changing times while maintaining a strong focus on innovation and elegance.
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Frequently asked questions
Chanel No 5 was created by French-Russian chemist and perfumer Ernest Beaux.
Coco Chanel was the first face of Chanel No 5, appearing in an advertisement published by Harper's Bazaar in 1937.
Chanel No 5 was launched in 1921.
Chanel No 5 was inspired by the polar ice, frigid seascape, and whiteness of the snowy terrain that Beaux experienced during his time stationed in the Arctic.
Chanel No 5 is manufactured by Parfums Chanel, a corporate entity created by Chanel and the Wertheimer brothers, directors of the perfume house Bourgeois.
