Chanel No:5

1921. Paris. A French woman creates a scent so distinctly striking that it changes the way women smell forever. What might have seemed revolutionary even back then, came out to be one of the world’s most recognised, coveted, classic perfumes. This, is the story behind Chanel No:5.

The legendary couturier Coco Chanel was already a prominent name in the fashion world by the beginning of the 1920’s with her successful boutiques when she had the idea to create her trademark fragrance. What she wanted to do was to stand out in a different way within scents with the notes as well as feel; which is exactly what she did.

It was Ernest Beaux, the perfumer who worked on the perfume for several months, creating 10 samples to share with Coco. From one to five and 20 to 24, Madame Chanel picked No. 5. It was the aldehydes that grabbed her, along with the combination of jasmine, may rose, sandalwood, ylang-ylang and vanilla. “It was what I was waiting for. A perfume like nothing else. A woman’s perfume, with the scent of a woman.”

What the outcome had was a first; combining jasmine with musk meant being provocative and pure simultaneously. The strong percentage of aldehydes allowed the smell to stay on the skin longer than other perfumes. And although not immediately, Chanel No: 5’s advertisements helped the growth of the business with huge names that vary from Catherine Deneuve to Nicole Kidman to Brad Pitt to Marilyn Monroe.

A rightfully-earned masterpiece title, Chanel No:5 continues numbing senses in the most alluring way possible.