Behind the extremely concise name and minimalist packaging of the legendary Chanel No. 5 fragrance, there is a whole string of secret signs and symbols that were dear to Coco Chanel.
The loudest event in world perfume history was the release of Chanel No. 1921 in 5. Chanel achieved this: famously changing world fashion, she wanted to make herself known in perfumery in the same way. And for this, something out of the ordinary was needed. In those years, she had the so-called “Russian period”: friendship with Stravinsky and Diaghilev, an affair with Grand Duke Dmitry, a passion for icons, ballet … The choice of Russian perfumer Ernest Bo was obvious. The most talented “nose”, he once worked at the royal court, which could not help but conquer Chanel, who was always attracted to high society. Bo submitted 20 numbered compositions by the deadline – and then Mademoiselle behaved surprisingly. Accustomed to always trust only herself and her own taste, thoroughly checking every seam and button in her models, for some reason she trusted Fortuna at that crucial moment. “I launch the collection on the fifth of the fifth month. Therefore, I choose fragrance number five, ”she said. It would seem – the height of eccentricity. But for Chanel, numbers meant a lot: her former lover Boy Capel instilled in her a love of esotericism and numerology, where the five is considered a symbol of good luck. In order to attract Fortuna to her creation as much as possible, Koko placed the treasured figure on the package. One can only guess how modern perfumery would have developed if Ernest Beau had numbered his versions differently. Or maybe he knew Chanel so well that he placed the most successful option under her favorite number? In addition to the five, Coco provided the perfume with her logo, two crossed Cs (possibly borrowing it from Catherine de Medici, the famous patroness of mystics). The ascetic lines of the bottle were inspired by the paintings of the “lucky” Picasso, with whom Chanel was friends. The artist then worked in the style of cubism. By the way, it was he who came up with the idea of sticking a label, and not printing the name on the box (then Picasso was fond of collages). Chanel gave the bottle cap the shape of the Place Vendôme, next to which her boutique was located … In general, Mademoiselle surrounded her aroma first-born with a maximum of happy talismans. And I always believed that it was they who brought Chanel No. 5 world fame.