The Chanel n°5 perfume is undoubtedly the most famous fragrance in the world. Return on the history of this perfume, emblematic of a century.
One century ago, the iconic Chanel n°5 perfume was born. It was in 1921 that Gabrielle Chanel had the idea of this creation, after her meeting with Ernest Beaux, who was then one of the first perfumers to exploit the new molecules of nascent chemistry. She wanted “a perfume for women, with a woman’s scent” and insisted that it should be “an artificial perfume, artificial like a dress, i.e. made“.
The success is immediate. Gabrielle Chanel markets her fragrance in her store on rue Cambon. The purchasers tear it off, conquered by the 80 ingredients contained in N°5. However, a problem arises then, that of the sales network. Indeed, Gabrielle Chanel would like to sell her perfume to a larger clientele, and she contacted the founder of Galeries Lafayette.
This is how the designer met the Wertheimer brothers, Pierre and Paul, who had owned the Bourjois house since 1898. Chanel owns the perfume, and the two brothers own the factories and the worldwide distribution network, so they decide together to found the Société des parfums Chanel, in 1924.
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Featured Photo : © Presse
