Chanel Nº5 celebrates 100 years

A centenary. The 100th anniversary of something or someone iconic. Today CHANEL Nº5 seems like the most modern of fragrances. The bottle looks as if it was designed last year. The logo, more modern than any today. How is it even possible that this fragrance celebrates a 100 years?!

Yet, this year, we celebrate the 100 years of this gift that Mme Chanel bestowed on humanity.

This fragrance went on to become the most iconic fragrance in the world. Every woman has a story, her own personal memory with this fragrance. It belongs to us all. For me, it was my beloved Mom who gave me my first bottle, which I kept long after it ran dry. For my mom, it was a gift she received from her father. This bottle has been given and received, lovingly, kindly and excitedly for one 100 years.

As Coco was many things at once, Nº5 is so many things also. Intelligent, sophisticated, slightly mischievous, confident.

The story began when Mme Chanel met Ernest Beaux in 1920 to challenge him to create a fragrance that she insisted must smell like a woman and not a rose.

As legend goes, Chanel picked the fifth sample, declaring, "I show my collections on the fifth of May, the fifth month of the year, so let's leave the number it bears, and this number five will bring it good luck.”

Fragrances in those times we mixed from a single flower oil worn by aristocracy, but those who mixed in musk or jasmine were thought to be worn by women of a “racier” kind. Chanel made a scent that blended jasmine, musk, and an array of different flowers. She once again raised eyebrows, as always.

And so lucky Nº5, has become the most iconic scent in the world, and still make all of hearts beat faster to this day.

Happy birthday Nº5, and thank you for 100 years of memories.