CHANELN°5
Parfum Bottle

When Gabrielle Chanel created N°5 Parfum with perfumer Ernest Beaux in 1921, she launched a revolution in a bottle. It was the first of its kind--ground-breaking for Beaux's innovative use of aldehydes, or synthetic components which add layers of complexity, making N°5 shockingly modern in an era of single-note scents. As the most potent symbol of the luxurious simplicity for which Chanel is renowned, N°5 has since become more than a fragrance. It is an olfactory heritage: an idea of femininity, a masterpiece of chic, passed on from generation to generation. The now and forever fragrance.

Designed in 1921 by Gabrielle Chanel herself, the simple lines and incredibly plain white label of The Classic Bottle were as surprising as the fragrance. The chiseled stopper, cut like a diamond, was inspired by the geometry of the Place Vendôme that Gabrielle could gaze at from the balcony of her room at the Ritz in Paris. Over the years, only subtle changes have been made to the original design in order to preserve its stunningly contemporary aesthetic.

Since the creation of N°5, Chanel has practiced the art of baudruchage to seal bottles of parfum. Performed entirely by hand, the technique consists of placing a fine membrane over the neck of the bottle and holding it in place with two rows of pearl-cotton thread. It is then closed with a wax seal.