Chanel No.5

Chanel No.5 was introduced to women in 1924.

Until this time, "respectable" women favoured the pure essense of a single garden flower in their fragrance.

Provocative perfumes with musk or jasmine were associated with women of the demi-monde, prostitutes or courtesans.

Coco Chanel introduced Chanel No.5 - a scent that would epitomize the boyish, modern flapper that would speak to the liberated female spirit of the 1920s.

The number five had potent associations for Coco Chanel from her earliest days at Aubazine.

Aubazine had been founded by a Catholic order who placed great emphasis on numerology and particularly the number five, which signified the pure embodiment, spirit and mystical meaning of objects. The paths which led Chanel to the cathedral for daily prayer were designed in circular patterns repeating the number five and were lined with five-petalled roses.

When Coco Chanel was presented with small glass vials of scent numbered 1-5 and 20-24 to assess, she chose the sample composition contained in the fifth vial and told her master perfumer, Ernest Beaux, "I present my dress collections on the fifth of May, the fifth month of the year and so we will let this sample number five keep the name it has already, it will bring good luck."

"Parfums Chanel," was established in 1924 to manage all aspects of the Chanel No.5 fragrance business - the production, marketing and distribution. Coco Chanel wanted to release Chanel No. 5 from the confines of her boutiques to the world.

Chanel No.5 was first introduced to New York City's clientele with its penchant for sophisticated, luxury goods.

The first advertisement appeared in The New York Times on 16 December 1924, announcing that Chanel No.5 would be available at upscale department store, Bonwit Teller.

From then on, the sale of Chanel No.5 in America was a word-of-mouth phenomenon, promoted from perfume counters at high-end department stores by enthusiastic sales staff.

The Chanel No.5 marketing strategy in Europe was no less restrained than in the United States. The Galleries Lafayette was the first retailer of the fragrance in Paris. Chanel No. 5 was not advertised in France at all until the 1940s.

The early 1940s industry trend was to increase brand exposure, but "Parfums Chanel" took a contrary track and actually decreased advertising.

All fragrance sales had flourished during the years of World War II. Perfume sales in the United States had increased tenfold and Chanel No.5 particularly flourished.

The Chanel No.5 market extended to the military post exchanges (the PX) - a marketing move that could have risked the exclusive status of the brand, but instead further epitomized a world of luxury and romance. Soldiers coveted Chanel No.5 for their sweethearts at home.

The 1960s and 1970s saw a diminished allure of Chanel No.5.

It was seen as being too proper! passe! and mass market!

Chanel No.5 was removed from drug stores, pharmacies and similar outlets.

The artistic director of "Parfums Chanel", Jacques Helleu, recreated the Chanel No.5 image and introduced French actress Catherine Deneuve as the new face of Chanel.

Movie glamour, sophistication, fantasy and seduction were returned to the iconic Chanel No.5, which has never looked back.