Marilyn Monroe wore it in bed; Andy Warhol immortalised it in a series of silk-screen prints; and 100 years after its invention, it remains a bestseller. Chanel NËš5 is, without question, the most famous fragrance in the world. Yet, its creation is as shrouded in myth and mystique as the history of Gabrielle Chanel herself.
The scent became her signature; it was sprayed by an assistant at the entrance of the Rue Cambon building, home to the Maison’s original boutique, to herald her arrival every day and she would scatter it on the glowing embers of her fireplace. Hers was the original “face” of Chanel NËš5: Dressed in a gauzy black gown, leaning on the mantelpiece in her Ritz apartment, she appeared in BAZAAR in a 1937 advertisement. “Her Perfume NËš5 is like the soft music that underlies the playing of a love scene,” ran the accompanying copy. “It kindles the imagination, indelibly fixes the scene in the memories of the players.”
Little wonder that the women subsequently chosen to embody the fragrance have tended to be actresses, including Ali MacGraw, Catherine Deneuve, Carole Bouquet, Nicole Kidman and Audrey Tautou.
This story is from the November 2020 edition of Harper's BAZAAR Singapore.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November 2020 edition of Harper's BAZAAR Singapore.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Well, Suited?
As attitudes towards dress codes shift, is the suit about to exit our closets?
Skirting The Issue
Sharp trousers have ruled the runways recently, but fall/winter 2024 ushered in a full-on return of the skirt. Can one fashion journalist, an avowed pants person, be converted by its charms?
The Power Of Peretti
In a hidden village of Sant Marti Vell in Spain, where Elsa Peretti lived, loved and created enduring symbols of design and beauty for Tiffany & Co., Kenneth Goh traces and marvels at her 50 years of legacy.
The Great Unknown
It's a fresh chapter for Thai actress Nuttanicha "Nychaa" Dungwattanawanich as she strikes out on her own.
FINDING XANADU
Adventure, magic and freedom await in the land of the blue sky, Mongolia.
TALKING POINTS
From the worlds of Art, Culture, Travel and Design.
TIMELESS LUXURY
In Hosanna Swee and Tom Chng's stunning apartment, an eye for detail and love for horological collectibles reveals an elegant and minimalist escape.
PRIM FOR PRIMETIME
Chanikarn \"Prim\" Tangkabodee reminisces on her journey from a child actor to a superstar in-the-making.
INSPIRATION
The suave music artiste is no stranger to the world of fashion. In fact, he describes fashion as the forefront of his and his family's personal expression, as well as a form of manners.
DARK HORSE
In his next role and what is easily his most challenging character to date―actor Brian Ng wants one thing from you: your hatred.