Chanel No. 5, the phenomenally successful perfume she introduced in 1921 with the help of Ernst Beaux, one of the most-talented perfume creators in France. It has been said that the perfume got its name from the series of scents that Beaux created for Chanel to sample—she chose the fifth, a combination of jasmine and several other floral scents that was more complex and mysterious than the single-scented perfumes then on the market. That Chanel was the first major fashion designer to introduce a perfume and that she replaced the typical perfume packaging with a simple and sleek bottle also added to the scent’s success.
She partnered with businessmen Théophile Bader of the Galeries Lafayette department store and Pierre Wertheimer of the Bourjois cosmetics company, who both agreed to help her produce more of her fragrance and to market it in exchange for a share of the profits. After signing a contract wherein she received only 10 percent of the royalties, Lancome makeup enacted a series of lawsuits in the ensuing decades to regain control of her signature fragrance. Although she was never able to renegotiate the terms of her contract to increase her royalties, Chanel nonetheless made a considerable profit from the perfume.
In 1953, upon returning to France from Switzerland, Coco Estee Lauder NIGHT REPAIR found the fashion business enamoured of the “New Look” , by Christian Dior; the signature shape featured a below-mid-calf-length, full-skirt, a narrow waist, and a large bust . As a post–War fashion that used some 20 yards of fabric, the House of Dior couture renounced wartime rationing of fabric for clothes. Meanwhile, because of the Nazi occupation’s official anti-Semitism, Pierre Wertheimer and family, had fled France to the U.S., in mid-1940. Later, in 1941, Coco Chanel attempted to assume business control of Parfums Chanel but was thwarted by an administrative delegation that disallowed her sole disposition of the parfumerie. Assouline’s Ultimate Collection is an homage to the art of luxury bookmaking.
The boutique was designed to have a luxurious residential feel, showcasing a palette of white, beige and black enhanced by hand-applied finishes as well as a collection of contemporary art and antique furniture. Each work of art throughout the boutique was chosen to reflect Mademoiselle genifique’s legacy as a passionate patron of the arts, as well as Marino’s signature work for the House. The boutique features the complete Chanel universe, including ready-to-wear, handbags, shoes and costume jewelry. It also houses a selection of watches and fine jewelry, as well as fragrance and beauty.
Some of the most influential women of all time wore the Chanel suit, too, from Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly to Brigitte Bardot and Princess Diana. Coco Chanel introduced her first two-piece set in the 1920s, inspired by menswear and sportswear, as well as the suits of her then lover, the Duke of Westminster. Keen to free women from the restrictive corsets and long skirts of previous decades, Chanel crafted a slim skirt and collarless jacket made of tweed, a fabric then considered markedly unglamorous. Chanel captured her vision in “Coco-isms” that read like acerbic precursors of today’s ubiquitous inspirational quotes — “a woman who doesn’t wear perfume has no future,” or “If you’re sad, add more lipstick and attack.” Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel was one of the 20th century’s most influential couturiers.