The Secret of Chanel No. 5 (30 page)

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Abdy, Lady, 39

absolutes, 143–45, 146

accords:
as building blocks of perfumes, 39
in chypre perfumes, 43
containing lavender, 41
in oriental perfumes, 40

advertising:
of Chanel No. 5,
see
Chanel No. 5,
  marketing and advertising of
in cosmetics industry, 188–89
expansion in 1950s of, 198

alcohols, 78

aldehydes, 78
arctic concentrations of, 65
in Chanel No. 5, xvi, 60, 62, 63, 65–67, 71, 76, 115, 118
chemistry and impact of, 62–65
as fleeting, 64, 76
introduction of, 45, 144
in L'Aimant (perfume), 118
as novelty, 62
as organic, 63–64
responses stimulated by, 64–65
stabilizing of, 63

Alexandra Feodorovna, czarina of Russia, 49, 50, 51, 52, 55, 71

Alexei Nikolaevich, czarevitch of Russia, 49, 51

Alméras, Henri, 124

ambergris, 19

Ambre (perfume), 109

Amélie,
201

Amiot, Félix, 150, 151–54, 166, 168, 216

Anthony, Mark, 40

anti-Semitism, 134–35

Aphrodite, perfume dedicated to, 19, 42, 77, 79

A. Rallet & Co, 52, 54–55, 92

Armingeant, Pierre, 67

art deco
Chanel's influence on, 116, 126
launched at 1925 exhibition, 113–16, 126
popularity in U.S. of, 116, 126

À Sainte Marie, 14

Ashes of Roses (perfume), 104

Aubazine Abbey:
architecture and aesthetics of, 5–6, 90, 102, 187
Coco as orphan at, 4, 5–11
flowers and gardens at, 7, 10
scent as part of life at, 6–8, 37, 61
symbolism and numbers at, 8–10, 61

Babani, Maurice, signature scent launched by, 27

Bader, Théophile, 92, 95, 99, 123, 134, 140, 148, 184

Baker, Josephine, xv, 14

Balenciaga, Cristóbal, 117, 137

Ballet Russes, 127

Balsan, Étienne, 17–18, 19, 23–24, 28, 34, 184, 185, 201

Bauer, Albert, 208

Beautiful (perfume), xiii

Beaux, Ernest, 53, 54–57, 142
as celebrated perfumer, 55–56, 61–62, 87
Chanel No. 5 production rate of, 81, 82, 92
as drawn to arctic scents, 56, 65
innovative use of aldehydes by, 61–62, 65, 66–67, 115, 206
at Les Parfums Chanel, 97, 100, 117, 172, 210
as perfumer for Chanel No. 5, 59–62, 65–72, 96–97, 101, 143, 172–73, 202, 206, 210, 215
pride in Chanel No. 5 of, 172–73
at Rallet, 54–55, 69, 96–97, 105
during World War II, 173

Beaux, Gilberte, 173

beavers, musk from, 208

Bécu, Jeanne (Madame du Barry), 19

Beene, Geoffrey, 41

Belle de Jour
(film), 198, 199

Benaïm, Laurence, 198

Berlin, Germany:
allied occupation of, 181–82
Coco's wartime trip to, 159–60, 161, 181

Bernard of Clairvaux, Saint, 6–7

Bernhardt, Sarah, 10

Besson, Luc, 200–201

Bianco, Renato, 31

Bienaimé, Robert, 45, 67, 70–71

Blaise, E. E., 62

Bois des Îles (perfume), 167, 202

Bonaparte, Josephine, Empress of France, 10, 20

Bonaparte, Marie Louise, Empress of France, 44

Bonaparte, Napoléon, Emperor of France, 2, 10, 44

Bonofiglio, Virginia, 209

Bonwit Teller, 112

bottom notes, 78

Bouquet, Carole, 199

Bourjois, 29, 42, 93, 97, 104, 112, 141, 172, 189
at 1925 Paris Expo, 114, 115
see also
Les Parfums Chanel

Bow, Clara, xv

Bretz, Irène, 107

Brosse, 103

Brower, Ann Montgomery, 216–17

Brut Cologne, 41

Buchenwald, 140, 155, 158

Buñuel, Luis, 198

Burr, Chandler, xvii, 197

Cadolle, 117

Campbell's Soup, 186

Capel, Arthur “Boy,” 49, 61, 108, 185
bottles belonging to, 102
Coco as mistress to, 24, 27–28, 33–35, 201
death of, 35, 48, 53, 90, 91, 137

Castle, Irene, 27

Castle, Verne, 27

castoreum, 80

Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia, 55

Chambrun, Josée de, 170

Chambrun, René de, 134, 136, 170, 183

Chanel, Albert, 4, 137

Chanel, Gabrielle “Coco”:

anti-Semitism of, 135–36, 185

attempts to undermine Chanel No. 5, 164–66, 165, 167–77

Aubazine aesthetics as influence on, 5–6, 8–10, 61

as Balsan's mistress, 17–18, 19, 23–24, 28, 34, 201

Berlin trip of, 159–60, 161, 181

boutiques of, 24, 25, 27, 82, 105, 137–38, 202

business doubts of, 85, 116, 129–30, 133–34

as business woman, 84–85, 92, 94, 95–96, 104, 116, 126, 134

cabaret career of, 14, 16–17, 29, 34, 88–89, 93, 127, 201

and Capel's death, 35, 48, 53, 90, 91

as Capel's mistress, 24, 27–28, 33–35, 201

Chanel No. 5 rights released by, 91–97

charges of collaboration against, 158–62

Coty's competition with, 70, 106, 117–18

couturier business of, 23–25, 27, 51–52, 94–95, 96, 122–23, 136, 152, 183–85, 195

death of, 196

de Medici manuscript purchased by, 32, 53

early childhood of, 4–11

Eau Chanel trademarked by, 32

Émilienne d'Alençon admired by, 18, 20–21, 37

fame and celebrity of, 22, 28–29, 48, 66, 75, 87, 90, 93, 97, 116, 119, 125, 128, 129, 132–33, 186

as fashion arbiter and icon, 45–46, 86, 116, 126, 137, 182

fictional childhood created by, 7

fictional portrayals of, 201

first sportswear introduced by, 27

as Hollywood designer, 125, 126–27, 128–29, 132, 190, 199

La Pausa estate of, 119

as Les Parfums Chanel partner,
see
Les Parfums Chanel

living at Ritz Hotel, Paris, 35, 138, 140, 157, 184, 186

living in Switzerland, 161, 162, 167, 173, 176

logo design of, 106–7

as milliner, 23–25, 127, 185

Molyneux competition with, 83–85, 86

musks disliked by, 20

number five as talisman for, 9–10, 11, 60–61, 82, 84

as orphan at Aubazine, 4–11

as part of
demi-monde,
16–18, 33–34, 88–90, 184

as Pavlovich's lover, 53

perfume philosophy of, 46, 61, 129

perfume studied by, 38–39, 40–45, 104, 143

Pierre Wertheimer's business relationship with, 153, 183–85

in post-liberation Paris, 157–62

press and media portrayals of, 27–28, 86–90

probable abortion undergone by, 17

public image of, 28, 89–90, 91, 162, 174–76

reaction to Wertheimers' management, 151–54, 185

relationship with scent of, 6–8, 11, 20–21, 33, 37–38, 72, 77, 136

retirement of, 137, 182

return to Paris of, 182

Sem illustrations of, 88–90

sensuality of, 14, 16–18, 21–22, 37

as shopgirl and seamstress, 14

shop on rue Cambon of, 24, 137–38, 156–57, 163–64

signature scent of,
see
Chanel No. 5

style and aesthetics of, 5–6, 41, 83, 102, 124, 137, 202

U.S. trip of, 128–30

von Dincklage's relationship with, 158–62, 167, 182

wartime reputation of, 162, 174–76, 182

as wary of press, 28

wealth and financial success of, 29, 38, 96, 177, 185

work with Beaux of, 59–62, 65–72

Chanel, Inc.:
see also
Les Parfums Chanel
“address-inspired” scents from, 202
establishment of, 150
Les Parfums Chanel in relationship to, 167
21st century relaunches from, 202–3

Chanel, Jeanne, 4

Chanel logo, 106–7

Chanel No. 1 (perfume), 109

Chanel No. 2 (perfume), 109

Chanel No. 5 (perfume):
abandoned by Coco as signature scent, 169
as artificial abstraction, 45, 46, 103, 142
Beaux embrace of modernity in, 61–62
bottle and packaging of, xvi-xvii, 101–6, 108, 121–22, 148, 187–88, 199
challenges of 1960s facing, 193–95
Coco's early planning for, 30–33, 38–39, 40–45
Coco's identification with, 84–85, 88–90, 89–90, 91, 92, 94–95, 96, 129–30, 136, 164, 176, 186, 215
Coco's plans to undermine, 164–66, 165, 167–77
commercial success and sales of, xiv, xvii, 84–86, 87–88, 91, 92, 95–96, 97, 115, 116, 132–33, 139, 146–47, 158, 163–64, 176, 183, 195, 213, 215–16
in contemporary art, xvi-xvii, 186–87
cost of, 3, 65, 71, 112, 118, 124, 149–50, 190, 195, 209
Dmitri Pavlovich's influence on, 52
early 20th-century tensions
encapsulated by, 162–63
enthusiastic response to test of, 75–76, 81–82
exclusivity as element of, 81–82, 85–86, 97, 111, 149, 200
exhibited at MOMA, xvi-xvii, 187
fame and iconic status of, xiii, xvii, 42, 67, 68, 88, 99, 104, 106, 108, 109–10, 113, 118, 125, 129, 131, 138, 148, 149, 162, 175, 181, 186, 187–88, 199, 213, 215, 215–17
imitations and alternatives of, 67, 69, 117–18, 169, 170, 173–75, 203, 212, 214
introduction and launch of, xiv, 27, 67, 75–76, 81–90, 105
late 1950s drop in popularity of, 190–91
legends and stories surrounding, xiii, xv-xvi, xv-xvii, xvi, xvi-xvii, 32–33, 53, 57, 67, 68–72, 86–87, 96, 96–97, 100, 102, 105–6, 112–13, 115, 215
as
le monstre
among perfumes, xvii, 63, 186, 197, 202
linked to Chanel fashions, 122–23, 132
luxury associated with, 3, 95, 111, 121, 122, 133, 147, 148, 149, 170, 188, 194, 195, 214
name chosen for, 60–61
as originally envisioned by Coco, 37–38, 45–46, 47, 53, 59–60, 65–66, 70, 72, 100, 101–3, 194, 198
overexposure of, 133, 148–49, 190–91, 193–94, 200, 211
parfum
concentration of, 212
perfumer sought for, 48, 53
production and distribution of, 81–82, 85–86, 92–97, 140–44, 166–67, 171, 190–91, 194
public following for, xvii-xviii, 85, 92, 115, 214–17
revitalized popularity of, 199–200, 203
rooted in Coco's life experiences, 3–4, 11, 37–38, 88–90, 95, 102, 184, 197, 201, 214, 215
scent and quality consistency over time of, 146–47, 171, 207–12
Sem illustrations of, 86–90, 92, 104
sold through military commissaries, 148–49, 167, 190–91, 194
spirit of Roaring Twenties captured by, 3, 67, 118
spokesmodels for, 197–201
stopper design for, 104–5
as symbol and souvenir of France, 139, 149, 157, 159, 162–64, 216–17
Truman's search for, 157, 162, 181
voted most seductive scent, xiii-xiv, 76
Warhol silk screens of, xvi, 186, 199

Chanel No. 5, marketing and advertising of, 97, 108–9, 111–16, 121, 121–23, 133–34, 147–50, 211, 213

demi-monde
as related to, 201

during 1950s, 190–91

during 1960s, 194–96, 198

during 1970s and 80s, 199–200

during 1990s and 2000s, 200–201

earliest, xvi-xvii, 75–76, 81–82, 86, 99–101

Hollywood element to, 125, 126

Les Parfums Chanel European strategy for, 113, 115–16

Little Red Riding Hood
campaign for, 200–201

as luxury vs. mass market item, 148–49, 190–91, 193–94, 200

middle class as target of, 121–22

as one of several fragrances, 109, 112–13, 116, 131

in pocket sizes, 121–22, 148

spokesmodel campaigns in, 197–201

on television, 189–90

as understated and modest, 100–101, 112

in U.S. market, 99–100

word of mouth, 81–82, 86

World War II era, 147–50

Chanel No. 5
(opera), 181–82

Chanel No. 5 formula:
aldehydes used in, xvi, 60, 62, 63, 65–67, 71, 76, 80, 115, 205–6, 208
changes made to, 207–11
development of, 59–62, 65–72
floral-aldehyde balance of, 66, 71, 149, 205–6
IFRA regulation risks to, 205–7, 211
impact of aldehydes on, 65, 66, 67, 80
as inherently and structurally sensual, 80
jasmine in, 60, 61, 65–66, 71, 76, 79, 124, 141–46, 205–6, 208, 210–11
musks used in, 207–9
nitro-musks used in, 208–9
origins of, 32–33, 68–72, 96–97, 213
quality and quantity of materials in, 43, 78–79, 142, 145
as revolutionary, xvi, 22, 60, 62, 66, 67, 68, 71, 78–79
rose in, 60, 61, 66, 71, 76, 79, 124, 141–46
World War II acquisition of raw materials for, 141–46

Chanel No. 7 (perfume), 109, 112

Chanel No. 9 (perfume), 112

Chanel No. 11 (perfume), 109, 112

Chanel No. 14 (perfume), 109

Chanel No. 18 (perfume), 202

Chanel No. 19 (perfume), 202

Chanel No. 20 (perfume), 109

Chanel No. 21 (perfume), 109

Chanel No. 22 (perfume), 109, 112, 118, 168, 174, 202, 212

Chanel No. 27 (perfume), 109

Chanel No. 46 (perfume), 212 offered as post-War No. 5, 174–75

Chaplin, Charlie, xv