As Chanel No.5 marks its 100th birthday, we take a look at the iconic fragrances to celebrate with this year
After a year of perfume offering us a personal, at home, beauty sanctuary, it’s safe to say that fragrance is also rediscovering its role as a going out accessory, serenading us out of lockdown with every spritz.
As well as the personal renaissance, it’s also a pretty big year for perfume in general, with a number of notable birthdays and anniversaries of some of the biggest players in the game. Most notably, perhaps, is the centenary of Chanel No.5. After 100 years, it has enjoyed a permanent slot on every bestseller list as well as a number of cultural highlights, including Marilyn Monroe famously referencing it when asked what she wore to bed every night.
It’s fizzy aldehydic brilliance and intoxicating floral sophistication is being celebrated accordingly, with pop ups in Selfridges London and across the world, and a 17-piece, limited edition collection of products designed in homage to No.5.
Always one for a theme - remember the the famous supermarket setup at one of the designer’s fashion shows in the magnificent Grand Palais in Paris - the No. 5 pop ups take on the guise of a Chanel-ified factory floor, complete with work stations and mechanical conveyor belts.
The idea that everyday items can be a luxurious experience seems a perfect way to elevate a perfume that millions of women have held as their go-to scent for a century and each piece: the No.5 shower gel comes in a paint can, the nourishing body oil has been repackaged in an oil canister complete with a spout, and the No.5 bottle has been encased in a moulded pulp tray.
Then there’s fellow Parisian fragrance house Goutal Paris, which is celebrating their 40th anniversary this year. To mark the occasion, the brand has created two limited edition bottles of their best-selling fragrances L’Eau d’Hadrien and Petite Cherie. Founded by Annick Goutal and succeeded by her daughter Camille and perfumer Isabelle Doyen, the fragrance house has built a reputation for its poetic, creative and captivating fragrances that are as evocative as they are elegant. “I like to dream and share dreams. This is what my mother wanted to do as well,” says Camille.
Plus, there’s a throng of younger but nonetheless as illustrious fragrances celebrating milestones in 2021.
Keep scrolling to discover the heritage fragrances to wear while raising a glass.
Chanel No.5
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of their iconic fragrance No.5, Chanel has launched a stunning limited edition 17-piece collection, with each piece serving as a celebration of the original scent. Each piece comes in unique factory-themed packaging.
While the collection is available online, the pop up at the Corner Shop in Selfridges opens its doors today, allowing you to immerse yourself in what the brand describes as a “theme park dedicated to No.5”. Sign us up!
Save when you shop with these Selfridges discount codes.
Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue
Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Forever Eau de Parfum 100ml, £90, Boots
Celebrating 20 years since its creation, one bottle of Dolce&Gabbana Light Blue for women sells every eight seconds and more than four million are bought every year. To celebrate, the brand has created two new fragrances to join the family, Light Blue Forever Pour Femme and Pour Homme, which serve as a modern twist to the signature scent thanks to notes of orange blossom and cashmere woods, as well as the original crisp apple top notes.
Save when you shop with these Boots discount codes.
Goutal Paris Eau d'Hadrien
GOUTAL Eau d'Hadrien Eau de Parfum, £132, Harrods
With notes of Sicilian lemon, grapefruit and bergamot, this zesty and sunny fragrance was inspired by founder Annick Goutal's passion for Italy. 40 years on and its reached cult status, with every spritz evoking scenes of cypress-lined terraces and Tuscan sun.
Collection Privée Christian Dior Eden-Roc
Collection Privée Christian Dior Eden-Roc, £220, Dior
Maison Christian Dior and Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc have united to create an exclusive fragrance to celebrate the legendary hotel's 150th birthday. Taking inspiration from the hotel's magical Mediterranean setting along the Cap d'Antibes, and calls upon a combination of salty top notes, jasmine and a hint of coconut. "This fragrance marks the union of two icons of French heritage and elegance for whom innovation and tradition are closely linked," says Philippe Perd, Managing Director of Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc. "Perfumer François Demachy has succeeded at turning a dream into reality with this unique fragrance that so incredibly resembles the location.”
Creed Aventus
Creed Aventus 10, £314, House of Creed
While the House of Creed is more than 200 years old, its best-selling juice is somewhat younger, having just turned 10 years old. Crafted by the sixth generation perfumer Olivier Creed in collaboration with his son Erwin, Aventus has reached remarkable celebrity for such a new scent and to celebrate its unprecedented success, the brand produced a limited edition collectable bottle for fans to treasure.
