SECRET OF CHANEL NO. 5
By Tila Mazzeo
Every
minute, someone buys an Art Deco-inspired, amber-hued bottle of Chanel No. 5-to
the tune of more than half a million bottles a year. Considering that nearly ninety
years have passed since No. 5's creation, this statistic alone makes a compelling
case for the perfume's stature as the world's most famous. However, its cultural
impact might be even more staggering than its business success: Andy Warhol's
silk-screened version of bottle helped to make its image iconic; Mitch Ryder's
"Devil in a Blue Dress" famously wore it; and, when Marilyn Monroe was
asked what she wore to bed, she replied, with more than a hint of flirtation:
"Why, Chanel No. 5 of course."
We all know the story
of Coco Chanel, but how much do we actually know about her signature perfume-a
fragrance that has enjoyed remarkable success for nearly a century?
THE
SECRET OF CHANEL NO. 5 is the story of Tilar J. Mazzeo's far-ranging and often
quixotic search to discover the answer - and of the fascinating detours into the
history of perfume that come from asking the question: What is the secret behind
No. 5's creation, iconic status, and extraordinary success? Does the secret rest,
as some experts believe, in the celebrated jasmine fields that line the back roads
of the south of France, or in the delicate, proprietary roses that Chanel grows
in Grasse?Is it simply brilliant marketing, Madison Avenue style? Could it just
be a simple matter of organic chemistry, the neurology of smell, and the inherent
connections between scent and sex?
Blending strong personal
narrative with thoughtful research, THE SECRET OF CHANEL NO. 5 takes the reader
on a journey of discovery into the legend of this iconic perfume and, along the
way, untangles something about our own relationship to luxury and sensual pleasure.
Taking alternately historical, personal, scientific, and commercial approaches
to solve the riddle of Chanel No. 5's unprecedented popularity, this is an intimate
and engaging account of what it means to explore the multi-faceted nature of any
cultural icon, and of the narrative power of luxury itself.
THE
SECRET OF CHANEL NO. 5 is available now.
