What goes into the iconic Chanel No. 5 perfume? We travel to Grasse in France to join in the harvesting of the May Rose, the exquisite flower that anchors the French maison’s signature scent
There are many outstanding perfume creations but nothing quite as iconic as the Chanel No 5. Gabrielle Chanel had requested for “a woman’s fragrance that smells like a woman”, which perfumer Ernest Beaux duly delivered in 1921. He designed an unorthodox scent that broke perfumery norms then, mixing floral notes, including those from the May rose, jasmine, ylang‐ylang and sandalwood, with aldehydes.
Chanel No. 5 would go on to become an icon of the house, and nearly a century on, its formula remains faithful to the original despite various modern updates. In fact, the May rose has stayed on as a key ingredient in the formulation of the jus. Thanks to a partnership with the Mul family, the largest flower producer in Grasse, Chanel has ensured that it enjoys a consistent supply of premium May roses, whose extracts are used to formulate scents such as Chanel No. 5 and No 5. L’Eau.