Chanel N°5 launched in 1921, composed by Ernest Beaux. Its heavy aldehyde overdose gave the scent an abstract shimmer that no perfume had carried before, and it remains among the best-selling fragrances in history.
Chanel is one of very few fashion houses to keep both an in-house perfumer and its own jasmine and rose fields in Grasse. Jacques Polge held the role for over thirty years and was succeeded by his son Olivier. Les Exclusifs, launched in 2007, is where the house does its more experimental work.
Known for
- N°5
- Coromandel
- Sycomore
- Bois des Îles
See also
Entry revised 17 September 2026. Something wrong? Send a correction.