A Fragrance That Whispers Marilyn
The narrative threads that tie Monroe to Chanel No. 5 are spun with the gossamer fines of her own storied vulnerability and charm. The legend has it, captured most famously in her 1952 Time cover story, Monroe quipped about her nighttime attire consisting solely of a few drops of Chanel No. 5. This offhand revelation, brimming with both intimacy and allure, catapulted the fragrance into a symbol of sensual elegance that transcended even its own storied heritage.
In tribute to this intimate revelation, Chanel’s No. 5 L’Eau Drop Bottle encapsulates not just the spirit of Monroe, but also a tactile innovation that melds past with present. The limited-edition design, as unveiled by Chanel’s head of global creative resources for fragrance and beauty, Thomas du Pré de Saint Maur, and head of packaging and design, Sylvie Legastelois, is both an homage and a forward leap.
The Art of Glass and Scent
Sylvie Legastelois recounts the inception of the Drop Bottle with a tone of reverent innovation. The design, inspired by the iconic droplet shape, achieves a feat in glassmaking—a medium chosen for its purity and clarity, reflecting the essence of the perfume within. “Wrapped in a drop of glass,” as Legastelois poetically puts it, the bottle challenges conventional forms, inviting not just admiration but interaction.
Inside this drop of glass lies Chanel’s No. 5 L’Eau, the freshest iteration of the fragrance, crafted by in-house perfumer Olivier Polge. In 2016, Polge undertook the audacious task of reinterpreting the legendary scent, aiming to illuminate its iconic facets—aldehydes, jasmine, rose, and ylang-ylang—with modern twists of citrus and cedarwood. His creation is a symphony of lightness, a fresher, more casual rendition of a classic, imbued with the vibrant, woody, and citrus signatures that mark its modernity.