Chanel No. 5 photo reel: the laboratory-vial bottle, Marilyn Monroe's Life answer, Ernest Beaux's numbered samples
The 1960 tape has Monroe saying "So I said, 'CHANEL N°5,' because it's the truth," before adding that she did not want to say "nude". The Life interview of 7 April 1952 is where the line was first recorded.
The faceted stopper and square shoulders of the bottle date from 1924, the one significant change to its design. Photos: 20th Century Fox publicity still, 1953, public domain; Lily, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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The post, as it ran
01CHANEL NO. 5 WAS LAUNCHED IN 1921. THE PERFUMER ERNEST BEAUX GAVE GABRIELLE CHANEL NUMBERED SAMPLES TO SMELL, AND SHE CHOSE THE FIFTH.
02THE BOTTLE WAS KEPT AS PLAIN AS A LABORATORY VIAL.
03IN 1924 THE SOCIÉTÉ DES PARFUMS CHANEL WAS CREATED TO PRODUCE AND SELL IT, FINANCED BY THE WERTHEIMER FAMILY.
04IN APRIL 1952, ASKED BY LIFE MAGAZINE WHAT SHE WORE TO BED, MARILYN MONROE ANSWERED: CHANEL NO. 5.
05IN 1960 SHE SAID IT AGAIN ON TAPE TO THE JOURNALIST GEORGES BELMONT. CHANEL BUILT A CAMPAIGN ON THAT RECORDING IN 2013.
06ANDY WARHOL SCREENPRINTED THE BOTTLE IN 1985, IN AN EDITION OF 190.
07IN 2011 IT WAS REPORTED THAT SOMEONE BOUGHT A BOTTLE OF NO. 5 EVERY 30 SECONDS.