Chanel is painting New York City “Le Rouge”. From street advertisements in Soho to Hot “Coco” trucks parked by the Guggenheim, all signs point to the French luxury house’s new interactive Le Rouge Chanel pop-up. Located on 5 East 57th Street, it’s all done in the theme of red, which symbolized life for Gabrielle Chanel.
Inside Le Rouge Chanel
The three-floor building is now open to the public and will be going on through December 23rd. Previously, it was the temporary home for the flagship boutique just down the block which recently opened after a major renovation.
Le Rouge Chanel is creatively set up in a way that lets you be a part of the experience. Step inside and you can play a role in the Chanel universe.
Chanel’s Fragrance History
No. 5 goes dates back to 1921 when it was created by Ernest Beaux, the former perfumer to the Tsars. According to the Chanel archives, he found inspiration from the Arctic Circle in the exhilarating air issuing from the northern lakes under the midnight sun. It’s composed with May rose, jasmine, Haitian vetiver, ylang-ylang, sandalwood, neroli, orange blossom to Brazilian tonka beans.
There’s a secret component to the formula as well. The fragrance transforms the alchemy of scent through Beaux’s unique use of aldehydes, synthetic components which exalt perfumes, kind of like lemon which accentuates the taste of strawberry.
“I wanted an artificial perfume. That’s right, artificial, like a dress; meaning manufactured. I am a designer of couture, I want a perfume that is a composition.”
—Gabrielle Chanel, in a past recording from Chanel’s video series
The appeal of the fragrance is in its very distinct, mysterious scent that continues to capture hearts everywhere. In 1952, Marilyn Monroe told Life Magazine that she wears a few drops of No. 5 before bed, which spiraled it into greater fame.
The Scent of Chanel No. 5
I tried the scent at the fragrance lounge on the second floor of Le Rouge Chanel. It resembles the interior of a chic café, complete with white bookshelves filled with red hardcover books. You can sample the fragrances there à la carte with glasses filled with delicate fragrance cubes.
On the menu are five variations of Chanel No. 5. They all include the same notes but the levels of every note are different in each variation. There’s the Parfum, Eau de Toilette, Eau Première, Eau de Parfum, and L’Eau. The latter two are available for sale in limited-edition red bottles.
It’s called No. 5 because it was the fifth scent (out of 80!) that Beaux presented to the designer. Also, five was her lucky number. Later on, it was the date of her first runway show on February 5, 1954.
Stop by the third floor and you’ll find the Collector’s Edition Le Rouge Compact, an oversized makeup case filled with a curated selection of makeup for eyes, lips, and nails in shades of red. There’s also a No. 5 Limited Edition Grand Extrait Parfum Spray in a can’t-miss 30.4 fl. oz. red Baccarat crystal bottle that’s priced at $30,000. NBD! There’s a reason why it’s so special: there’s currently only 55 pieces worldwide.
You can also get a mini No. 5 ornament engraved with up to three letters and have anything you buy wrapped in red. There’s also a writing station where we mailed out holiday postcards.
Be sure to stop by Le Rouge Chanel if you’re in town! There’s just something about the holidays in New York that I feel is incomparable elsewhere—from the décor to the energizing spirit all around.
Shop the Story: Le Rouge Chanel
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