F is for Nº 5: Chanel Nº 5 Ad Retrospective and Video Before Brad Pitt's Debut
We're days away from Brad Pitt's Chanel N°5 debut. In the brand's 91-year heritage, Brad is the first male face of N°5; the campaign, shot by director Joe Wright (above right), launches on October 15th. (Wright is the director behind Pride & Prejudice, Hanna and Anna Karenina.) While we wait with bated breath -- we're doing that, right? -- let's enjoy a retrospective of Chanel ads (including two featuring Canadian model/ex synchro-swimmer Estella Warren) and "Inside Chanel," the first official video look at the N°5 history.
1921 Tribute to Chanel N°5 by the cartoonist Sem. ©Lithographie Sem
1937 Chanel N°5 ad published in Harper's Bazaar. This is the first time Coco Chanel appeared in her own promotions for her fragrance. ©Ministere de la Culture - Mediatheque du Patrimoine, Dist. RMN
1957 Suzy Parker, photographed by Richard Avedon. ©Richard Avedon/ Courtesy The Richard Avedon Foundation
1966 Ali MacGraw, photographed by Jerome Ducrot. ©Chanel 1966
1971 Jean Shrimpton, photographed by Helmut Newton. ©Chanel 1971
1972 Catherine Deneuve, photographed by Richard Avedon. US exclusive. Courtesy of The Richard Avedon Foundation. In 1973, the bath powder and spray cologne set was $13.
1975 Catherine Deneuve, photographed by Richard Avedon. US exclusive. Courtesy of The Richard Avedon Foundation
1993 Carole Bouquet, photographed by Patrick Demarchelier ©Chanel 1993
1996 Carole Bouquet, photographed by Patrick Demarchelier ©Chanel 1996
1997 Carole Bouquet, photographed by Dominique Issermann. ©Chanel 1997
1997 Chanel N°5 silkscreens by Andy Warhol. ©Andy Warhol Foundation
1999 Estella Warren, photographed by Jean-Paul Goude. ©Chanel 1999 (I interviewed Estella about her beauty secrets back in the early days of Beautygeeks.)
2000 Estella Warren, photographed by Jean-Paul Goude. ©Chanel 2000
2005 Nicole Kidman, photographed by Baz Luhrmann. ©Chanel 2005
2009 Audrey Tautou, photographed by Dominique Issermann ©Chanel 2009
2009 Audrey Tautou, photographed by Dominique Issermann ©Chanel 2009
A woman should wear perfume anywhere she would like to be kissed. -- Coco Chanel
If you're curious about Brad's Chanel N°5 paycheque, click here.
To see the iconic Chanel N°5 television advertising spots too, click here. For a comprehensive timeline of Chanel overall, click here.
What's your favourite of the ads so far?
Photo of Brad Pitt and Joe Wright by Sam Taylor-Wood for CHANEL
