09/10/2018
Recently one of my young friends mentioned to me that the ‘Dunkin Donut’ would have its name changed to ‘Dunkin’ as if I cared. But I wonder how would one of the American predominant fast-food chains that founded in 1950 sell dounts decide to drop the ‘Donuts’ as its new business name? Certainly, I don’t know any better. Take ‘Google,’ for example, the company probably wouldn’t have reached the same level of worldwide recognition and success if the company didn’t drop the name of ‘BackRub,‘ which was its original name (1).
The same week I was stunned to find out the gigantic Chanel No. 5 perfume commercial that used to cover one wall in one of the local malls was being replaced by a new colossal wall ad of Gabrielle Chanel Perfume. It was a brand confusion to me. Was it a rebranding of the Chanel No. 5 or is Gabrielle Chanel the sub-line perfume of Chanel No. 5? What would the marketing specialist in the house of Chanel try to accomplish and not cause confusion for all the brand lovers of Chanel No. 5?
Even though Gabrielle Chanel was the original name that Madam Chanel born with, however, Chanel No. 5 has been the popular trade name for the legendary perfume since 1921. Unless the marketer was thinking to add a personal touch to a number, but ‘Chanel No. 5’ is not merely about a number. Many may know of ‘Coco Chanel, and its iconic products and ‘Coco’ was the given nickname for Madame Chanel.
I don’t wear Chanel No. 5 myself. However, I have been very passionate to be able to view the success story of Chanel, its iconic products and creations in the filter of my faith. Thus I dug out and fine-tuning what I wrote in 2013 for this posting.
29-03-2013
Chanel No. 5 – The Signature Perfume of Coco Chanel (rework)
‘Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from above .’ (2)
Being a prolific and creative fashion designer, Coco Chanel influence extended beyond couture clothing, jewellery and handbags. With the help of perfumer Ernest Beaux, in 1921, the legendary perfume, Chanel No. 5 was born, and it was meant for the ‘Scent of Woman.’ People may wonder why she decided on the numeral 5 to be the brand name? It was saying that she listened to her fortune teller. Now people could find all and know all about her by the grace of the Google search.
She was born in 1883, spent most of her formative years in the orphanage; and was raised by Catholic nuns. Her humble beginning had actually contradicted with what people generally believe that the sense of flair or the touch of class is an inheritance. Evidently, her unique androgynous approach into all of her design works is a gift by itself, and that’s the key to her success that has outlived her for many decades.
It was her heart’s desire to create a fragrance, so-called the ‘Scent of Woman.’ Like what she puts it that in any social stratification around the world, there are the “Respectable” versus the “Sexuality.” In the lense of Yin/Yang, like the homemaker vs career women or ladies in leisure vs ‘courtesans, who were more like the kept women or prostitutes during Chanel’s times. Therefore, it was a daunting task to create a fragrance without being discrimination for all women.
With the given discerning spirit, and sensitivities she intuitively picked the blend of ‘pure essence of a single garden flower,’ the ‘May Rose,’ which harvests only in the 3rd week of the month of May every year‘ that were believed to more appeal to the “Respectable” and the ‘sensual, provocative and scent with “animal musk” for the “Sexuality.” In the 1920s, in tune with her breaking through to liberate women with her lines of high fashion, her fragrance for women was perfect to exemplify the modernism.
She chose a whiskey decanter (Y+) like, “exquisite, expensive delicate glass” to bottle the perfume (Y-). The bottle has become the timely expression of the Art form of a fragrance and Ernest Beaux, creator of Chanel No. 5 won a place in the permanent collections of the ‘The Art of Scent’ at the Museum of Arts and Design’ in 1921(3). And the same bottle has never changed ever since. In 2012, the ‘Brad Pitt’s Odd’ Chanel Perfume No. 5 commercial (3) was the talk of the world, but it has continued to interface the perfume with her androgynous spirit.
The Iconography of the name of the Chanel No. 5 and the ingredients of the fragrance would be a click away. (Chanel No. 5- Wikipedia). It also leads people to wonder how much a single product could captivate consumers for nearly 100-years (1921- 2018). Has it ever occurred to you that it must be a miracle? Christians would relate the spiritual significance with the numerology of Five that symbolises Grace, God’s goodness or God’s unmerited favour.
For Jesus is the personification of Grace, and without being scripturalized things, let’s look at the ‘numeral Five’ that occurs in the Bible:
In Exodus 23, 24 and 30 we learned that cinnamon; myrrh; calamus; olive oil and cassis are the Five (5) ingredients in the holy anointing perfume.
In Ephesians 4:11 we learned that there are Five (5) ministries that God used to channel His Grace to the world – Prophets, Evangelists, Apostles, Pastors and Teachers. And
In John 6:1-10 Jesus in His Compassion and Grace with only Five (5) loaves of bread to feed Five Thousand people.
Knowing little of her spiritual life except she was raised by the Catholic nuns, it is not far-fetched to conclude the numeral Five is far beyond as the ‘lucky number’ told to her by her fortune teller. Commercially ( known as one of the world’s best selling perfume); emotionally (to all the brand enthusiasts), and spiritually, it would be entirely unwise to drop the No. 5, and please keep the original packaging as well.
Deuteronomy 8:18- ESV
You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is HE who gives you the power to get great wealth,…
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Google
- https://biblehub.com/james/1-17.htm
- Fragrances as Art, Displayed Squirt by Squirt by Carol Kinonov, 15, 2012 Continue reading the main story
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhYSNwVLll8
The Light Of Faith 