The Secret of Chanel No. 5: The Intimate History of the World's Most famous Perfume by Tilar J. Mazzeo
With its rich golden hue, Art Deco-inspired bottle, and timeless, musky scent, Chanel Number 5 is the bestselling perfume in the world. Reverently known among industry insiders as le monstre - the monster - it is arguably the most coveted consumer luxury product of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Yet how did this pioneering celebrity fragrance, introduced in the late 1920s, eventually take on a life of its own, becoming a cultural monument celebrated by millions of devoted consumers? The Secret of Chanel No. 5 is Tilar J. Mazzeo's far-ranging and fascinating search to uncover the full story of Number 5's creation, iconic status, and extraordinary success. And she reveals how some of the things we think we know about this celebrated fragrance are the stuff of legend.
Mazzeo goes back through time and deep into the life of Coco Chanel, its brilliant and deeply flawed creator. She takes readers to the rose plantations and celebrated jasmine fields where the perfume begins, and on to the laboratories and boardrooms where scent and sex are forever intertwined. And she takes us to the heart of the Chanel empire: 31 Rue Cambon, Coco Chanel's flagship boutique, where six decades ago American G.I.s stormed the counters to possess the magical elixir that captured the luxury and romance of Paris for their girls back home.
A blend of evocative history and thoughtful research, here is a glittering account of the place where art and sensuality meet dazzling entrepreneurship and desire: Chanel Number 5.
About the Author
Tilar J. Mazzeo is a cultural historian and biographer and a passionate student of wine, luxury, and French culture. She divides her time among the California wine country in Sonoma County, New York City, and Maine, where she is an associate professor of English at Colby College. She is the author of the New York Times bestseller The Widow Clicquot, as well as many other books, articles, essays, and reviews on history, women, and travel.
Format: Hardback | 281 pages
Dimensions (cm): 23.8 x 16.2 x 3.2 | 470g
Publication Date: 09 Nov 2010
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Publication City/Country: New York, United States
Language: English
Illustrations note: illustrations
ISBN10: 0061791016
ISBN13: 9780061791017
Condition: Good
A book that has been read but is in good condition. Very minimal damage to the cover including very minor scuff marks along the edges, but no holes or tears. The dust jacket is included and in good condition (minor scuff marks and creasing along the edges). The majority of pages are undamaged with very minimal creasing (very minor creasing on pages 135/136 and 137/138. No other creasing), but no tearing. No pencil underlining of text, no highlighting of text, no writing in margins. No missing pages.