Chanel No. 19 c1970

Chanel No. 19 by Chanel: launched in 1970. Created by Henri Robert. In USA in 1972. Chairman of the board of Chanel, Inc, at the time, H. Gregory Thomas (who also served as president of the company for 32 years),  said that his good friend, Mademoiselle Chanel wanted a perfume all her own. It had to be something very different from Chanel No. 5, and she commissioned her top perfumers to work on the new concoction. 

A confidante of Chanel's is said to have told her: "Why not bottle that indomitable, creative, magnificent spirit of yours? Make it your own personal signature. There must be a fragrance that captures the very essence of Coco Chanel. There are many, many ways I would describe what is uniquely you. But I shall choose perhaps 19 of the most obvious. This perfume must do justice to each. You will always be young no matter what age you reach. And truly elegant in your manner and lifestyle. Intensely female. Graceful. Casually understated. Contemporary. Brilliant. Witty. Fascinating. Generous. Honest. Courageous. Outspoken. Supremely confident and completely independent as few women are or ever hope to be. You are logical. A perfectionist. Unforgettable. And way ahead fo your time and the rest of us as well."

According to the story, Chanel was both delighted and amused by it. And having been born on Aug 19, she found the temptation to name the new fragrance No. 19 too great to resist. This was Coco Chanel's private perfume which she used for the three years preceding her death. Her own private stock, she occasionally gave some to special friends or select couture customers of the 31 rue Cambon salon. But mainly, she kept it to herself, "So that," said Chanel, "when I leave the room a touch of me remains."

Thomas promised her that the fragrance would not be marketed until her death. "She felt that she didn't want it sold as long as she was alive," said Thomas. The unnamed perfume's formula was found among her personal papers. The perfume came to be named Chanel No. 19, after Coco Chanel's birthday, August 19. "She was born on Aug 19," said Thomas, "I know the real year of her birth, but I'm not telling." (It was revealed it was officially in 1883).

Coco Mademoiselle by Chanel c2001

Coco Mademoiselle by Chanel: launched in 2001. Created by Jacques Polge.

Coco by Chanel c1984

Coco by Chanel: launched in 1984. The nose behind this fragrance is Jacques Polge.

Misia by Chanel c2015

Misia by Chanel: will be launched in March 2015. Created by Jacques Polge's son,  Olivier Polge, as part of the Les Exclusifs de Chanel Collection of fragrances.

The feminine fragrance's beautiful name derives from one of Coco Chanel's dearest friends, Misia Sert. Sert was a talented pianist, artist, saloon owner as well as the favorite enigmatic muse of many famous artists such as Renoir. But it was Misia Sert who first planted the inventive seed of perfume genius inside of Coco's curious head.

 Sert received a manuscript from a friend entitled, The Secret of the Medicis" that was found during renovations in a chateau in the Loire region, which allegedly contained the formula for an anti-aging potion created by Rene the Florentine, Queen Catherine de Medici's perfume chemist and master poisoner. Both Catherine de Medici and her beautiful rival in the affections of her royal husband, Henri II, Diane de Poitiers applied this unusual cologne to their faces to escape the ravages of time. Sert had an idea, she promised to give the owner of the ancient manuscript 6,000 francs if she could have the recipe.

She then went immediately to Coco Chanel and told her of the formula, in which she encouraged Chanel to launch her own form of the beauty tonic to be christened l'Eau Chanel. Sert thought that the cologne would be a smashing hit given Chanel's popularity around the world, and bringing in much more than the 6,000 francs she had promised the manuscript owner. The two women carefully conspired over the packaging and details of the fragrance and thus the beginnings of what would become Chanel No. 5. are, as they say...history.

As a scented tribute to the clever Misia, the house of Chanel is launching the fragrance with her name, alongside her friend, Chanel.

So what does Misia smell like? It is classified as a powdery floral chypre fragrance for women.

• Top notes: violet, and iris
• Middle notes: Turkish rose, and Grasse rose
• Base notes: Laotian benzoin, tonka beans, and orris root

Available in the following

• 75 ml Eau de Toilette
• 200 ml Eau de Toilette

RSS Feed Widget

Chanel No. 5 Eau Premiere c2007

Chanel N°5 Eau Premiere: launched in 2007. Created by Jacques Polge.

Coco Noir c2012

Coco Noir by Chanel: launched in 2012. Created by Jacques Polge and Christopher Sheldrake.

Cuir de Russie by Chanel c1924

Cuir de Russie: originally created in 1924 by Ernest Beaux, who was assisted by Constantin Mikhailovich “Kot” Weriguine. Probably introduced in America around 1936. Named Russia Leather for the American market. It was available in parfum extrait and eau de cologne. Discontinued in the mid 1970s.

Chanel No. 5 by Chanel c1921

Chanel No. 5: Created for Christmas, 1921, and presented as a limited edition of only 100 flacons as a gift to Chanel's best customers. It was released for public for sale in the middle part of the year in 1922. Ernest Beaux composed this exquisite perfume using the newly invented aldehydes.