Look twice: Chanel Factory 5 opens at Selfridges London
Factory 5 collection celebrates the fragrance’s centenary
This summer at Selfridges, nothing is quite what it seems. Installed at the London department store’s The Corner Shop pop-up space, a makeshift Chanel factory is a stage-set to a re-imagining of everyday consumer goods. Here, a rounded metal tin holds bars of scented soap, not shoe polish. Flipping open the lid of a traditional tea tin reveals individually packaged bath tablets instead. It’s all in tribute to Chanel N°5.
The best-selling fragrance celebrates its 100th anniversary this year; it’s a milestone birthday and one that has so far has been cause for celebration across genres. This has included a high jewellery collection, its small treasures casting the scent’s ingredients – among them, the juice of 12 May roses and 1,000 jasmine flowers per 30ml bottle, each bud grown and harvested in Grasse, France – in precious metals dusted in diamonds.
Back at Selfridges, Chanel’s Factory 5 collection is a somewhat surrealist take on beauty products. This is fitting, perhaps, considering Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel’s friendships with artists including Salvador Dalí, who finished his 1938 artwork The Endless Enigma at the couturière's summer bolthole, the villa La Pausa in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Counting 17 limited edition creations, the offering includes a scented body oil – decanted into metal oil canisters – and single-use sachets of Chanel N°5 shower gel, collected in minimalist white paint buckets. A tube of paint in turn reveals a rich body cream. A glass flacon of Chanel N°5 eau de toilette comes cloaked in a white blister pack made from biodegradable paper pulp. Additional souvenirs include a Chanel water bottle or rolls of decorative tape emblazoned with a repeat pattern of N°5 bottles.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Saint Paul de Vence: a paradise for art lovers
The Week Recommends The hilltop gem in the French Riviera where 20th century modernism flourished
By Alexandra Zagalsky Published
-
'People in general want workers to earn a decent living'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
What might a Trump victory mean for the global economy?
Today's Big Question A second term in office for the 'America First' administration would send shockwaves far beyond the United States' shores
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Take Versailles home with Trudon
The Blend With a new line of home fragrances Trudon pays homage to palace's famous gardens
By Felix Bischof Published
-
Inside the rocky marriage of Priscilla Presley and Elvis
Under the Radar Rock and roll legend’s former wife praises Sofia Coppola’s new biopic
By Keumars Afifi-Sabet Published
-
How Burning Man descended into chaos
Under the Radar Torrential rain leaves thousands of revellers stuck at Nevada festival
By Chas Newkey-Burden Published
-
Princess Diana’s death in The Crown: how accurate is the Netflix series?
Under the Radar The controversial show is returning for sixth and final season later this year
By Felicity Capon Published
-
Michael Parkinson: five best interviews by star presenter
Under the Radar ‘King of the chat show’ Parky has died aged 88
By Harriet Marsden Published
-
The Beanie Bubble: the true story behind fallen toy empire film
Under the Radar New release depicts rise and fall of 1990s stuffed plushy phenomenon
By Harriet Marsden Published
-
The story behind Sinéad O’Connor’s iconic Saturday Night Live performance
Under the Radar Singer ‘stepped into culture-war infamy’ after tearing photograph of the Pope live on air
By Chas Newkey-Burden Published
-
Why police have reopened the Tupac Shakur murder case
Under the Radar House near Las Vegas is searched as police hunt killer of the famous rapper nearly 30 years on
By Felicity Capon Published