What is the name of Chanel's iconic perfume launched in 1921?

Chanel’s iconic perfume launched in 1921 was Chanel No. 5.

Coco Chanel commissioned the fragrance from Ernest Beaux, a Russian-French perfumer who created an unusually complex floral-aldehydic composition. Its official launch took place on 5 May 1921—deliberately matching the number five, which Chanel considered lucky.

The name refers to the sample Chanel selected from Beaux’s numbered trial vials, not to the year of release or the number of ingredients. The perfume was initially offered to select clients at Chanel’s Paris boutique before wider distribution expanded through Parfums Chanel in 1924.

A common mix-up is confusing Chanel No. 5 with Chanel No. 19, another genuine Chanel fragrance introduced decades later and named for Chanel’s birth date, 19 August 1883. Chanel No. 5’s rectangular bottle and minimalist label also became central parts of its identity.