Coco Chanel selected sample number 5 when choosing the formula for her iconic perfume.
In 1920, perfumer Ernest Beaux presented Chanel with glass vials containing experimental scents numbered 1 through 5 and 20 through 24. Chanel chose the fifth sample, an aldehyde-rich composition that became Chanel No. 5. The formula’s strikingly modern character came partly from Beaux’s prominent use of aldehydes, synthetic aroma compounds that helped give the fragrance its distinctive lift and abstraction.
The number also appealed to Chanel personally. She regarded five as a lucky and meaningful number, connecting it with the timing of her fashion presentations and with memories of Aubazine, where paths to the chapel were arranged in repeated patterns associated with five.
The sample number and launch date are sometimes confused. Chanel No. 5 was officially introduced in 1921, with the date chosen as 5 May— the fifth day of the fifth month. Commercial expansion followed through Parfums Chanel, established in 1924.