Chanel N°5 L’eau – The Next It Gen Z Perfume?
The most youthful of the N°5 fragrances now comes in a bottle that’s a total design flex.
Is it possible for something classic to be reborn in order to appeal to a whole new generation? The house of Chanel sure knows a thing or two about this. After all, its most famous perfume, Chanel N°5, marked its centennial three years ago. This iconic fragrance has also spawned four other interpretations, the youngest of which – in age and in scent – has garnered its own loyal following: the ultra-fresh and citrusy Chanel N°5 L’eau, which has in fact just gotten its own facelift.
The invigorating Chanel N°5 L’eau now comes in a graphic and all-see-through, limited-edition glass bottle.
You might have already seen it on social media – or more specifically on the accounts of Chanel It girls such as Minji of NewJeans and the South Korean model Mulan Bae. Shaped like a pebble and entirely see-through, its glass bottle brings to mind a sculptural drop of water (what the French word l’eau translates to in English) and even reflects light just like one, marking the first time N°5 L’eau has been packaged in anything besides its trademark, laboratory-inspired geometric flacon. Designed so that it slips easily into one’s day-to-night handbag and can be held comfortably in the palm of one’s hand, this limited-edition release is the archetypal new-gen beauty product: It not only makes you look – or, in this case, smell – good, but it’s an aesthetic win itself.
Available on Chanel’s official Fragrance and Beauty Online Store on June 13 from 8pm, and the brand’s Fragrance and Beauty boutiques and Takashimaya and Tangs counters on June 14, this refreshed Chanel N°5 L’eau continues the maison’s out-of-the-box efforts to celebrate the emotional and cultural value of perfume. Two years ago, for example, it staged the festival-like Le Grand Numero de Chanel exhibition in Paris, using art, dance, drama and music to spotlight its signature fragrance collections and what they each stand for. Or, more recently and closer to home, there was the wildly successful Chanel Parfumeur Masterclass at The Warehouses at Clarke Quay, where the public could learn more about the high-end Les Exclusifs De Chanel fragrance line and preview its latest addition, the pleasingly powdery Comete.
Chasing waterfall at the exclusive Chanel N°5 L’eau Drop event that took place in Hong Kong in early June and offered guests an interactive, digitally-led exploration of the scent and the many emotions it can convey
The new limited-edition Chanel N°5 L’eau has been likewise revealed with as much fun and innovation. Last week, influencers and members of the press (us included) were flown to Hong Kong to experience an interactive digital tour that showcased a more conceptual side to the fragrance. A room with the words “a drop of bravery” scrawled across the wall, for example, had a waterfall installed across its middle – guests who dared to approach it learnt that the curtain of rain stopped upon sensing motion near it (yes, like in a theme park!). Another room tagged “a drop of desire” featured a digital animation of the new N°5 L’eau bottle that would dance to the pulse of whoever was standing in the centre of the space (once again, ladies and gentlemen, sensors).
In the “desire” room, sensors would pick up the pulse of guests who stood at the centre of the blacked-out space and animate the new N°5 L’eau bottle pulsating at the same pace.
And for those who didn’t get to catch the electronic spectacle, there’s a Capcut template titled “A Drop Of” that one can use to create your very own, kinda epic video with your own footage to evoke the sentiments of bravery, desire, love, mystery and joy.
Pretty on the inside as much as it is on the outside, the limited edition Chanel N°5 L’eau (50ml for $236) is available from June 13 online and in physical Chanel Beauty stores the next day
Chanel N°5 L’eau, you see, can be said to be the most dynamic scent in the N°5 fragrance family. Created by the brand’s present-day in-house perfumer Olivier Polge and debuted in 2016, it maintains notes of the specially harvested May Rose that are central to the original Chanel N°5 then envelopes it with decidedly greener, fresher notes: citrus, aldehydes, jasmine, ylang-ylang, vetiver and cedar. The result is zesty, mildly powdery and has the enigmatic ability to invigorate and comfort all at once – one more thing we reckon new-gen perfume lovers would resonate with.