5: a fabulous, universal number for a “female perfume with a female odor”, ordered from Ernest Beaux by Gabrielle Chanel in 1921. This fragrance would almost instantly become iconic, with a unique and timeless shadow over all in its wake. “I am launching my collection on May 5th, the fifth month of the year, let’s leave it the number it bears and this number 5 will bring luck” said Coco Chanel before her perfume’s launch.
It is little surprise then that the Palais de Tokyo in Paris will be hosting, from May 5th to June 5th 2013 – dates that are not without significance – the exhibit N°5 Culture Chanel, which tells the story of a life, a style, and a perfume. It’s orchestrated by Jean-Louis Froment, creative director, exhibition curator and renowned French art critique. This exhibit is an invitation back into the Paris of the roaring 20s, a Paris that was a meeting place for literary and artistic greats, a city that brought together the best of all the arts. From Train Bleu to the surrealists in passing by Modigliani, N°5 Culture Chanel traces the evolution of a straight line that unites the haute couture house with art and culture.
You can now discover the works that breathed inspiration into Madame Chanel’s N°5, and that brought it to the pinnacle of sensorial experiences. Photographs, objects, films, and archives all tell the story of friendships with Cocteau, Picasso, Radiguet, Picabia, and Reverdy; fitting relationships for an emblematic avant-gardiste, symbolic of her life. A synthesis of art, a life story, and the myth of a perfume are all in store for you.
N°5 Culture Chanel Exhibition, from May 5th to June 5th 2013
Palais de Tokyo, Paris
www.5-culturechanel.com
http://www.palaisdetokyo.com
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