Timeless Allure

A deep dive into Chanel N°5's latest campaign with Margot Robbie titled, See you at 5!

- ISHA SUTARIA

'I made my way to the Ritz Hotel in Paris on a gloomy afternoon, but as I was escorted to meet Thomas du Pré de Saint Maur, the director of creative resources for fragrance, beauty, watches, and jewellery at Chanel, the atmosphere shifted.

Sunlight streamed through the grand floor-to-ceiling windows, bathing the room in golden light. The rays caught the edges of the iconic Chanel N°5 bottles on display, casting prisms with light that danced across the room. It felt like the perfect metaphor for the fragrance itself transforming the ordinary into something extraordinary. Saint Maur greeted me with a warm smile, setting the tone for our conversation-a deep dive into the creative vision behind Chanel N°5's latest campaign, See You at 5!

HONOURING HISTORY

For Saint Maur, the story of N°5 is one of reinvention.

Over the decades, the fragrance has evolved, but its essence-a vision of femininity grounded in confidence, self-awareness, and openness- remains intact. "In a world that changes really fast, there's a need for change, but also stability," explains Saint Maur. He attributes N°5's timeless allure to its refusal to chase transient trends. "We've managed, over decades, to reinvent the story of N°5 without betraying it." Saint Maur says N°5 has time and again refused a certain form of ornamentation, whether it is the narrative, the name, or the fragrance. "I think deciding to remain fiercely classical in many ways has been a winning bet," he shares.

CREATIVE VISION