Beauty Editor’s Blog | The Perfume Diaries: In Paris With Chanel

When the invitation landed on my desk for the opening of the N° 5 Culture Chanel exhibition at the Palais De Tokyo in beautiful Paris, I nearly fell off my chair! It seemed too good to be true, two of my favourite things, perfume and Paris, all wrapped up in one enormous black and white Chanel bow – magnifique!

A weekend filled to the brim with beauty – a girl’s dream.

I was lucky enough to stay at Le Meurice Hotel, a place where pooches are propped up on velvet cushions sat next to haute couture clad Parisienne women, touching up their make-up with their iconic Chanel powder compacts in tow.

The Question is what does one pack for such a trip?

A capsule wardrobe of monochrome staples, with just a hint of mint. Not forgetting a Chanel black jacket, of course. 

Opening night: The eve of the gala dinner 

Snapped on the balcony of my boudoir, I’m dressed and ready to go, wearing a floor-sweeping Azzaro gown complete with embellished bows. Karl does love a bow! 

My host, the exquisite Farah Abdul Reda, makes her entrance in a monochrome delight by Chanel, accompanied by the dashing Ali Khadra. 

The who’s who at No 5 Culture Chanel:

The paparazzi were ready to capture the present and former ambassadors of Chanel, who came out to play for the opening of the exhibition.

French Actress Audrey Tautou, who famously played Coco in the film Coco Before Chanel.

French Actor Gaspard Ulliel is the face of Chanel’s male fragrance Bleu de Chanel.

Estella Warren, who starred as Little Red Riding Hood in the Chanel N° 5 perfume ad in 1998.

With one of my favourite supers, Sigrid Agren. Amazingly, she’s more beautiful in real-life than in print.

But where was Karl?

At none other than Keira Knightley’s wedding, of course!

The banquet commences:

Miniature bottles of Chanel N° 5 finished the table setting. Possibly the chicest party favour ever!

Snippets from the exhibition:

A series of Perspex cabinets featuring the musings of Mademoiselle Chanel were the topic of conversation at the dinner table. 

The creative world of art, music and literature that Coco Chanel immersed herself in, holds all the secrets behind the world’s best selling perfume – Chanel N° 5.

A spot of shopping:

After Chanel filled dreams, I spritzed on some of the famous perfume and set off in search of the Chanel store in Rue Cambon for a little morning shop.

Prancing down the streets of Paris.

A quick pit stop for coffee at Café De Flore (one of Karl Lagerfeld’s favourite haunts).

I was mesmerised by the multitude of trinkets lining the walls in the boutique and these classic black ballerina pumps took my fancy. I will be wearing them with cropped capri pants and LBDs for years to come.

Thank you Chanel for N° 5 and au revoir belle Paris!