Grasse, birthplace of Chanel No. 5, sees perfume revival
Summary
Grasse, a town in southern France, has been the main source of jasmine flowers used in Chanel No. 5 perfume since 1921. The Mul family has grown this jasmine for six generations, and Chanel continues to work closely with them to keep the fragrance’s original scent.Key Facts
- Each ounce of Chanel No. 5 parfum contains about 1,000 jasmine flowers from Grasse.
- Grasse transformed from a smelly leather trade town to the perfume capital by using local flowers to mask odors.
- The Mul family has farmed jasmine in Grasse since the 1800s, now in their sixth generation.
- The area once had 12,000 acres of flower fields but now only has 142 acres due to real estate and cheaper foreign labor.
- In 1987, Chanel made a deal with the Mul family for exclusive jasmine supply, shaping a new industry partnership.
- Chanel’s master perfumer, Oliver Polge, ensures jasmine harvesting and extraction follow traditional methods to keep the scent consistent.
- Jasmine flowers are handpicked at dawn, before heat can damage them, as machines would harm the delicate blooms.
- The jasmine scent is extracted by soaking flowers overnight using a 150-year-old method, turning them into a wax from which the perfume oils are derived.
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