Brad Pitt is the new face of Chanel N°5

First came Coco Chanel. Marilyn Monroe, Lauren Hutton, Nicole Kidman and others have since followed as the beautiful faces of Chanel N°5. 91 years later, Chanel is marking a first in the world of women’s fragrance with the introduction as Brad Pitt as the face of N°5, just as N°5 marked a first in 1921 with its radical and intoxicating mix of 80 ingredients.


I distinctly remember my first bottle of Chanel N°5. I was in junior high and volunteering at my old elementary school. I would head over there after school and help the librarian, Ms. Harriet, cataloging books, organizing them, etc. This one instance, she pulls me to the side and hands me a beautiful, classy perfume bottle. Sure, I grew up in the low-income part of Orange County, but even I knew what Chanel N°5 was. I was in total awe when it was handed to me and I couldn't believe that a little girl from Minnie St. had a Chanel N°5 bottle in her hands. It became my most prized possession from that day on because to me, that bottle was more than just a bottle.

Every time that I looked at it, I was filled with hope. For me, that classic little perfume bottle meant that someone had thought about me, saw me as more than just a girl who was "stuck" in Santa Ana and was able to see past my exterior.

As much as I opened it and absorbed the smell as though it could transport me somewhere else, I seldom used it. I wanted to have that feeling of specialness and never go away so I never let the bottle finish. NEVER. Almost two decades later I still have the bottle (see below). It sits in my cabinet as a reminder that I can push forward, make something of myself and shower myself in Chanel N°5 if I want to.

My prized Chanel N°5

I can't make this stuff up. That little bottle pictured above means a lot to me.

So back to this Brad Pitt thing. I'm happy that Brad Pitt is endorsing the perfume and really taking his role seriously. His first big assignment was a group of commercials, directed by Joe Wright (pictured below).


Wright was commissioned to direct several commercial films for N°5, which capture the memories, thoughts and dreams of a man being seduced by a fragrance.

“Each resembles a short poem,” the 40-year-old director says.

“It was a real treat that I will never forget,” says Wright. “My favorite moment was the wide shot getting closer and closer and ending up on Brad. He's a beautiful human being and a proper actor who knows how to deliver lines. It's always lovely when you meet someone who you admire and they exceed your expectations.”