BBC Four HD

The No 5 War

Stephane Benhamou

Georges-Marc Benamou Benamou

Documentaries

Factual: Beauty & Style

Factual: History

30/08/2018

BBC Four - The No 5 War

The story, both thrilling and dark, of the world's most famous perfume.

Documentary. The story of Chanel No 5, which was at the centre of a war between Coco Chanel and her business partners the Wertheimer brothers from the 1920s to the 1940s.

The story, both thrilling and dark, of the world's most famous perfume. In 1921, Coco Chanel's revolutionary perfume concept was as audacious as her outlandish designer clothing. At its launch, it was an instant hit. From the 1920s to the 1940s the Number 5 brand was at the centre of a war between the celebrated designer and her entrepreneurial business partners, the Wertheimer brothers. During WWII, with the help of her high-ranking Nazi lover, Coco Chanel attempted to oust her Jewish partners - who had fled German-occupied France and were operating the business from New Jersey - to take control of the highly lucrative business.

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