The New Girl in the City: Legendary Chanel No 5 Suddenly Has a Spicy Little Sister

Few scents are more recognizable than Chanel No. 5. The fragrance, which Gabrielle Coco Chanel and business partner Ernest Beaux debuted in 1921, is the unofficial olfactory symbol of wealth, privilege, and old-money chic.

This month, in an unprecedented debut, Olivier Polge, who was named Chanel’s official fragrance creator in early 2015, modernized No. 5 with notes of May rose, jasmine, ylang-ylang, vetiver, cedar, and musk to create No. 5 L’Eau. Mademoiselle Chanel’s original No. 5 remains intact, but with a younger, spirited sister.

Chanel No. 5 L’Eau, 1.7 ounces $100, 3.4 ounces $132, at the Chanel boutique and Neiman Marcus.