If you look past their signature tweed suiting and quilted handbags, one thing that Chanel is known for—aside from its interlocking C’s—is the brand’s ode to its most recognisable motif, the camellia flower.
A symbol that’s been reimagined over the years throughout the French fashion house’s apparel and accessories, now it’s sitting front and centre in their new skincare and makeup line.
Legend has it, the camellia apparently became the luxury brand’s go-to when Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel’s lover, Arthur “Boy” Capel, gifted her a bouquet of the blooms during their courtship, as per The Fashion Law. Since then, the camellia has found its way onto evening gowns, embellished in diamonds, and now, in their latest beauty launch.
Main image: @ohhowstrange
Named No.1 de Chanel, the nine-piece line ranges in everything from skincare and makeup to fragrance. In fact, the entire launch has been a top secret for more than 10 years, even scoring its own code word to keep it under wraps. But why? Well, the collection showcases a camellia unlike any that we’re familiar with, the red ‘Czar’ camellia japonica, which the brand has been researching since 1998.
Since then, Chanel has launched its first open sky lab, a 98-acre (396,000 square metre) organic camellia farm, as well as a research and development centre to harness the crimson-hued flower’s power, according to Chanel. Unlike its more popular iteration—the white camellia japonica ‘Alba Plena’—red camellias boast a high concentration of protocatechuic acid, which is a powerful antioxidant that works to slow down ‘senescence’, a process that causes ageing cells to dry out and create dullness in the skin.
In case you weren’t convinced on their sustainable approach, the French fashion house made sure that their formulas are 97 per cent natural and almost the entire camellia plant is used after harvesting.
But what products are on offer? No. 1 de Chanel includes a revitalising serum for AUD $220, which features concentrated red camellia extract. Joining the serums is their powder-to-foam cleanser for AUD $75 and a foundation for AUD $110, both of which boast hydrating red camellia oil, as well as the L’Eau Rouge for AUD $165—a citrus-like red camellia water-infused fragrance available in sleek packaging or recyclable glass—and their barrier protecting cream for AUD $165, that comes in a refillable jar and a lid that’s composed of crushed camellia seed shells and sustainable wood shavings.
Finishing off the collection are their six tinted lip and cheek balms for AUD $75 each, which contain no cellophane packaging and come in a range of fiery, warm hues.
Seeing red? You can find the entire No.1 de Chanel red camellia collection over at the Chanel website or scroll down to check out the products.
No.1 de Chanel Revitalizing Serum, $220 at Chanel.
No.1 de Chanel Revitalizing Foundation, $110 at Chanel.
No.1 de Chanel L’Eau Rouge, $165 at Chanel.
No.1 de Chanel Revitalizing Eye Cream, $115 at Chanel.
No.1 de Chanel Revitalizing Cream, $165 at Chanel.
No.1 de Chanel Powder-To-Foam Cleanser, $75 at Chanel.
No.1 de Chanel Serum-In-Mist, $120 at Chanel.
No.1 de Chanel Revitalizing Lotion, $95 at Chanel.
No.1 de Chanel Lip and Cheek Balm, $75 at Chanel.
