Frequently, I receive press releases waxing lyrical about a designer perfume, describing them as “iconic”. But they’re not. Only one perfume crosses the boundaries into icon territory, and that’s Chanel No5: immortalised by Andy Warhol, worn in bed by Marilyn Monroe and part of MoMA New York’s permanent collection.

Are there any perfume lovers who don’t have a bottle of No5 on their shelves, perhaps turning a darkened amber from being held onto for too long? I know it’s a staple on my mother’s shelf, and my own. We hoard the bottle, both for its elegant shape – its stopper inspired by the Place Vendôme in Paris – and for what it stands for. It’s a talisman of glamour. I know that this year I have returned more frequently to my own bottle, seeking a rich glamour that’s been entirely missing during lockdown – and an intoxicating golden reminder that yes, we will dress up and go out again.

When Gabrielle Chanel first launched No5 in 1921, it was a disruptor, shaking up and redefining the idea of luxury: her brief to perfumer Ernest Beaux was sharply modern. While perfumes of the time sported fancy, elaborate names and bottles, and tended to focus on capturing the scent of a single flower, Chanel wanted something crafted and composed that didn’t smell like a “bed of roses” – more creative than literal. And the resulting abstract scent soared with precious natural ingredients such as jasmine, May rose and ylang ylang, enhanced with a rush of aldehydes to make them sparkle. Chanel’s current perfumer, Olivier Polge, describes the “scaffolding” of No5 as “a dazzling association of jasmine and rose and light powdery notes, with density and richness”. Five years ago I visited the fields in the south of France where it all begins: an area of Grasse where the flowers are of unique quality and reserved solely for Chanel perfumes. The May rose, a vital part of the perfume, is only harvested during three weeks of the year, to be at its very best, and the jasmine is grown here too. These fields are carefully preserved; in this way, No5 is a protected species.

There are myriad ways to wear No5 now: you can go light, with a mist of hair mist, or soap – and scent-wise, Olivier Polge’s No5 L’Eau is the freshest twist on the original – or else go rich and decadent with the parfum for the most dramatic impact. I even have a bottle of shimmering golden body oil that leaves your skin gleaming and redolent with No5. Sometimes, after experimenting with shiny new young pretenders, we just want something timeless.

But try to let go of the idea that No5 might be too “grown-up”, too “old” for you, too grand to wear with jeans. Because that’s just the thing – like the perfect little black dress, this is a scent that transcends trends or fashion. There are not many works of art you can wear every day.

MAKE IT YOUR OWN

SIGNATURE FRAGRANCE “Chanel No5 L’Eau really is my scent. I feel naked if I don’t wear perfume so I always have a bottle in my bathroom. It has notes of the original No5 but it is a beautiful fresh take on it.” Lily-Rose Depp

SCENT OF A WOMAN “My mum is in a nursing home with limited visiting. When I go home I always go into her bedroom and spray her Chanel No5 as it makes me feel closer to her. She has always worn it.” Inge, GLOSS reader

MASTER AT WORK “To me, No5 is the gold standard for the marketing of perfumes. From Chanel’s simple, direct design that influenced so many brands, including our own, to the invention and reinvention of the scent’s mythology.” Margaret Mangan, perfumer, Cloon Keen

MAKING A MEMORY “I wear No5 because it reminds me of sitting beside my mum, enthralled, watching as she got ready to go out. Mostly, because it still lingered when she crept into my room to kiss me goodnight. No5 will forever be special to me.” Ann Marie O’Leary, stylist and florist

ONE SCENT, THREE WAYS “The eau de parfum smells completely different on Mum (clean, powdery) to how it smells on me (more floral, greener). Now my daughter wears L’Eau, spritzing from the bottle on the hall table as she heads out the door. Separated by 30 years, we each wear No5 indifferent ways.” Sarah McDonnell, Editor

OTHER WAYS TO WEAR IT “Even if you can’t always stretch to a bottle of scent, a No5 soap is a gorgeous present for a girlfriend or yourself. It’s a daily pleasure in the shower and leaves a light but lingering scent.” Peta, GLOSS reader