Chanel has launched See You at 5 by Luca Guadagnino, a film of unprecedented length for the iconic perfume No. 5, at two minutes and 20 seconds.
The plot is built on a rigorously articulated, meticulously conceived scenario that illustrates the sophisticated, resolutely modern universe of the iconic Chanel fragrance, as well as the captivating, liberated feminine personality at its centre, combining flamboyance, humour and irreverence.
Renowned actress and producer Margot Robbie, the face of this campaign, has created the conditions for her own accomplishments, fuelled by the desire to tell stories carried by strong female characters.
Guadagnino is a master of sensual cinema pushed to incandescence as in Call Me by Your Name (2018). He directed See You at 5 in 35mm in order to better reveal the grain of the skin, the tremors of a first date that vibrate between a woman and the object of her desire, played by Jacob Elordi, known for the TV series Euphoria and the thriller Saltburn (produced by Robbie). The Elvis Presley in Priscilla by Sofia Coppola and the future Frankenstein for Guillermo del Toro, Elordi brings an anxious virility, vibrant sensitivity and a fierce beauty to his character in See You at 5.
A red skirt suit worn by Robbie is a nod to the one worn by Carole Bouquet in Monuments (1986), the Ridley Scott advertising film shot in Utah.
The mythology of this iconic perfume lives on today, through different muses.
The storyline
The ambitious storyline of the new film transforms a romantic back-and-forth into a memorable epic tale, translating the immaterial value of luxury and the soul encapsulated by No. 5, which is at once immediate and immortal.
In a blue, vinyl-like sky, the sun hangs at its zenith. The air is warm. It is summer, the most furious of seasons. She is barefoot, languishing in the memory of that alluring and enigmatic man.
A terse message: ‘I will see you at 5’. ‘I’ because ‘I want what I want’. She sketches a smile at the thought of this insolent motto she has made her own. Yes, she is powerful.
She laughs. She is unique and at times radical, just like her signature perfume, N°5. In her twinkling eye, we see the reflection of the bottle. Yes to 5. Yes to the impatience of love. Yes to the promise of the unknown.He rides his motorcycle down the road to Big Sur, California, enchanted by this woman with a radiant smile and magnetic aura.
She hops in her convertible to join him. Her car shines like a rare beetle. She’s wearing a red miniskirt suit: her allure seems effortless. She follows the curves of the road and moves towards him. Her expression is relaxed and confident. Meanwhile, he moves towards her, anxious to win her approval.
They are closing in on each other… they are about to cross paths. But a drone view reveals they just missed each other. Alas, the highly anticipated rendezvous will not take place. A text message exchange reveals that he went to her house unbeknownst to her and vice versa.
She bursts out laughing. She doesn’t really care. She knows that desire is what matters most. The anticipation of pleasure is much more romantic than its enjoyment, except in the case of one timeless gesture: the one between a woman, her skin, and her perfume.
Serene, in a red swimsuit, she dives into the ocean, into the bottle of N°5. Is she swimming towards the same man on the motorbike? Maybe. She radiates the sense of triumph that can only come from an accomplished woman. She embraces the present moment and savours her freedom to be herself: fulfilled, independent, serene in her femininity, and free from any need for external validation.
The vision persists: N°5 is the embodiment of desire.