Marilyn Monroe speaks in unheard interview for new Chanel No.5 campaign

Marilyn Monroe is to be the face of Chanel No.5 in the brand’s new advertising campaign for Christmas. The iconic fragrance has been re-united with one of its most famous fans, after newly found recordings of Monroe discussing the perfume were discovered.

Delving into its archives, the fashion and beauty powerhouse discovered a previously unheard radio interview from 1960, with Monroe and the then editor of Marie Claire, Georges Belmont. Although this wasn’t the first time Monroe and No.5 were linked, the actress openly discusses what she wears to bed, which was nothing but a few drops of the scent.

“You know, they ask me questions. Just an example : ‘What do you wear to bed? A pyjama top? The bottoms of the pyjamas? A nightgown?’ So I said, ‘Chanel No.5’, because it’s the truth … And yet, I don’t want to say ‘nude’. But it’s the truth!” Monroe reveals to Belmont in the recording.

The campaign will play extracts of the interview over monochrome photos of Monroe posing seductively with her Chanel No.5 bottle, taken by photographer Ed Feingersh.

Monroe will take over from the current face of Chanel No.5, another blonde bombshell, Brad Pitt. The actress is the ideal model for the perfume that Coco Chanel created to be “a woman’s fragrance that smells like a woman”.

The advertising campaign will be released this autumn in print and on television.

Hollie Bracciale

Whilst we wait for the campaign to be released, watch how Monroe’s relationship with the famous scent started in the video below: