On October 13, Chanel released two photos of the model with a surfboard and a 15-second teaser. The actual film was released on the morning of October 15. It begins with Gisele riding massive waves in a Chanel wet-suit with a Chanel surfboard, then segues into scenes of her raising a child, followed by snippets of her with big wavy hair in a sparkly gold dress. In essence, we see the many facets of the modern woman: the athlete, the mother, the fashionista. But throughout it all, the theme of love is present. Actor Michiel Huisman plays Gisele's lover. We see her cry over him while speeding through New York City in a vintage convertible, and we see her face light up with joy after they kiss; their relationship and the tensions present are very real.
Musician Lo-Fang sets the mood for the 3 minute, 16 second film with his seductive rendition of Olivia Newton John's song for Grease, The One That I Want. His slower, more dramatic version of the song is almost unrecognizable from Olivia Newton John's original, but the underlying theme of love in bloom is the same.
Perhaps surfing isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Chanel No. 5. But the athletic-meets-glam approach to this new ad harks back to Coco Chanel's early designs, which emphasized practical sportswear and the use of jersey. And Gisele's character portrays the modern woman, who wears many hats, similar to Coco herself. “It's the spirit of Coco Chanel that has continued to influence the house. She was about paradoxes in character; one minute she'd be in trousers on the beach, the next she'd be in a beautiful frock," Luhrmann told Vogue at a press conference on October 13. The campaign video subtly conveys that Chanel No. 5 is the multifaceted woman's fragrance of choice. It's the fragrance that one can surf in, socialize in, be romantic in.
Since Chanel announced its partnership with Bündchen in May, the supermodel has been hard at work. In addition to promoting the No. 5 fragrance with this film, she was the face of Chanel's Les Beiges beauty campaign and she turned heads on the Chanel runway during Paris Fashion Week this September. According to a statement released by the brand earlier this year, Bündchen's “natural beauty and modern femininity" make her a fit for the campaigns. She's joined the ranks of Bratt Pitt, Marilyn Monroe and Nicole Kidman, who have also represented this timeless fragrance.
The One That I Want is stunning in the same way as Luhrmann's 2004 film starring Nicole Kidman for Chanel No. 5 was. In addition to the sultry acoustics and enchanting story-line, this film is filled with charming visual details: Luhrmann himself appears in scenes, Gisele sports No. 5 earrings, there's a Chanel logo sparkling in the background of the New York City skyline, and there are Chanel pillows in Gisele's fictional home. As though that's not enough to keep viewers glued, strikingly crisp imagery and bold color saturation make watching the world's most successful supermodel even more of a pleasure. It's a Chanel No. 5 world that Luhrmann has created. And for those 3 minutes, we're living in it.
Director Baz Luhrmann and Model Gisele Bundchen attend the Chanel No. 5 dinner celebrating 'The One... [+]
Follow me on twitter @RachHen91
