The Chanel Smell

Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.

The New York Public Library knows what you like to hear, and tonight they're focusing on the history of Chanel No. 5. The Mid-Manhattan branch next to Bryant Park is hosting a chat with Tilar J. Mazzeo, author of the book The Secret of Chanel #5: The Intimate History of the World's Most Famous Perfume, at 6:30pm. It's a free and open event, and if Mazzeo can write an entire book about one perfume, then one hour of discussing it could be riveting. Either way, chalk it up to becoming a more educated consumer. [NYPL]

NYPL Mid-Manhattan Branch

455 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY