Gabrielle Chanel was born in Saumur, France on August 19th, 1883 under the sign of Leo. Coco, as she had come to be called, opened a hat boutique at 21 rue Cambon under the name Chanel Modes. Her hats were very worn by well-known French actresses of the era, and helped build her reputation. In 1921, the first CHANEL perfume was launched, this women’s perfume which smells like a woman, revolutionary due to its composition, name and presentation, was born out of Gabrielle Chanel’s partnership with perfumer Ernest Beaux.