Ernest Beaux

Ernest Beaux (1881–1961) was a Russian-French perfumer best known as the creator of Chanel No. 5, widely regarded as one of the most famous perfumes in the world. Born in Moscow, he was the son of Edouard Hyppolite Beaux and Augustine Wilgemina Misfeld, who was originally from Lille, France. His half-brother, Edouard Francois Beaux, worked for A. Rallet & Co., then the foremost Russian perfume house and purveyor to the Imperial courts. In 1898, the firm, which employed approximately 1,500 workers and produced 675 products, was acquired by the French perfume house Chiris of La Bocca.

Ernest completed his primary education in 1898 and spent two years apprenticing as a laboratory technician in the soap works at Rallet. Following obligatory military service in France, he returned to Moscow in 1902, where he began his perfumery training under the guidance of Rallet's technical director, A. Lemercier. He completed his perfumery education in 1907, was promoted to senior perfumer, and was elected to the board of directors. His career at Chanel produced enduring creations, among them Cuir de Russie Parfum and Le 1940 Rouge de Chanel.