Rare Photos of Chanel’s Farm in Gaujacq, France

In 1998, Chanel descended upon the sleepy town of Gaujacq, in the southwest corner of France, a region where founder Coco Chanel’s favorite flower, the camellia, is grown. The idea was to explore and cultivate the beauty and botanical benefits of this signature bloom. What began as a collaboration with fifth-generation botanist Jean Thoby, whose conservatory garden features 3,000 plants, as well as 2,000 varieties of camellias, is now the pipeline for some of Chanel skincare’s best-loved products. In fact, scientists there discovered the revitalizing properties of red camellia—specifically a variety of Camellia japonica named the Czar—and infused them into… Read Full Article