Surrender Of Identity

As the leader of Fashion Empire, the status of Chanel is almost unparalleledeven up to now. Among the diversified products of Chanel, perfume, with itslegendary history, unique aroma and special marketing strategy, becomes the mostpopular fashion for consumers to seek after. In addition, it is gradually becoming asymbol of quality of life and status. In the history of Chanel perfume which has beenalready over100years, more than30kinds of fragrances were born, and amongwhich Chanel No.5is always considered as the almost well-known and classicrepresentation of Chanel. Even in today, the glamour of Chanel in the field is stillunparalleled, with the conception of “fashion disappears while philosophy lastsforever”, Chanel will continue to spread its influence to every corner of the world.Based on the theoretical framework of Baudrillard’s theory of symbolic consumption,this paper tries to analyze the symbolization of Chanel and the symbolic function onidentification construction of target consumers via advertising, hence to uncover theillogic of advertising and lost of identification.Excluding the introduction and conclusion part, the body part of this paper isconsisted of three chapters: the first chapter targets at the symbolization of Chaneland its advertisement, which in detail by analysis of decline of use value andderivation of sign value, furthermore, the floating signifier in Chanel; the secondchapter is explored with the basis of theoretical framework proposed in the firstchapter, in which the concrete examples of advertising are adopted to analyze howChanel perfume advertisements locate its consumers, hence constructing the very distinctive identification of target consumers; the third chapter begins withanswering how real the constructed identification is, then by pointing out thepseudo-logic of advertising and unconditional belief of consumers in advertising,this paper finally reveals the submission of consumers to symbolic consumption andlost of identity at last.