Restoring An Enduring Icon
ON 15 APRIL 2019, the world learnt the terrible news that Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris’s famous landmark building and popular tourist attraction, was ablaze. The unimaginable had happened, but with its magnificent 800-year-old roof still smouldering in ruins, the enormous effort to restore the medieval beauty began. In ‘Saving Notre Dame’ (page 64), we take a look at the restoration effort involving expert scientists and historians from across France to identify the most suitable natural materials to rebuild the cathedral’s roof and preserve its other unique structural features. We also delve into the intriguing life of Coco Chanel, creator of another French icon, Chanel No. 5 (‘Smell Like A Woman’, page 38). This year, the perfume celebrates its 100th anniversary, and though one of the mostrecognised global brands, the lesser-known story…