POPCAST EP06 🎙️Don’t let the crowd define who you are! How did Siobhan Haughey, moving to the rhythm of “5,” carve out an extraordinary path of her own?

In the flow of time, numbers often carry special significance. For CHANEL, “5” was Gabrielle Chanel’s lucky number, the legendary starting point of N°5, representing instinct and a freedom to break the rules. For Hong Kong swimmer Siobhan Haughey, “5” likewise feels like a hint of fate. Whether in a 50 m pool or in lane five, where she won two medals at the Tokyo Olympics, the number has witnessed her journey from ordinary to extraordinary.

Freedom and instinct: the mental game in lane five

In numerology, “5” symbolizes freedom, adventure, and intuition. Siobhan Haughey, who majored in psychology, admits that she trusts her first instinct, especially when building her professional support team. “I think my intuition about people is pretty accurate. When I feel they’re good people, I want to ‘hold on to’ them and make sure they’re part of my support system. It’s not about using them. I just want to make sure they can help me, and I can help them too.” Her keen sense of people helps her remain calm amid the pressures of competition. Speaking of her connection to “5,” she laughs that she was assigned lane five in both the 100 m and 200 m freestyle finals at the Tokyo Olympics, ultimately taking silver in each event. The coincidence feels like a perfect meeting of instinct and ability.

The courage to break the mold: refusing to be the female athlete others expect

Gabrielle Chanel challenged the constraints her era placed on women through unconventional choices such as cutting her hair short and wearing trousers. In her own field, Siobhan Haughey has also been taking an “unusual path.” As a mixed-race athlete, she chose to compete for Hong Kong. In a school environment that places great importance on academics, she chose the demanding path of waking up at 4 a.m. to train.

In the face of public stereotypes about female athletes’ bodies, Siobhan Haughey shows great confidence and grace: “Society thinks women shouldn’t be too muscular or too big. I see myself as an athlete, and having the word ‘female’ in front of that doesn’t mean I can’t be very strong. My body shape is the result of all the years I’ve put into the pool, so I accept it rather than feel insecure about it.” Even in the seriousness of competition, she expresses her personality through self-care, such as painting her nails. Beneath her swim cap and goggles, that touch of color on her nails is her way of staying true to herself.

Defining success: a conversation with the “hunger” to push her limits

After winning countless medals, Siobhan Haughey’s definition of success has shifted from “medals” to “breaking through her own limits.” She is candid that, as an “older” athlete at 28, staying at the top requires her to constantly tear things down and start over. From changing her technique while studying in the United States, to increasing her training volume ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, to her current focus on recovery after the Paris Olympics, she looks for a new point of breakthrough with every four-year cycle. “I don’t want to become complacent about what I’ve achieved, because that would make me lose that ‘hunger’ to keep improving. I don’t know where my limits are, but I just want to keep moving forward and see how far I can go.”

The birth of N°5 tells a similar story. In 1921, Madame Chanel invited perfumer Ernest Beaux to create “a woman’s perfume with the scent of a woman” – one of a kind and full of strength. He presented her with a forward-thinking fragrance formula that blended aldehydes in an unprecedented way, leading to the birth of N°5 Parfum. In 1924, a new interpretation with woody notes arrived: N°5 Eau de Toilette, an abstract woody floral with a deep, rich, layered scent. The fragrance returns in a minimalist bottle inspired by the classic 1924 design. Clean and streamlined, with all excess stripped away, it is designed to better reveal N°5’s unexpected new interpretation.

Advice for those feeling lost: diving in is the hardest part

At the end of the interview, discussing how many young people are afraid of making the wrong decision and don’t dare take the first step, Siobhan Haughey offered a vivid swimming metaphor: “The first step is usually the hardest. It’s like athletes waking up every day, standing behind the diving block and looking at the cold water at five in the morning. That moment when you dive in is the hardest. But you have to know that once you jump in, you actually know how to swim.” She gently reminds them that no path in life is absolutely impossible to turn back from. “If you feel it isn’t working, you can always get out of the water and choose another path. Don’t think the first step determines your future.”

In Siobhan Haughey, we see a spirit that mirrors CHANEL’s: refusing to be defined, trusting her instincts, and pursuing breakthroughs beyond her own limits. For CHANEL, the number 5 represents classic style and timelessness; for Siobhan Haughey, it represents courage and luck. No matter what waves lie ahead, this athlete moving forward with “hunger” has already swum the most beautiful arc in the racecourse of her own life.

The scent of CHANEL N°5 flows gently, delicate and long-lasting – a fragrance of self-affirmation for every woman. Each time Siobhan Haughey sets off is a tribute to bravely pursuing her dreams, with grace and strength existing side by side in just the right measure. This fragrance is understated yet profound, like every moment she blossoms in the water: an enduring mark that is entirely her own. Click here to learn more and discover your own N°5.