From ready-to-wear fashion to luxury accessories, and even eyewear, in collaboration with Luxottica, it’s a name that defines style. But let’s be real: No. 5 perfume and the legendary ‘Chanel Suit’ are where it all began. What really makes Chanel special, though, is how Coco transformed fashion.
Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel was born in 1883 in Saumur, France, to a poor family. Her early life was difficult: after the death of her mother and the abandonment by her father, she was raised in an orphanage, where she learned the craft of sewing.
In 1910 , Chanel opened her first millinery shop, Chanel Modes, at the chic 21 rue Cambon in Paris. The catch? The lease only allowed her to sell hats, not her legendary couture, but that didn’t stop Coco from dreaming big!
In 1921, Chanel introduced Chanel No. 5, a perfume that would forever change the fragrance industry. At the time, most perfumes were simple and floral, marketed in ornate bottles, but Chanel No. 5 broke all conventions.
While Chanel No. 5 marked her influence in the world of fragrance, it was her Chanel suit that truly redefined women’s fashion. In the 1920s, Coco introduced the now-iconic collarless jacket and tweed skirt, two pieces that would form the foundation of countless wardrobe staples.
Her little black dress (LBD), introduced in 1926, took that liberation even further. Before Chanel, black was considered sombre and formal, reserved for mourning. But the LBD, sleek, simple, and undeniably chic became a symbol of elegance. It was a brilliant, yet subtle, reinvention of what was considered beautiful.
In 1939, as World War II broke out, Coco Chanel closed her couture house and moved into the Ritz Paris, which became Nazi headquarters. After the war, she was briefly arrested by French authorities but was released with the help of her friend, IN 1954, after more than a decade of silence, she made her return to the runway at the age of 71.
Karl Lagerfeld: When Coco Chanel passed away in 1971, many questioned whether the brand could survive without her. But Karl Lagerfeld, a visionary in his own right was appointed as the creative director in 1983. Under Lagerfeld’s leadership, Chanel became synonymous with modern luxury.
Virginie Viard: After Lagerfeld’s passing in 2019, Virginie Viard, who had worked alongside Lagerfeld for over 30 years, took the helm of Chanel. Viard has maintained the brand’s classic elegance while giving it a softer, more intimate feel.