Chanel is one of today’s best known and most highly
sought-after fashion brands, and has been one practically since it was
founded by Coco (Gabrielle) Chanel in 1909. Her big break hit when she
opened a small shop in Paris in 1910 where she sold her hats. And by
1913, after asserting disdain for resort wear, she launched sportswear:
Her take was simpler—flannel blazers, jersey sweaters, and women in
trousers, all of which were decidedly against twentieth-century culture
memes. Chanel was trendsetting before there were trends. Her post–World
War I look gained attention, as she brought on modernism in fashion
through beaded dresses in the twenties, the infamous little black dress,
as well as a two- or thee-piece suit, which is still a signature Chanel
look. By 1921 she introduced Chanel No. 5, and was once quoted as
saying "A woman who doesn't wear perfume has no future." No. 5 went on
to become one of the best-selling fragrances of all time. After a period
away from Paris, Chanel returned after the Second World War in the
fifties, a time when Christian Dior was touted as Paris's premiere
couturier. However, Chanel rose again with the launch of her chain-link
belt and quilted leather bags—today with the interlocking
C's—reestablishing Chanel as the definition of classy glamour with an
edge. Coco passed in 1971, but the brand continued, even launching their
first ready-to-wear collection in 1978. Yet without a lead designer to
be the face of the brand, the house struggled to maintain its enchanting
reputation for luxury. That is, until Karl Lagerfeld joined in 1983 to
revive it to its elite status, which he did with added glamour and
sexiness. Today, Chanel stands out in just about every category—couture,
ready-to-wear, accessories, jewelry, shoes, and fragrances. What began
as a no-nonsense approach to fashion, designed to let women be
comfortable while looking dignified, has been translated into classic,
tailored style, especially in ready-to-wear, where the traditional tweed
Chanel suit with a nipped-at-the-waist cardigan jacket remains one of
the most popular—and most copied—fashion staples. Evening gowns tend to
have an understated sex appeal and a bit of whimsy, and appear in
luxurious fabrics with lots of embellishments. Yet, there is always an
undeniable element of the house's founder. "A girl should be two things:
classy and fabulous," Coco Chanel once said. Fitting, since that's the
absolute embodiment of the label even a century after it was founded.
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