Chanel

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For almost 100 years, French fashion house Chanel has garnered worldwide fame for its effortlessly elegant haute couture. At the beginning of the 20th century, founder Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel’s vision was to replace restrictive corseted clothing with simple, straight silhouettes provided by elegant dresses, pants and suits for women. This served to revolutionise the world of women’s wear as we know it. The brand is famous today for the little black dress, simple tweed pieces, signature cardigan jacket, quilted leather bags with chain mail straps, pearls, iconic double-c logo and the inimitable Chanel No. 5 perfume.

In 1910, Chanel, then a creative 27-year-old upstart from Samur in France with a passion for millinery, opened a hat shop at 21 rue Cambon in Paris, named Chanel Modes. This millinery business was the first step in the development of one of the world’s most famous and highly acclaimed haute couture fashion houses. From humble beginnings, Chanel learned her sewing skills in an orphanage in Aubazine where she lived for six years after her mother died when she was twelve. After leaving the orphanage aged 18, Chanel entered the glitzy world of cabaret, singing in cafes and bars in Vichy and Moulins – it was here she earned her nickname ‘Coco‘. In the early 1900s, Chanel developed her skills as a seamstress by working in a tailoring shop. With financial backing from wealthy English polo player Captain Arthur Edward “Boy” Capel (whose casual style and penchant for jersey blazers inspired Chanel), her hat-making business at rue Cambon garnered a lot of positive attention. It became increasingly successful in 1912 after theatre actress Gabrielle Dorziat wore Chanel Modes hats in the Fernand Noziere play Bel Ami.

Reinventing womenswear

In 1913, Chanel established a boutique in Deauville where she introduced luxury casual clothes for women – suitable as leisurewear and sportswear – into her collection. She opened her next boutique Chanel-Biarritz in 1915. Focusing her designs towards wealthy clientele holidaying in Biarritz, she created simple pieces out of jersey that would offer women freedom and elegance. By 1919, Chanel was registered as a couturiere and established her maison de couture at 31 rue Cambon. The Chanel fashion house was born.

Chanel remained actively working and designing in the fashion house until she died, aged eighty-seven on Sunday, January 1oth, 1971, at the Ritz Hotel in Paris, where she had lived for more than thirty years. Following her death, Jacques Wertheimer, son of Pierre Wertheimer who founded Chanel Perfumes, bought the entire House of Chanel. His son Alain took over in 1974 and began to remarket the brand. It was Alain who recognised the need for a new creative director and promptly persuaded Karl Lagerfeld to leave Chloé take over Chanel.

Since taking over as creative head in 1983, Lagerfeld revamped the Chanel brand image while staying true to the brand’s original simple and elegant aesthetic. Lagerfeld’s new designs and products included iconic ballerina slippers, leather handbags, watches, high-end clothes, cosmetics, travel collections and sunglasses. The brand also branched out to design menswear and introduced Coco Mademoiselle in 2003 for their younger followers. Over the years, Lagerfeld, with his playful, rebellious streak, has consistently created some of the most spectacular runway shows, making the Chanel show the must-see event of every fashion season.

Watch the Chanel 2012 Spring/Summer show below.