More than 141 years have passed since the French fashion designer and luxury brand founder was born on August 19, 1883, and her impact remains significant.
Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, designer and founder of her own eponymous label, has had numerous contributions in the world of fashion.
From opening her first boutique to the creation of the iconic Little Black Dress, these are the biggest milestones and innovations from the French designer’s career.
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The first Chanel shops
The French designer opened her first shop, Chanel Modes, in 1910. Located at 21 Rue Cambon, Chanel got her start in fashion as a milliner, or one who makes women’s hats.
Well-known French actresses, such as Gabrielle Dorziat, would wear her hats, helping the designer build her reputation.
Two years later, Chanel opened her first boutique in Deauville. During this time, she crafted fashionable sportswear for women, made of jersey. Back then, the material was mostly used for men’s undergarments.
In 1915, she established her first Couture House in Biarritz. There, she employed 300 artisans and designed her first Haute Couture collection.
The designer opened her next boutique and Couture House at 31 rue Cambon in Paris, which is still open to this day.
The launch of Chanel N°5
In 1921, the label launched its first perfume, the famous Chanel N°5. The fragrance was born out of Chanel’s partnership with perfumer Ernest Beaux.
According to Chanel, it is the epitome of “a woman’s perfume, with a woman’s scent.” The fragrance, with notes of May rose and jasmine, continues to be one of the world’s best-selling perfumes.
Popular personalities such as Marilyn Monroe, Catherine Deneuve, and Nicole Kidman have all been associated with the perfume.
In her 1952 Time cover story, Monroe famously said “Once this fellow says ‘Marilyn, what do you wear to bed?’ So I said I only wear Chanel No. 5.”
The LBD and tweed skirt suit
In 1926, Chanel created a “little black dress” that has become a cultural phenomenon. The ready-to-wear garment became a fashion staple for both day and evening events.
Prior to her design, the color black was more commonly used for mourning attire or more formal wear. Because of Chanel’s versatile design, Vogue dubbed the dress as the “Ford of Fashion,” after Henry Ford’s revolutionary Model T car.
Around this time, Chanel’s tweed skirt suit also grew in popularity. Made from light, loosely woven tweed, the set has become one of the brand’s most iconic designs.
Jackie Kennedy was known for wearing one of these suits in cotton candy pink on the day of the assassination attack on her husband, in 1963.
Return to fashion
Following World War II, Chanel made a comeback in the fashion world at age 71. She reopened her Couture House with a fashion show that was well-received by the American press.
A year after her return, in 1955, she unveiled the 2.55, a quilted handbag with a gold chain. Chanel named the bag after the date of its creation.
As with her previous work, Chanel had both fashion and function in mind while designing the bag. Its shoulder-length strap allowed one’s hands to be free, unlike the top handle purses that were popular at the time.
When Chanel passed away in 1971, at the age of 87, she was still working and designing for her label. Though it’s been over five decades since her death, many of her creations remain as fashion staples all over the world.
Banner image via Wikimedia Commons.
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