It is said that anyone can achieve success, all you need is an original idea, hard work and passion for your profession, and a little luck. Gabrielle Chanel revolutionized fashion in the 20th century. Read this article and learn the fascinating story of how the Chanel fashion house came into being!
Gabrielle Boner Chanel, a legendary woman and the most famous French woman of the 20th century, was born and raised in a poor family. However, she achieved what many fashion designers envy her to this day. According to one version of history, Chanel was born on August 19, 1883; according to Coco herself, she was born 10 years later in Auvergne
The history of the Chanel fashion house began with a small hat salon, or rather with a very difficult relationship between the young, courageous and very talented Gabrielle Chanel and Etienne Balzan. The first workshop of the young French woman Coco appeared in Paris in 1910. With the patronage of English industrial entrepreneur Arthur Capel, Chanel received the necessary funding and patronage. Lover, friend and sponsor Arthur Boy Capel paid for the establishment of the Chanel Models workshop, and the House logo included two letters C. Coco slowly began to demonstrate her talent as a fashion designer, making custom hats for refined ladies
Chanel opened her first hat salon in a house that already had a clothing store, so she was not allowed to go outside the hat business. But after three years, she had a real store specializing in sportswear. The clothes were simple, unlike those worn by people of that time, They were exquisite and luxurious. This is what distinguished Coco Chanel’s creations: the designer believed that dresses should be, above all, comfortable.
During World War I, Chanel opened another store opposite the Ritz Hotel in Paris, selling flannel jackets, simple linen skirts, shirts, long sweaters and suits with jersey skirts. At a time when the financial situation of most people and entrepreneurs was very precarious, these inexpensive and simple clothes such as T-shirts became a real salvation, both for the designer and her customers. By 1915, the name Chanel was already known throughout France. It was a symbol of simplicity and functional design. The designer created most of her models based on menswear and this in was a breakthrough.
Coco Chanel was famous for her meticulousness. Following the fashion trends of the 1920s, she created a beaded dress, and her two- or three-piece outfits became the new “uniform” of the day
In 1921, one of the most famous perfumes of all time was released. Today, this masterpiece created by perfumer Ernest Bo turns 90!
In 1924, Chanel presented her first jewelry collection; pairs of pearl earrings, including white and black ones. The following year, her famous sweater appeared, and in 1926, the famous little black dress, without which no modern fashion lover can imagine her closet. At the same time, a tweed suit inspired by travels in Scotland was presented.
In 1932, Coco Chanel presented a collection of diamond jewelry, two pieces of which, “Fountain” and “Comet”, were made available again in 1993. Since 1939, Chanel Fashion House has focused exclusively on jewelry and perfume
Chanel returned to Paris in the 1950s, when Dior reigned supreme in the salons, appealing to the elegance-thirsty female half of the population. However, Coco was able to challenge such a serious competitor, and as a result, she was awarded the Academy Awards for her collection in Dallas in 1957. Until her death in 1971, she continued to work. From 1966 to 1969, she invented the uniform for Aristotle Onassis’ Olympic Airways stewards (she was succeeded by Pierre Cardin after her death)
After Chanel’s death, her reins were successively taken over by respected figures in the fashion world, notably Yvonne Dudel, Jean Casaubon and Philippe Gibourg. Coco’s longtime colleague Jacques Wertheimer also tried to run the fashion house, but it is said that he was more interested in horses than clothes, perfumes and jewelry.
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