Chanel
Coco Chanel
Fashion Designer Coco Chanel
Gabrielle Bonheur "Coco" Chanel (August 19, 1883-January 10, 1971), a very influencial french fashion designer,
who started her career making hats in Paris during 1910. Chanel opened her first dress shop in Paris in 1914 and
closed it in 1939 at the onset of World War II. But in the period between the world wars she revolutionized womens
fashion with her straight, simple, uncorseted (much desired, at this time), and, above all, comfortable Chanel clothing.
She also takes credit for popularizing short hair for women in the 1920s and introduced shorter skirts. She created her
famous Chanel No. 5 perfume in 1922, which is still popular today. She had a knack for knowing what women wanted, and
women responded enthusiastically. In the 1950s her much copied famous Chanel suit, which was a collarless, braid-trimmed
cardigan jacket and slim skirt was an enormous success in fashion. She also popularized pea jackets, turtleneck sweaters
and bell-bottom trousers plus introduced her fabulous jewelry line. Chanel's nonconformist designs, stressing simplicity
and comfort, revolutionized the fashion industry for the next 30 years.
Coco Chanel can also take credit for the infamous "little black dress", whose elegant versatility allowed it to be worn
for day and evening, depending on how the dress was being accessorized. Although unassuming black dresses did exist before
Chanel, the ones that she designed were considered the "little black dress" of haute couture standard. All of Chanel's
designer clothes were distinquished by the famous chanel symbol (the reflective C's) which was not of her own design.
The back to back C symbol was given to her by the owner of the Chateau de Cremat (a Chateau on the outskirts of Nice in France).
Chanel always kept the clothing she designed simple and comfortable. She took what were considered low-grade fabrics like
jersey and upgraded them. She played a major role in designing the image on the 1920's flapper dress. Chanel's loose-fitting
dresses and shortened hemlines were to become trademarks of the flapper look. Coco once said that "Simplicity is elegance"
and many seemed to have agreed.
Chanel retired from fashion design during the Second World War, reopening her popular couture house in 1954, while the Chanel
popularily once again flourished. The simple, eminently practical dimension of Chanel's designs proved to be very attractive
to many and was very influential on ready-to-wear goods. In 1955, Chanel introduced the quilted fabric handbag with the shoulder
strap, a bag that shook the fashion world and still does today. That same year, Chanel launched her first eau de toilette for men,
Pour Monsieur.
On January 10, 1971, Coco Chanel died, ending an era of revolutionary fashion that would still be the classic model where fashion
designers find inspiration today. Her tremendous influence in the fashion world did not pass with her death. The Chanel empire was
taken forward by a number of designers including Yvonne Dudel and Jean Cazaubon, who worked on the couture collections from 1975 to 1983,
and Karl Lagerfeld, who took over the Chanel couture and the ready-wear collections, from 1984. The Chanel brand is now headed by
German-born designer Karl Lagerfeld, who had previously designed for the House of Fendi.
In 1984, the House of Chanel launched a new fragrance and called it "Coco", in honor of the late Coco Chanel. The House of Chanel also
introduced the first Chanel watch during this time. Chanel then launched Egoïste for men in 1990. The first collection of fine jewelery
was launched in 1993 (not to be confused with the Chanel costume jewelery line), in honor of the spirit and style of Chanel.
The launching of the fine fragrance, Allure was greeted in 1996. The immense popularity of this fragrance, prompted a men’s version, Allure
Homme, that was launched in the year 1998.
The House of Chanel launched its first skin care line called, Precision in 1999. That same year, Chanel launched a new travel collection, and under a license contract with Luxottica, introduced a line of Chanel sunglasses and eyeglass frames.
Chanel's latest introduction in stylish designer handbags and considered as the current "it bag", features a metal chain embedded in the leather. Under the leadership of Karl Lagerfeld, The House of Chanel, has further enchanced the elegant style and fashion of highly respected Chanel designer line.
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