Inside Chanel: The Story Behind an Iconic Fashion House

By Peyton Nebens

Gabrielle Chanel, more known as Coco Chanel, was born in 1883 in Saumur, France. At the ripe age of 27, Coco opened up her first store, only for hats, at 21 Rue Cambon. Which is the same street as her Chanel store in Paris today. 

The store was called Chanel Modes. Her hats were adored by famous French women at the time and helped boost her brand's popularity. 

Then, three years later, she opened another store in Deauville, France, specializing in sportswear. The fabric she used, primarily for men's underwear, was jersey. 

Coco’s choice changed women's fashion forever by allowing women to feel more comfortable in their clothing, rather than the tight, cinching feeling of other designers. It made her a true household name. 

Around two years later, Chanel opened up her first Couture house in France. She managed around three hundred employees. This then led her to open her couture store. This building offered her boutique, salons, and workshops. This layout remains the same over a hundred years later. 

Shortly after, she introduced Chanel No. 5, which is known as the most famous and sought-after perfume on the market. Her marketing focused on the fact that it “smells like a woman.” It was a standout product and stands the test of time. 

She continued launching perfumes, but in 1924, she introduced a makeup line that customers adored. She created powders and lipsticks, which were her first pieces. Her use of very small launches for only a few products at a time was very ahead of its time and quite smart, so that customers begged for more. 

A few years later, she then launched a skincare collection. These consisted of fifteen products that truly embodied Coco’s vision and style. 

Hollywood called in 1931, where she dressed famous actresses for films such as Tonight or Never (1931) and The Greeks Had a Word for Them (1932). Around that same time, she introduced a high jewelry collection of 45 pieces. 

After her continued success, it is hard to think she could not be any more influential. The face of femininity and beauty, Marilyn Monroe, is pictured in Life Magazine holding a bottle of Chanel No. 5 perfume. The interviewer asks her what she wears to bed, and she states, “I only wear Chanel Number five.” I’m certain that this excited even more customers to purchase at her stores, given that the biggest celebrity chose to wear Chanel’s perfume. 

Just when Chanel’s brand couldn’t be any more iconic, she introduced her first bag, the 2.55 handbag. It is the famous quilted flap bag everyone recognizes as the product that defines her brand. The name for the bag is when she created the item, focusing on the piece's history and on the way she lives on through this creation. 

The iconic tweed suit was made. She then went on to create the iconic two-toned pumps in 1957. The elegant, simplistic, and classy heel was wanted by every woman. The beige leather elongates the leg, and the black tip creates the illusion that your foot is smaller and more petite. 

Many more famous celebrities began to wear Chanel much more often. Such as Elizabeth Taylor, Jackie Kennedy, and Jane Fonda, to name a few. Once Chanel passed away, a new creative director was brought to the helm: Karl Lagerfeld. Who kept Coco’s vision at the forefront and created the iconic, recognizable ready-to-wear collection.

This brand lives on through Coco’s vision of comfortable fashion, forever elegance, and class, with structured, timeless pieces.