How Chanel Became An Icon

 Hello everyone!

Welcome back to the blog! I hope you're doing amazing. I love fashion, we all know this. I also love history; it was one of my best subjects in school. Combining those two worlds gives us one of my very niche interests: fashion history. I am currently writing this article in Paris, the birthplace of many luxury fashion brands. The most notable being Coco Chanel. Today, I'm going to break down the history of Chanel and how it came to be a household name. From humble beginnings, to both WW1 and WW2, to being one of the most recognized brands in the world.

The Birth of An Icon:

Chanel started as a humble hat shop opened and run by Gabrielle Bonheur "Coco" Chanel in 1909. Gabrielle was a mistress to a wealthy textile businessman, Etienne Balsan, and ran her shop on the first floor of his Parisian flat. Balsan's flat also served as a club for huntsmen, sports enthusiasts, and outdoorsmen. This put her in a convenient position to meet the wives and fellow mistresses who would accompany their husbands and male companions. Basically, rich men wanted to display their wealth via jewels, designer clothing, and hats for women. Women weren't into sports and hunting, and wanted to look nice and spend their man's money. Thus, Chanel was in business. Gabrielle made enough wealth from her hat shop to be financially independent from Balsan. In 1910, she befriended Arthur "Boy" Capel and eventually became his mistress as well. (Balsan knew, they were friends & it was a social custom at the time) That same year, Capel financed Coco's first independent shop, Chanel Modes. 

The World Wars:

World War 1 left Europe with a limited supply of fabric and opened opportunities for women to do manual labor. Coco started selling clothing that was more practical for the time, using different fabrics. This included using linen to make straight-line skirts and making sweaters out of jersey fabric. Chanel's designs were inspired by French military uniforms, making the designs well known across the country. Her designs were groundbreaking, as they didn't require any corsetry to wear and combined comfort with style. 

World War 2, however, led to Chanel being shut down in 1939. Gabrielle went on to have an affair with Hans Günther von Dincklage, a Nazi agent. This is only the beginning of her unsavory association with the Nazis. (I would like to include that, given the time, a lot of businesses were struggling. Christian Dior, for example, only designed for the Nazis to make enough money to survive and keep his business running. While I am not excusing their behavior, including that information adds more context to why Coco was wrong. Coco Chanel worked with the Nazis for the love of the game. She was involved in Operation Modelhutt and was eager to stop Jewish people from owning businesses. She even went as far as to attempt to take over her perfume company from her Jewish business partners. Some may argue that Coco was backed into a corner, but that does not undo the trouble she and the Nazi party have caused. 

The Rebirth & Golden Years:

Chanel, the brand, later reached new heights in the 1950s. Marilyn Monroe famously told the world that she slept in Chanel No. 5, and it flew off the shelves immediately. (Fun fact: Marilyn was actually paid to promote the perfume.) Coco Chanel worked with a jeweller, Robert Goossens, to create the iconic pearl necklaces tied to her brand. She presented the quilted leather handbag to the world in 1955. She also designed a flight attendant uniform for Olympic Airways. Coco Chanel continued to design until she died in 1971. Eventually, Karl Lagerfeld was brought on as chief designer for Chanel from Chloe.

Karl Lagerfeld's Impact:

Karl Lagerfeld has left a lasting mark on Chanel's history. Although many recognize him for his influence on Chanel, he worked with numerous fashion brands before joining Chanel. Lagerfeld aimed to modernize Chanel while remaining true to its core identity. Under Karl Lagerfeld's leadership, Chanel opened 40 shops worldwide, released "Coco" in honor of Coco Chanel, launched a skincare line, introduced the Chance and Allure perfume lines, and debuted the first Chanel watch. 

Chanel Today:

Today, Chanel sits as one of the most recognized luxury brands in the world. The brand has worked with public figures like Jennie, Margaret Qualley, Lily Rose-Depp, and Nicole Kidman. The Metropolitan Museum of Art hosted the 2023 MET Gala with the theme in honor of Karl Lagerfeld. In 2005, the museum also curated an exhibit of Coco Chanel's designs, some of which go back to the 1920s. It is safe to say that Chanel has left its mark on the world and has earned its reputation as aluxury fashion house. 

That is all I have for you today everyone! Let me know what you think. I plan to make this into a series, so tell me which fashion brand I should talk about next. Share your suggestions in the comments or over on Instagram. 

xoxo,

Scarlette