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Evening ensemble, 1935The obfuscation of extraneous decoration was consistent with both day and evening versions of the "little black dress." Even in dresses that were entirely embellished with paillettes, Chanel managed to assert an antidecorative aesthetic. In this ensemble, the paillettes are applied in a uniform field, enhancing the garment's monochromatic starkness as well as its straight silhouette. Plain or embroidered, however, Chanel's little black dress, like her separates and two- or three- piece suit, created a balance between the formal and the disciplined, the casual and the spontaneous. It was this equilibrium that ultimately came to define "the Chanel look," a modern, practical, unpretentious style that steered the course of twentieth-century fashion. The CHANEL tweed suit was undeniably one of Gabrielle Chanel's most enduring and iconic designs, and became the defining garment of her post-war legacy. It was then in Biarritz, another city that would soon become in vogue, that she opened her couture house in 1915.
COCO CRUSH
Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel was born in a hospice in Lamur, France on August 19th, 1883. One day, the world would know her by the eponymous name of Coco Chanel, but the iconic fashion designer first had to survive an impoverished, grief-stricken childhood. The neglect of her childhood began immediately, with a massive spelling error on her birth certificate that read Gabrielle Bonheur Chasnel, instead of her true, enduring surname.
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Coco Chanel (born August 19, 1883, Saumur, France—died January 10, 1971, Paris) was a French fashion designer who ruled Parisian haute couture for almost six decades. Her elegantly casual designs inspired women to abandon the complicated, uncomfortable clothes—such as petticoats and corsets—that were prevalent in early 20th-century dress. Among her now-classic innovations were the Chanel suit, the quilted purse, costume jewelry, and the “little black dress.” She also was known for the iconic perfume Chanel No. 5. More than any other designer of the twentieth century, Coco Chanel revised and adapted fashion to the tenets of utility and integrity of materials, tenets that are the defining features of modernism. Her emphasis on the functionalism of sportswear and her appropriations from menswear, as well as from service and military uniforms, broke with typical haute-couture dress styles and practices. Pragmatic and purposeful, her clothes were designed with realistic lifestyle applications.
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In 1926 Chanel continued to transform fashion by introducing the so-called “little black dress” (commonly called LBD). While Chanel was not the first fashion designer to use black, the color was commonly reserved for mourning attire or more formal wear. Chanel’s black dress, however, was incredibly versatile, easily transitioning from day to evening with the right accessories—such as the costume jewelry she often wore. Alluding to Henry Ford’s revolutionary Model T car, American Vogue called the little black dress the “Ford of Fashion,” and it quickly became a fashion staple. From the Boy Bag (inspired by Coco Chanel’s lover Arthur “Boy” Capel), to the Perfume Bottle Bag (an ode to Chanel’s iconic No.5 perfume bottle design), Karl Lagerfeld never stopped looking to the design archives of Mademoiselle Chanel for inspiration. Immediately following his death, Lagerfeld’s right-hand woman, Virginie Viard, took over as creative director.
Cotton linked to environmental and human rights abuses in Brazil is leaking into the supply chains of major fashion brands, a new investigation has found, prompting Zara-owner Inditex to send a scathing rebuke to the industry’s biggest sustainable cotton certifier. “I was really humiliated and horrified because I thought it was some cool vintage fruit print and it turned out to be some kind of junky commercial print,” said Hay. Rather than take on the time and expense of fighting the case, she just took the remaining three dresses she hadn’t yet sold off her site.
The death of its founder had left a vast void, and Chanel was in desperate need of a new iconic persona. Lagerfeld, like Coco, understood what it took to transform fashion for the modern woman. Instead of abandoning her legacy for his own, Karl Lagerfeld considered himself the “channeler” of Coco. As such, he would reinterpret and rejuvenate the iconic designs of Coco Chanel, inserting ready-to-wear into popular culture and restoring Haute Couture to its former glory. With his regular uniform of a black suit, dark shades, a powdered white ponytail, and fingerless leather gloves, Karl Lagerfeld molded himself into a distinctive caricature who kept alive the myth and legacy of Coco Chanel.
Coco
“If there’s anything that tickles me behind the ear every once in a while, that’s it. Last month during the haute couture in Paris, Viard emerged from backstage without Lagerfeld to acknowledge the crowd at the end of the show. The house issued a statement explaining that Lagerfeld “was feeling tired” and asked her to represent him. I’ve been working on CHANEL’s Rodeo Drive boutique, which will open in the latter half of 2022 and will be just spectacular.
Dior and Chanel Square Off in the Messy The New Look - Jacobin magazine
Dior and Chanel Square Off in the Messy The New Look.
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The exterior color scheme continued inside, with black floors, gold walls, and rugs blending both colors. The ceilings stretched high, adding to its spacious feel that contrasted with the stores I typically frequent in New York. The boutique was mostly empty, with just a few shoppers milling around and another sitting with an employee discussing watch options. I got the impression most people came to the store with an appointment in place, though the workers I interacted with were welcoming of me even though I didn't have one. I wanted to see what the boutique was like without all the celebrity glitz and glamour, so I used a free Monday to head to the store. Chanel celebrated its grand opening with a star-studded event in February, joining other luxury brands like Saint Laurent and Gucci's parent company Kering in investing in physical retail spaces for high-end clientele.
coco by artists
Black remained central to Gabrielle Chanel's work throughout her career, with designs often bring stripped of decoration to foreground the silhouette and style of the dress. She also played with black-on-black embellishment in sparkling sequins and jet beads, and also experimented in black silk crepe, silk chiffon, satin, silk velvet and georgette. On a trip to Scotland in 1924 with the Duke of Westminster, Chanel discovered tweed for the first time; a fabric that would go on to define the brand's iconic suiting.
1978 saw the launch of the first non-couture, prêt-à-porter line and worldwide distribution of accessories. As for her actor beau, Turner wore a navy blue suit with a white button-up, a satin light blue tie, and black leather shoes. The House of CHANEL, an international company dedicated to luxury, fashion, style and image, was founded in France by Gabrielle Chanel at the beginning of the last century. Mademoiselle’s audacious vision and daring spirit reinvented the world of fashion, beauty and style. With prices and quality for its flagship handbags under scrutiny, can the French couture giant reclaim the narrative?
Over the years she amassed a large collection of fine pieces, much of it gifted to her. For her clients she promoted costume jewellery to be worn in abundance with her paired back garments. N°5 would go on to become the world's bestselling fragrance and remains a bestseller today, underlining its modern and timeless appeal. The Queen wore N°5, as did Marilyn Monroe, who drew on the global fame of the perfume to tease her fans in a 1952 interview, stating that she only wore N°5 to bed. The perfume's unceasing popularity has ensured the ongoing commercial success of the House of CHANEL overall.
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Its strapless, form-fitting silhouette is made of black lace over silk, constructed over a boned foundation. The trumpet-shaped skirt flares to a triple flounce at the hem that is supported by a layered petticoat which has been heavily stiffened with a deep band of black net. Liya Kebede wore a frilled black and white ensemble on the Fall/Winter 2009 ready to wear runway. The iconic 2.55 handbag was created in 1955, and two years later the brand's iconic two-tone shoes are introduced.
After her death in 1971, Chanel’s couture house was led by a series of designers, with Karl Lagerfeld’s tenure (1983–2019) being the longest and most influential. Under their direction, the Chanel brand has remained one of the most influential and iconic. Chanel’s shrewd understanding of women’s fashion needs, her enterprising ambition, and the romantic aspects of her life—her rise from rags to riches and her sensational love affairs—continue to inspire numerous biographical books, films, and plays. Notable examples include the 1969 Broadway musical Coco, which starred Katharine Hepburn as the legendary designer, and Coco avant Chanel (2009; Coco Before Chanel), a biopic with Audrey Tautou in the title role.
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