The Background of Chanel

"Fashion fades, only style remains"

The Chanel brand began in 1909 in Paris by a woman named Coco Chanel. The first popular product they created was the perfume 'Chanel No.5', which is still one of their most famous products to this day. With this perfume, Chanel cleverly marketed it by using the most famous women in the world to spread its popularity. These women included Marilyn Monroe, Jackie Kennedy and Romy Schneider. 

Chanel's perfume, and its 'Chanel suit' are timeless and are keywords that come to mind when the word 'Chanel' is mentioned. In addition to this, Chanel began expanding its range of products and began selling cosmetics in 1924 and skincare in 1929. Since then, Chanel has expanded into a huge corporation and possibly the most famous, well known high fashion houses in the world.

 

Chanel's haute couture clothes are of course, expensive, not readily available and are incredibly intricate and unique. Chanel also create ready to wear collections which are more readily available, and their prices and availability trickle down from accessories such as bags and shoes, down to perfumes and cosmetics which are the most affordable and readily available products. This means that the editorials and adverts for the products and the fashion differ, as they are reaching different audiences. Chanel is a very expensive brand which, in order to remain on top, needs to continue to be innovative, appealing and exciting.

In its past, Chanel has been a brand that has changed style for women even to this day, and we have Coco Chanel herself to thank for this. Firstly, Chanel was responsible for the normalisation of women wearing trousers. As a simple act of modesty, Chanel at the time did not realise that she was challenging a patriarchal society. Moreover, Chanel was responsible for the widespread use of jersey material, costume jewellery and the little black dress.

References/Sources

• CHESTERS, A., 2016. A Brief History of Chanel. The Guardian, 29 January
• STAFF, H.B., 2015. The History of the House of Chanel [viewed 18 February 2016]. Available from: http://www.harpersbazaar.com/fashion/designers/g3098/history-of-chanel-1213/
• TALENT, V., 2013. Seven Wonders: How Coco Chanel Changed The Course of Women’s Fashion [viewed 18 February 2016]. Available from: http://www.wonderlandmagazine.com/2013/09/seven-wonders-how-coco-chanel-changed-the-course-of-womens-fashion/