Highsnobiety

Chanel

ESTABLISHED

1909

HEADQUARTERS

Paris, France

FOUNDER

Coco Chanel

CEO

Alain Wertheimer

ABOUT

Gabrielle Chanel, better known as Coco, transformed the women’s fashion industry by bringing elegance and simple design to over-designed, opulent fashion.

Known for the iconic Little Black Dress, the Chanel Suit and of course the perfume No. 5 de Chanel, the Parisian fashion house brought function and flattery to haute couture and prêt-à-porter.

Iconic quilted handbags and unbeatable runway shows aside, the label has continued to break down barriers in fashion while still maintaining the elegance on which it was built.

WHO DESIGNED THE CHANEL LOGO?

The iconic Chanel logo was given to Chanel by the Château de Crémat. Spotted on handbags, shoes, perfume and more, the logo is made up of two interlocking C’s in opposite directions.

WHO IS THE CHANEL FOUNDER?

The House of Chanel was founded by Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel in 1909.

WHAT IS THE NET WORTH OF CHANEL?

Chanel is worth $9 billion.

WHO OWNS CHANEL?

Chanel is currently owned by Alain and Gerard Wertheimer. Their family has had business input in the fashion house since their grandfather Pierre Wertheimer struck a deal with Coco in 1924.

1910

Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel moves to Deauville and begins designing hats after pursuing a short singing career. Later she meets wealthy Englishman Arthur Edward “Boy” Capel who offers her a Parisian apartment and finances her first boutiques.

Chanel opens her first store, Chanel Modes, on 21 Rue Cambon.

1913

Chanel opens a store in Deauville.

Chanel introduces a sportswear collection made of jersey cotton. It features the now-ubiquitous Breton striped tee.

1915

Chanel opens her first couture house in Biarritz.

1918

Chanel opens her first couture house in Paris, at 31 Rue Cambon.

1921

Chanel’s first fragrance, Chanel No.5 launches.

1924

The first Chanel make-up line launches with lipsticks and face powders.

The Chanel tweed suit debuts.

1926

The Chanel Little Black Dress lands and features on the cover of Vogue. The now-iconic dress continues to inspire fashion to this day.

1931

Chanel designs for Hollywood icons like Gloria Swanson, Ina Claire and Greta Garbo on the request of Samuel Goldwyn.

1939

Now at the height of her fame, Chanel owns 5 boutiques at Rue Cambon but decides to close her boutiques throughout the Second World War. Only 31 Rue Cambon remains open selling perfume to American soldiers.

1954

Coco returns to Paris after fleeing to Switzerland during the war. Unhappy with the New Look, introduced by Dior, she brings back her signature style and her tweed suit is reintroduced with success.

Marilyn Monroe famously drops the line “five drop of Chanel No.5” when asked in an interview what she wore to bed.

1955

Fashion’s most iconic bag lands. The now quintessential Chanel 2.55 becomes the first-ever handbag with a strap.

1957

Chanel’s iconic two-toned slingback launches.

1960

Brigitte Bardot and Romy Schneider are snapped using the 2.55 bag.

1963

Jackie Kennedy wears a pink Chanel suit on the day of President Kennedy’s assassination.

1971

Coco Chanel dies at the Ritz Hotel in Paris. She works up right until her death.

1972

French model and actress Catherine Deneuve becomes the face of No.5.

1974

Cristalle eau de toilette is launched.

1978

Chanel’s first non-couture prêt-à-porter line is launched.

1981

Chanel appoints Jacques Polge as new perfumer. He creates Coco, Coco Mademoiselle, Allure and Chance to name but a few.

1983

Karl Lagerfeld is appointed chief designer.

Chanel’s first exclusive model is signed – Ines de la Fressange.

1984

A new fragrance, Coco is launched.

1987

The first Chanel watch debuts inspired by Place Vendôme and the iconic No. 5 perfume.

1991

Vanessa Paradis is the face of Coco.

1993

The Chanel fine jewelry and watch line launches.

2002

Chanel Chance fragrance launches.

Chanel opens a Madison Avenue jewelry and watch outlet.

2007

Maureen Chiquet is appointed CEO. The fashion house develops its own studio for jewelry creation.

2011

Chanel introduces the Boy bag – named after Gabrielle’s beau – Boy Capel.

2013

Chanel opens a new flagship store on London’s New Bond Street and celebrates 100 years since its first boutique opening.

2016

Nick Hochland succeeds Chiquet as CEO.

2018

Chanel bans furs and exotic skins from its collections. Chanel debuts its first-ever men’s make-up line.

2019

Chanel appoints Virgine Viard as the new Creative Director after the death of Karl Lagerfeld.

Chanel drops a collaboration with Pharrell Williams.

Chanel hires its first head of Diversity and Inclusion.

Latest Stories

  • Kendrick Lamar wears Chanel at the Chanel SS24 couture runway show

    Chanel's SS24 Couture Show Was Basically a Kendrick Lamar Show

    • Style
  • chanel manchester

    Chanel’s Manchester Show Was a Love Letter to the City

    • Style
  • Sofia Richie wears black sunglasses, a Chanel bag, and a beige sweater/sweatpants set at Pottery Barn Beverly Hills

    Can You Do Stealth Wealth at Pottery Barn? A Sofia Richie Saga

    • Style
  • An angled photograph of Chanel's crystal shield sunglasses

    Oops! Chanel Went Full Britney

    • Style
  • A model wears Chanel flip-flops on the SS24 runway

    At Fashion Week, Footwear Fell Flat — Literally

    • Style
  • Usher wears sunglasses & grey tweed Chanel outfit with pearls at Paris Fashion Week on October 3, 2023

    2023 Is Usher's Second Coming & He's Dressing the Part

    • Culture
  • Issey Miyake Bao Bao Bag

    Tactile, Textural Textiles - The Bag Edit

    • Accessories
  • Chanel

    A Long-Deserved Coco Chanel Exhibit Is Finally Coming

    • Style
  • chanel diner

    Chanel's New Diner Serves Perfume (There's Some Food, Too)

    • Beauty
  • kim kardashian wears a SKIMS bodysuit & Chanel shearling vanity bag at Drake's "It's All a Blur" tour concert

    Okay, Kim Kardashian's $5k Chanel Lunch Box Actually Is Impressive

    • Style
  • Image on Highsnobiety

    A Recipe for Sold-Out $3k Jeans: Just Add Chanel Logo

    • Style
  • Image on Highsnobiety

    Only Kendrick Lamar Can Pull Off Chanel Womenswear This Easily

    • Style
*If you submitted your e-mail address and placed an order, we may use your e-mail address to inform you regularly about similar products without prior explicit consent. You can object to the use of your e-mail address for this purpose at any time without incurring any costs other than the transmission costs according to the basic tariffs. Each newsletter contains an unsubscribe link. Alternatively, you can object to receiving the newsletter at any time by sending an e-mail to info@highsnobiety.com

Web Accessibility Statement

Titel Media GmbH (Highsnobiety), is committed to facilitating and improving the accessibility and usability of its Website, www.highsnobiety.com. Titel Media GmbH strives to ensure that its Website services and content are accessible to persons with disabilities including users of screen reader technology. To accomplish this, Titel Media GmbH tests, remediates and maintains the Website in-line with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), which also bring the Website into conformance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Disclaimer

Please be aware that our efforts to maintain accessibility and usability are ongoing. While we strive to make the Website as accessible as possible some issues can be encountered by different assistive technology as the range of assistive technology is wide and varied.

Contact Us

If, at any time, you have specific questions or concerns about the accessibility of any particular webpage on this Website, please contact us at accessibility@highsnobiety.com, +49 (0)30 235 908 500. If you do encounter an accessibility issue, please be sure to specify the web page and nature of the issue in your email and/or phone call, and we will make all reasonable efforts to make that page or the information contained therein accessible for you.