CHANEL

Chanel… your mind is immediately drawn to the alluring aroma of the 1921 feminine fragrance that is Chanel No 5, or the explosion of the floral essence in the 1922 Chanel No 22. The brains behind these fragrances believes perfume should be worn “where you want to be kissed”, the dominant seductiveness oozing from this quote introduces the chic designer perfectly. Before these even existed, before even the beloved Little Black Dress, or even Societe des Parfums, there was 21 Rue Cambon, Paris – a small-scale hat boutique named Chanel Modes, opened by a humble-living Gabrielle Bonheur Coco Chanel in 1910. Coco Chanel, a woman of a minimalistic colour palette (the essence of elegance) detested the gaudy headwear of the time, decorated in feathers and fruits, we can only sympathise she had been compelled to live during this distasteful era. Tiresome of suffering, under Chanel Modes Coco Chanel created simple trimmed straw hats described by herself as “so neat and austere”, a characterisation timelessly associated with Chanel. Of course, a 27 year old Coco Chanel did not immediately recognise the impact her developing brand Chanel would have on the entire fashion industry, nor that in the foreseeable future Chanel would become arguably the most influential fashion brand of all time. With her admirable confidence and innovative designs, the once petite hat shop has made its definitive mark on the 21st century fashion industry.

To concentrate on solely just the exquisite hats, or delicate perfumes Chanel has created would be an insult to not only the entire brand, but to Coco Chanel herself. The pace of the success acquired by Chanel is undeniably commendable, regardless of Chanel No 5 only being created in 1921, which by this time Chanel owned two boutiques, and two couture houses (being one of the first designers to indulge in newly discovered couture fashion). Throughout the years it has been hard to place Chanel in its time; the 1913 boutique in Deaville with the innovative women’s sportswear hung on the rails inside and the queue of corset-clad women outside represents a juxtaposition. “In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different” the audacious designer stated, “I invented the sports dress for myself; not because other women played sports, but because I did”. This laudable independence is the heart of Chanel, from the tennis dresses and golf trousers, to the pantsuit and Little Black Dress, Chanel is built on feministic intentions still running through a 21st century into SS18: the durable fabric teamed with loose fitting dresses delivers a similar ready-for-anything vibe as the first Chanel pantsuit. "Fashion has become a joke. The designers have forgotten that there are women inside the dresses. Most women dress for men and want to be admired. But they must also be able to move, to get into a car without bursting their seams! Clothes must have a natural shape." Coco Chanel once said passionately, the practicality motive alone becoming an abrupt change to present restrictive western fashion.

To doubt the extent of Chanel’s imprint on today’s fashion industry is quite frankly silly; have you ever owned a ‘little’ black dress? Its simplicity teamed with the aptitude appropriateness for every occasion, a staple piece introduced to the world in the 1920s. “One is never over-dressed, or under-dressed in a Little Black Dress” Karl Lagerfeld reviewed, although finding the source to this quote deems impossible: it’s buried under thousands of blog posts and Instagram images from every fourteen-year-old fashion blogger… nevertheless the Little Black Dress has been adopted, altered, and adored by designers from its birth. To accompany the minimalistic essence of the Little Black Dress, Chanel popularised ‘costume’ jewellery: if you’ve had a Little Black Dress, you have more than likely owned extravagant necklaces that albeit the divine appearance, were affordable. Coco Chanel thought it best to “have a pile of imitation jewellery that to stick to one or two real ones” Wonderland Magazine [1] reported. Eye-catching jewellery pieces were ubiquitous in ready-to-wear FW17 collections, from Miu Miu’s dazzling earring/necklace set, to pearly beads at Simone Rocha. “My jewels represent an idea, first and foremost! I wanted to cover women with constellations” Coco Chanel once said, “its the theatrical aspect of jewellery that fascinates me” an opinion shared by 21st century designer Marc Jacobs: “I’ve always thought of accessories as the exclamation point of a woman’s outfit”.

Coco Chanel’s fearless ideas undoubtedly will forever remain timeless: “These clothes could function in the real world. And to drive that message home, one jacket even had an iPhone tucked into the breast pocket — its matte silver casing visible through the open weave. A perfect fit. The model wore fingerless gloves — the easier to text on the go” The Washington Post reported on Chanel’s FW16 collection: Coco Chanel’s legacy has a place in the fashion world’s heart forever.

[1]: https://www.wonderlandmagazine.com/2013/09/04/seven-wonders-how-coco-chanel-changed-the-course-of-womens-fashion/