Perfume, pearls, and faultless fashion. Words we often associate with the glittering designer brand, Chanel. The iconic label has seemed to be around for centuries. Having originated in Paris, it is one of the most long lasting brands of all time. Since it’s mostly correlated with the higher class, for some, the name Chanel is only seen in high-end magazines and by their favorite influencer. But how did it come to be the brand it is today…?

 It began on August 19th, 1883, when Gabrielle Chanel was born in Saumur, France. Throughout her life, she gained the nickname “Coco”, which is later known to be the name of a line of perfume and her overall brand.

Photo used From the Chanel Official Website

In 1910, Gabrielle opened her first ever store. It was an immediate success, and she mostly sold small things, like hats, to famous actresses of that time. Later on, she opened a boutique that sold a range of apparel. She had made a revolutionary discovery that women’s athletic wear could be made out of men’s underwear. This changed how women looked at clothing in France.

From there Gabrielle’s shop took off, and became increasingly frequented by many famous actresses. This included actors such as Marilyn Monroe. 

As well as making a revolutionary change to clothing, some of Gabreille’s most iconic lines make some of the most anarchistic forms of change in the fashion world today.  The famous “Chanel No. 5” was released as a perfume in 1922, and was later released as a makeup line in 2021. To continue, Chanel released the first ever tweed set in 1925, creating a bombshell in Paris fashion. Chanel is the baseline of successful women, and still represents strong business women and hardworking perseverance. In her own words, “Fashion changes, but style endures.”