The Iconic products that made Chanel

The history of Chanel No.5

Before Chanel No.5 bottles get ready for the EU regulating shake-up, we take a retrospective look at the world's best-selling scent

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Coco reportedly wanted "a woman's perfume with a woman's scent." The iconic bottle's diamond stopper was inspired by Paris's Place Vendome.

http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/beauty/news-features/TMG10862749/The-history-of-Chanel-No.5.html

Chanel No.5, the first fragrance by the way to ever advertise at the Super Bowl, has also pioneered powerful perfume campaigning. In 1937 Coco changed the face of fragrance advertising by using her own, choosing to be photographed as its wearer for Harper's Bazaar at the Ritz for its inaugural campaign.

Coco Chanel for No.5, its first campaign as featured in Harper's Bazaar in 1937.

The brand that first recognised celebrity endorsement, most notably in the form of Marilyn Monroe, saw Jacques Helleu, artistic director from 1965 and 2007, go on to sign Catherine Deneuve in 1968, with Suzy Parker, Candice Bergen, Lauren Hutton and later Nicole Kidman, Audrey Tautou, Brad Pitt and most recently Gisele Bundchen following in her fragrant foosteps.

Catherine Deneuve for Chanel, 1968.

| Chanel 2.55 Quilted Bag |

Karl Lagerfeld who took over Chanel in 1983 reissued the2.55 in February 2005. His version is the exactly the one designed by Coco Chanel back in 1955.

The Reissue was made in commemoration to the 50th anniversary of the original 2.55 and the name “Reissue 2.55”should apply only to those commemorative handbags.

Instead, it’s commonly used now as a name for all the handbags resembling the original 2.55. As for those with CC interlocking, they’re called Classic Flaps.

Many legends circulate on the subject of the Chanel 2.55, sifting through them and discerning which is which can be both fun and disconcerting: they say that Coco Chanel wanted to ease the high society’s ladies life by freeing their hands with shoulder hanged bags. It’s said that although common for the working class, the luxury circles dames had to carry their bags in their hands and not practically hanging from their shoulders. Carrying a bag can be a difficult task when you’re joggling champagne glasses, theater fliers and tasty canapés.

Coco Chanel and her legendary Chanel 2.55 bag

Chained straps were added to the Chanel bag in question, with interwoven leather as the legend goes that Coco didn’t have too many resources on her hands at the time. Her childhood convent memories were braided with the design inspiration from ailleurs as the now-iconic quilted upper of the handbag is reminiscent of the jockeys jacket (Coco was a big fan of horse racings).

different chain straps of the Chanel 2.55 bag

The iconic status of the Chanel 2.55 bag is also visible from the price tag. Over the last 5 years, the prices have doubled and they’re subject to bi-annual increases. The label above should give you a hint about the cost of a legend.

price tag of the Chanel 2.55

Faux pearls

In 1924 Chanel launched her first line of costume jewellery. Her collection was described by Harper’s Bazzar as ‘one of the most revolutionary designs of our time’.

The most recognizable pieces are the pearl necklaces, sometimes interspersed with other glass or crystal beads, which remain a timeless classic.

1924 Creation of the first make-up Line and Tweed

Chanel presents its first make-up collection, featuring lip colours and face powders. In the same year, the "Societe des parfums Chanel" is founded and is dedicated to creating unique fragrances and beauty products. In 1924 on her frequent trips to Scotland with the Duke of Westminister, Gabrielle Chanel discovers tweed, a traditionally masculine fabric which inspires her iconic women's suit. 

Her use of the now legendary fabric was not only inspired by menswear, but by a man—and a Duke no less. After borrowing sportswear from her beau, the Duke of Westminster, Chanel realized the comfortable, supple fabric had a sophisticated quality that would lend itself well to her designs. Beginning in 1924, Chanel enlisted a Scottish factory to produce her iconic tweed fabrics for everything from sportswear to suits and coats. She'd choose colors she was inspired by from the Scottish countryside, bringing back leaves and bits of earth to her manufacturers.

The tweed trend spread like wildfire, with a magazine image of actress Ina Claire clad in a brown tweed Chanel dress igniting the spark. The look quickly became popular throughout couture houses in Paris.

Mademoiselle Chanel switched factories in the '30s to northern France and began combining her classic tweeds with wools, silks, cottons, and even cellophane to give them a more high fashion (and lighter weight) style.

Today, tweed remains a strong part of the Chanel story and is made in the House of Lesage out of Paris. Since Karl Lagerfeld has been at the helm of the fashion house, he's continued to reimagine the traditional fabric, and we believe Mademoiselle Chanel wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

http://www.elle.com/fashion/news/a15402/the-story-of-chanels-tweed/

"The tweed is made by weaving the warp and weft, using a variety of different kinds of threads which creates a unique and somewhat irregular appearance. The warp – vertically strung – is the background of the fabric, the base that will support the assembly of materials. There can be up to 12 different threads used for a single warp. The weft – woven horizontally – gives the fabric its unique character and can have an unlimited number of threads. Tight, perforated, textured, thick, with a relief, plaited, random, twill… the potential number of effects is endless," the house says.

| CHANEL |

"Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance."Picture: A model wearing a Chanel evening dress in 1935

"It is always better to be slightly underdressed."
Picture: A model wearing a Chanel suit in the 1930s

"Dress shabbily and they remember the dress;
 dress impeccably and they remember the woman."
Picture: Models wearing Chanel suits in the 1950s

"In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different."
Picture: Coco in the 1960s
Top 4 aboves photos from http://www.stylist.co.uk/people/coco-chanel-in-her-own-words#

http://inside.chanel.com/en/timeline/1924_makeup

http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/beauty/news-features/TMG10862749/The-history-of-Chanel-No.5.html

http://stylefrizz.com/200712/short-history-of-the-famous-chanel-255-bag/
http://www.elle.com/fashion/news/a15402/the-story-of-chanels-tweed