The Chanel Factor

I feel that having a love for all things fashion, I should know the stories of the classics. How the transition from newbie designer to fashion icon occurred. Not only are the stories history to the fashion industry, the stories are a gateway to inspiration. My favorite fashiontale is how Coco Chanel became to be such an inspiration for generations to come. When I think of Coco Chanel I envision the little black dress. She was one of the most innovated designers. While once upon a time women were stuck in corsets and long silhouettes. Chanel came along and traveled down a new pathway into tailored suits, two toned ballet flats, LBD, and all together timeless pieces.

How did Cocobecome Chanel? As many know Coco was first financed by her lover to start her business in Paris. In 1910 Chanel opened her first hat shop and soon ventured into clothing, all starting with the jersey dress. Chanel coined that her success in clothing came from the innovated jersey dress that she happened to wear on a cold day. Ten years later Chanel was the first fashion designer to branch into fragrance, putting her name on Chanel No.5! This was a new territory for Chanel and opened a new business for many designers to come. It went hats, jersey dress, perfume, and then came the Chanel suit. The legendary suit, collarless jacket and the fitted pencil skirt, Chanel borrowed the element of menswear and incorporated into a timeless pieces. She built comfort into a woman’s wardrobe opening possibility to women. After the timeless suit came the life altering Little Black Dress. Way back when the color black was only associated with all things sad. Chanel then turned black into a chic little dress. As of today the LBD is an essential in any women’s closet. Yes she changed the view that both women and designers had instilled into their minds on what women should wear.

Coco Chanel was different because trends didn’t matter to her. She wasn’t afraid to step outside of the comfort zone of society. Always exploring something different. Her legacy lives on as Karl Lagerfeld keeps the Chanel brand as timeless as ever! I call this the Chanel Factor!