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GABRIELLE

"COCO"

CHANEL

1883 - 1971

Born in a Saumur, France and nicknamed “Coco.” She started designing millinery in 1909, and in 1913 opened her house at Rue Cambon. In 916, she presented innovative, functional suits made out of jersey, a cheap material which at the time was normally used for underwear. She firmly established a new active and functional concept of elegance, adapting elements from men’s wear. Chanel, who herself was slim and had her hair cut short in a boyish style, greatly influenced fashion circles as a garçonne, the new image of an active woman after World War 1. After closing her house during World War II, she returned to fashion circles at the age of 71. “The Chanel suit,” which was a big hit worldwide in the 1960s, reestablished Chanel’s reputation and is now regarded as an icon of 20th centruy women’s clothing. After her death in 1971, Karl Lagerfeld came to the house as a chief designer and another global Chanel boom took place.

Fashion: The Collection of the Kyoto Costume Institute : a History from the 18th to the 20th Century

CAPELINE

1915 - 1920

EVENING DRESS

1925
Chanel often used modest materials and subdued colors, but, as these scalloped flounces attest, her technique retained couture's impeccable craftsmanship. She championed simple clothes that reflected a modern lifestyle and attitude. In response to Poiret's charge that her style was "poverty de luxe," Chanel replied, "simplicity does not mean poverty."

EVENING DRESS

1925

DRESS

1926
The simple silhouette of this dress belies a sophisticated design that incorporates construction details as subtle forms of embellishment. In addition to the shaped yoke and covered buttons, this technique is most evident at the dropped waistline: Chanel created the effect of a waistband by topstitching the box pleats, releasing them into soft gathers on the bodice, for a bloused effect. The precise rows of stitching evoke quilting, one of Chanel's signature motifs. She created several versions of this dress in woven and knit fabrics, using a single color for each one. The style recalls the functionality and uniformity of the attire she would have worn as a young schoolgirl, translated here into the streamlined modernism that defined much of Chanel's daywear.

EVENING DRESS

1926
Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel is often said to have "invented" the Little Black Dress. In reality, other designers, such as Premet, had already sold innumerable simple black dresses, like "La Garçonne," neatly trimmed with white lace collars, years before Chanel made a splash with her little black dress of 1925, which Vogue dubbed a "Fashion Ford." Nevertheless, Chanel was influential in popularizing this and many other quintessentially modern styles.

EVENING CAPE

1927
This ravishing evening cape by Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel exemplifies the glamour of Paris fashion between the wars, when the New Woman took center stage. The 1920s and 1930s were a golden age for women designers in Paris. Chanel was the most famous, but her rivals included Schiaparelli, Vionnet, Lanvin, and Alix (later known as Madame Grès). By contrast, the postwar period was dominated by men, such as Dior, Balenciaga, and Fath.

ENSEMBLE

1928

EVENING DRESS

1928

EVENING DRESS

1928 - 1930

GLOVES

1931

EVENING DRESS (right)

1932
For the dress on the right, Chanel alternates bands of silk charmeuse and Alençon lace, a tulle decorated with delicate needlepoint. Handmade lace has historically been one of the finest luxuries, and Alençon became a center of lace production in the late 17th century, when Louis XIV's finance minister Jean-Baptiste Colbert set up the Royal Lace Manufactory.

EVENING DRESS (left)

1932
Chanel brought a subdued refinement to couture fashion in the 1920s and 30s, as seen in this black lace evening dress on the left. The simple, leisured ease of her designs helped to democratize fashion by offering styles that could more easily be copied, enabling more women to participate in the glamour of fashion.

SUIT

1935
Fashion photographer Louise Dahl-Wolfe purportedly bought one outfit for herself in Paris each season, and this purchase appears to have been a favorite. The blouse, cuffs, and skirt were replaced over time — a subtle testament to the longevity of the style.

EVENING DRESS

1938

EVENING DRESS

1938

EVENING DRESS

1939

SKIRT SUIT

1955
In 1954, at the age of 71, Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel’s (1883–1971) presented her comeback collection, after an absence of fifteen years. She challenged the formality and complexity of the fashions of the time, and was critical of designers such as Christian Dior (1905-57). Pat Cunningham, editor of Vogue said, ‘Femininity had gone too far – you needed stage-coach luggage to pack your frocks in and ladies’ maids to fix the trimmings and petticoats. Chanel simplified clothes to meet modern needs.’

This practical, elegant suit is typical of the type of designs that propelled Chanel once again to the forefront of fashion. The top is made of a comfortable wool jersey, and the jacket is loose fitting.

The suit was worn by the 1950s model Anne Gunning Parker (later Lady Nutting).

EVENING DRESS

1957

EVENING ENSEMBLE

1957

EVENING DRESS

1958
In 1954, at the age of 71, Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel' (1883-1971) presented a comeback collection, after a retirement of fifteen years. She challenged the formality and complexity of the fashions of the time, and was critical of designers such as Christian Dior (1905-57). Pat Cunningham, editor of Vogue said, 'Femininity had gone too far - you needed stage-coach luggage to pack your frocks in and ladies' maids to fix the trimmings and petticoats. Chanel simplified clothes to meet modern needs.'

In 1957 Dior died, leaving Chanel once more the undisputed leader of fashion. In this year she won the Neiman-Marcus award for fashion, and in 1958 Vogue declared her 'more truly of today' than many designers half her age.

This dress was worn by the 1950s model, Anne Gunning Parker (later Lady Nutting).
Victoria & Albert Museum

COCKTAIL DRESS

1958

SUIT

1959
Chanel was long enamored of British menswear, adopting elements from the bespoke suits and sportswear favored by the upper class. The fabric used for this suit is a traditional Glenurquhart plaid, made fashionable by Edward XIII, Prince of Wales, with whom Chanel was acquainted in the 1930s. She meticulously matched the plaid to create a balanced design, using the large check pattern as a striking counterpoint, manipulating it as bias trim around the pockets and buttons. Chanel's refined perfectionism is further demonstrated by the coordinating blouse, which is bias-cut in front for a fitted silhouette while the back is cut on the straight grain to allow for a blouson effect, the soft shape highlighted by a bow at the waistband.

ENSEMBLE

1959

SUIT

1959
Borrowing many details from menswear, Chanel's suits were never truly masculine. This classic example from 1959, in orange, maroon, and dark green wool tweed, shares Chanel's constants of a boxy cardigan jacket, and a straight, knee-length skirt. Well-placed pockets on the front of the jacket feature "tulip" flaps, which are repeated on the cuffs and outlined in red cord and contrasting olive braid edging. The blouse, an integral part of the ensemble, is executed in deep red silk with green abstract floral pattern.

SUIT

1960
New York manufacturer Zelinka-Matlick created this licensed copy of a Chanel suit.