Handbags And Purces Articles
Chanel – Part1
By Cathy Rideg
The House of Chanel, more commonly known as Chanel, is a Parisian fashion house in France founded by Gabrielle Bonheur "Coco" Chanel born August 19, 1883.
She adopted the name Coco during a brief career as a cafe and concert singers 1905-1908. First a mistress of a wealthy military officer then of an English industrialist, she drew on the resources of these patrons in setting up a millinery shop in Paris in 1910, expanding with two men Deauville and Biarritz, which helped her find customers among women of society, and her simple hats became popular.
By the 1920s, her fashion house had expanded. Her relaxed fashions, short skirts, and casual look were in sharp contrast to the corset fashions popular in the previous decades. Chanel herself dressed in mannish clothes, and adapted these more comfortable fashions which other women also found liberating.
In 1922 Chanel introduced a perfume, Chanel No. 5, which became and remained popular, and remains a profitable product of Chanel's company even today. Pierre Wertheimer became her partner in the perfume business in 1924; Coco Chanel received 10% and her friend Bader 20%. The Wertheimer’s continue to control the perfume company today.
Coco Chanel introduced her signature "little black dress" in 1926. Most of her fashions had a staying power, and didn't change much from year to year -- or even generation to generation.
She briefly served as a nurse in World War I. In 1954 her comeback restored her to the first ranks of haute couture. Her natural, casual clothing including the Chanel suit once again caught the eye , and purses of women around the world. . She introduced pea jackets and bell bottom pants for women. She was still working in 1971 when she died on January 10, 1971.
The German Karl Lagerfeld has assumed the artistic directorship of the House of Chanel since 1984. With his media coups, personified by such super models as his fellow countrywoman Claudia Schiffer, who succeeded the French model Inès de la Fressange, he has lent a new dimension to an institution which still fills the dreams of Americans and the whole world.
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CHANEL Story - Part 2
In my previous article, I wrote a brief history about the famous Gabrielle Bobeur “Coco” Chanel born August 19, 1883.
In 1914 she opened a boutique in Deauville, France. Chanel replaced the traditional corset with comfort and casual elegance of suits and dresses. When people spoke of Coco Chanel or just the mention of her name people would talk about a pair of shoes, a hat, a suit, perfume, a little black dress, jumpers, turtle neck sweaters, jewelry an entire outfit from head to toe and even the famous trench coat. She was known for her style, it was a style that no one else had every achieved. Elite women from high societies around the world would come to The House of “Chanel.” The House of Chanel became an icon. Chanel
It was like the time that Chanel cut her hair into a bob, women everywhere started to follow the trend and cut their hair into the new style known today as The Bobbed Hair style.
After the perfume No 5, Chanel’s fashions became even more known and were purchased by high flyers of London and Paris.
The year 1935 was the peak of Chanel’s career; she employed 4,000 workers and owned numerous buildings throughout France. In 1939 Chanel retired from the clothing fashion and concentrated on selling perfume and accessories in Chanel’s boutiques. In 1954 Chanel came out of retirement and reopened the couture house, with a simple but elegant quilted shoulder strap bag. Elite women wanted to get their hands on this bag but due to manufacturing time Chanel declined numerous requests to produce this bag.
Coco Chanel passed away in 1971 and Karl Lagerfeld carries on the Chanel name and style today with a few minor changes to the fashion society. The House of Chanel is best described as having the five essentials; Audacious, Perfectionist, Unique, Passionate and Visionary.
Cathy Rideg is a freelance writer who specializes in Internet Home businesses.
