Interesting things about perfumes. What do famous brand logos mean? History of the Chanel brand Chanel stores around the world

22.10.2023

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Logos of leading fashion brands are a favorite toy of all kinds of experimenters who themselves have not yet “grown up” to the level of brands, but consider themselves very creative designers and dream of global fame. Lettering like "Prada" and "Hermes" can be found on gun stocks, car hoods, carpentry tools and bags of candy.

The fashion for unconventional interpretations of iconic logos arose back in the nineties of the 20th century and sometimes took rather eccentric forms. Thus, in 2007, Englishwoman Laura Kibley installed “tombstones” for the brands Chanel, Nike and McDonald’s in one of the cemeteries in Essex. By what principle she selected logos to realize her artistic vision and what she wanted to say with this action, no one really understood. But millions of fashionistas on the planet know well what style and concept is behind this or that logo.

The logo of the famous Italian brand specializing in fur, perfume and luxury goods was created by Karl Lagerfeld in 1965. He placed two letters F in a mirror image, and turned one of them upside down. The logo symbolizes the strong family and business union of Eduardo and Adele Fendi, who founded the brand. It is often called a jigsaw puzzle and is found on buckles, bags, glasses or clothing in prints.

The Chanel logo is designed on the same principle as Fendi's, only the semicircles of the two letters C are intertwined like wedding rings. It first appeared on the packaging of Chanel No. 5 perfume in 1925, and subsequently the icon was placed on all other fashionable “things” from Mademoiselle Coco. The official version says that her initials are immortalized in the logo - Coco Chanel. And mockingbirds are attributed to the Russian artist Mikhail Vrubel, who back in 1886 depicted two crossed horseshoes - a sign of undoubted success and good luck. Be that as it may, Chanel clearly made the right decision with the choice of logo.

Since 1978, all collections of the Italian designer Gianni Versace began to come out with a signature badge - the head of the Gorgon Medusa. The maestro interpreted his choice as follows: in ancient culture, the jellyfish symbolizes beauty and fatal charms; it was capable of hypnotizing and paralyzing. The hypnosis of Versace clothing never needed comment, and the sign has turned into one of the most recognizable.

Givenchy

Another type of inverted letter logo is the emblem of the house of Givenchy: it combines four letters G. Even the cliche “Givenchy code” has appeared. Some researchers argued that the arrangement of the letters of the attractive rebus corresponds to the ancient rules of harmony and carries a hidden meaning. Singapore Airlines once decorated all service accessories in first class with the Givenchy logo: blankets, bed linen, dishes, and so on. The caustic comments of journalists on this matter did not subside for a very long time.

Calvin Klein

Calvin Klein began using the first letters of his first and last names as the brand logo in the early seventies of the 20th century. By that time, his clothes had conquered fashion catwalks and world markets, but they clearly lacked recognition. And the designer marked the back pockets of jeans from the next collection with a logo of the letters C and K. Currently, by the color of the Calvin Klein logo, you can easily navigate the classes of clothing it produces. The black logo is associated with the highest level, the gray one with regular clothing lines, and the white one is used for sports series.

Burberry

A knight in armor galloping on a horse recalls the ancient traditions of the county of Hampshire, where Thomas Burberry opened a store selling ready-made products back in 1856 and developed a technology for making waterproof material - gabardine. At first, he sewed clothes for the army, and then for the mass consumer. In 1901, Burberry received an incredibly large order and decided to choose a swift horseman as a trademark. Its flag bears the inscription “Prorsum,” which means “to go forward.” One of the traditional collections is still sold under the name Burberry Prorsum.

Svetlana Usankova

(“little black dress”).

According to Forbes magazine, the Chanel brand is now jointly owned by Alain and Gerard Wertheimer, who are the great-grandsons of Chanel's early (1924) partner Pierre Wertheimer.

Brand history: The era of Coco Chanel

Coco Chanel, née Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel, was born in 1883 in the town of Saumur in the center of France. From 1985 to 1900, the girl lived in an orphanage, where her father gave her after the death of her mother. Then, until 1902, Gabrielle was raised by nuns, who taught her to sew. Subsequently she worked in the Au Sans Pareil hosiery store in Moulins.

During her singing career, Gabrielle met the influential French aristocrat Etienne Balzan. It was he who helped Coco open her first store.

1909-1920: Start of activity and first recognition

In 1909, Gabrielle Chanel opened a small store in the apartment of Etienne Balzan, which became the initial step towards one of the world's greatest fashion empires. Meeting place for the most honorable representatives

the French elite, hunters for new novels, mistresses and husbands - Balzan's apartment became the ideal place to introduce into high society a new fashion for clothes that Chanel made in her small atelier. Then The first thing that brought Coco popularity and success was neat hats. They were radically different from the heavily feathered designs that the couturier ridiculed when she created casual, minimalistic headwear for women.

At the same time, Chanel began a relationship with the Englishman Arthur Capel, a member of the Balzan men's club. He saw Coco as a promising entrepreneur, and in 1910 he helped purchase space in a house on Rue Cambon in Paris. However, this house was already a clothing store, so Chanel was not allowed to locate a dress production atelier there. Soon, at this place, Coco opened her first store, specializing in the sale of hats.

In 1913, Chanel boutiques opened in the French cities of Deauville and Biarritz. In both stores, the designer presented her first collection of sportswear for women.

Coco simply hated the style of those ladies who came to resort towns and dressed up in things that she thought were ridiculous and uncomfortable. That's why Chanel wardrobe designs were simple and devoid of excessive luxury.

During World War II, another Chanel store opened on Rue Cambon in Paris. It was located right in front of the Ritz Hotel. They sold flannel, straight, jackets, long jersey sweaters and blouses.

Coco bought jersey fabric, first of all, because of its cheapness, because in the first years of her design career, the milliner’s financial situation was extremely unstable. However, the soft material, used primarily for lining garments, was perfect for Chanel's simple styles.

In 1915, Chanel's fame spread throughout France. Her clothes, due to their brevity and practicality, became incredibly popular among women. In 1915 and 1917, the magazine noted that Chanel was on every woman's shopping list. The designer's boutique on Rue Cambon at that time offered ladies simple everyday ensembles "+" and black evening dresses embroidered or decorated with tulle.

By the 1920s, Chanel had already gained a reputation as an extremely picky and uncompromising couturier. Following the trends of her time, she designed a dress embroidered with beads. Also, the two- or three-piece ensemble she proposed became a model of female style and still is. It was introduced as a "form for the afternoon and evening" back in 1915.

Chanel No. 5: creating a legendary fragrance

In 1921, Coco Chanel introduced the first women's perfume - Chanel No. 5 perfume. The history of the creation of this perfume is closely connected with the relationship between Coco and the Grand Russian Duke Dmitry Pavlovich Romanov.

Chanel and the prince met in Biarritz in 1920 and spent the entire next year together. It was then that Dmitry Pavlovich introduced his passion to the perfumer of the Romanov family - Ernest Bo, who, at the request of the milliner, helped her create her own perfume. According to Coco's idea, the scent was supposed to completely embody the smell of a woman. In addition, she wanted the composition to include a larger number of different essences, and not just one or two, as in the perfumes of those times.

Ernest Bo worked on the perfume for many months, mixing many components. At one of his meetings with Coco, he showed her several versions of the fragrances he had created. Chanel chose the fifth bottle, and, in addition, Chanel’s favorite number was also 5. The designer decided to focus on this mixture of essences and named her first perfume Chanel No. 5.

The composition of the fragrance consisted of 80 ingredients, including ylang-ylang from the Comoros, orange blossom, jasmine from the fields of Grasse, May rose, sandalwood, Bourbon vetiver and aldehydes - artificial components, the concentration of which in Chanel perfume was a record for those years. According to legend, when creating the fragrance, Bo accidentally exceeded the dose of aldehydes in the fragrance, but that is why Chanel liked the smell so much. And the couturier was not mistaken in her choice, because the perfume became a hit. In addition, Chanel No. 5 to this day is a timeless classic, a standard of elegance and one of the most exquisite women's fragrances according to perfumers.

Chanel No. 5 toilet perfume, based on the original one, was created in 1986 by the Fashion House perfumer Jacques Polge.

Mid to late 1920s

The founder of the successful French department stores Galeries Lafayette introduced Coco Chanel to her future companion Pierre Wertheimer. Bader himself was already a business partner of Chanel and owned 20% of the Chanel perfume label. Wertheimer became the owner of 70% of the enterprise, while Coco herself retained a modest 10%.

Coco was forced to run her fashion business separately from her perfume business.

In 1924, Chanel introduced her first line of jewelry, consisting of two pairs of pearl earrings: black and white. In addition to her success in Haute Couture clothing, Coco has expanded the business and made the brand more diverse and its own legend more expansive and multifaceted.

In 1925, the Chanel brand introduced women's clothing, and in 1926, the little black dress and tweed, inspired by trips to Scotland. Soon Chanel opened her own near the Louvre.

Following the success of Chanel's perfume line, Coco was increasingly unhappy with the fact that she only had 10 percent of the profits from her own brand of perfume. Because of this, her relationships with her partners deteriorated significantly.

In an attempt to increase her share of the profits, Chanel hired a lawyer to renegotiate the terms of the partnership with Wertheimer, but the process ultimately came to nothing.

Chanel in the 1930s-1950s

In 1932, the premiere of a Chanel jewelry exhibition dedicated to diamonds took place. Some of the necklaces that were presented there were again presented to the public in 1993. Among them are the famous “Comet” and “Fountain” necklaces.

With the advent of the 30s, evening dresses from Chanel acquired a more feminine style and became longer. Dresses from the summer collections featured bright contrasting colors, and the couturier used crystal and silver straps as decoration. In 1937, Chanel first developed a line of clothing for petite women.

In 1940, when France fell under the control of Nazi Germany, Chanel's partner Pierre Wertheimer fled with his family to the United States. This allowed Coco to take full control of the brand's perfume production. At this time, the famous scandal occurred with the couturier, caused by her relationship with the Nazi officer Hans Gunther von Dinklage. Chanel was accused of collaborating with the Nazis, and immediately after the liberation of France she was taken into custody. Winston Churchill played an important role in the release of Coco from custody. However, these events left a heavy imprint on the personality and reputation of the designer, which forced Chanel to flee to Switzerland at the end of World War II.

After the war, Pierre Wertheimer returned to Paris and, naturally, intended to regain control of the holdings belonging to his family. To spite him, Coco Chanel created her own collection of perfumes and launched them on sale. Wertheimer decided to resolve the conflict without legal proceedings. He settled with Coco, paying her $400,000, a 2 percent royalty, and giving her limited rights to sell her own perfume in Switzerland. Having concluded an agreement, Chanel stopped creating perfumes and sold her partner the full right to produce them under the name Chanel, for which she began to receive a monthly stipend from Wertheimer. With this scholarship, Coco and her German beau could support themselves.

Return of Chanel: 1950-1970s

Chanel returned to Paris in 1953. Then his feminine style already ruled the fashionable ball. Coco had to admit that fashion and the fashion market had changed, and she had to adapt to this evolution. Chanel needed to return to the big stage and remind itself in such areas as Haute Couture, Pret-a-Porter, jewelry and perfumes.

The couturier swallowed her pride and turned for help to her old partner Pierre Wertheimer, who could provide legal and financial support for Coco herself and her brand. At that time, he was busy trying to get all the rights to produce products under the name Chanel. However, having decided to resume cooperation with Chanel, Wertheimer made the right decision. The revived union again paid off with a whole list of benefits: the label regained its title as one of the most prestigious on the fashion market, the unconditional style of Chanel was received with a bang.

In addition, in 1953, Coco collaborated with Robert Goossens, a renowned jeweler of the time who developed an explosive line of jewelry reflecting Chanel's iconic style. The production of signature tweed suits, consisting of a jacket and decorated with threads of black and white pearls, was also resumed.

In February 1955, Chanel quilted leather bags with gold or silver colored metal chains were introduced. The date of their release - 2/55 - became the internal name of the line, which became legendary. Like the brand's tweed suits, these bags still haven't gone out of fashion.

Throughout the fifties of the twentieth century, Coco Chanel's excellent taste continued to pave the way for her to success and worldwide recognition in the fashion field. Another breakthrough was Chanel's first men's fragrance, Pour Monsieur. It was also released under the name "A Gentleman's Cologne" ("Gentleman's Scent") and became number one among all men's fragrances.

Chanel's spring 1957 collection received a "fashion Oscar" at the Fashion Awards in Dallas. Meanwhile, Wertheimer bought Bader's 20% stake in Chanel perfumes, raising his family's total shareholding to 90%. In 1965, Pierre Wertheimer's son, Jacques, began managing this share.

Death of a legend: Chanel after Coco

On January 10, 1971, Gabrielle Coco Chanel died at the age of 87. Until her death, she continued to develop her own brand collections and collaborate with other companies. For example, from 1966 to 1969, the couturier designed uniforms for flight attendants of one of the most luxurious and prestigious Greek airlines - Olympic Airways. Before Chanel, only such an honor was awarded.

After Coco's death, Yvonne Dudel, Jean Cazubon and Philippe Guibourg were appointed directors of Chanel. After some time, the entire Fashion House was bought by Jacques Wertheimer. However, critics stated that during the entire time he was running the label, he never paid enough attention to him, as he was more passionate about horse breeding.

In 1978, the Chanel brand released Cristalle eau de toilette, created during Coco’s lifetime. The same year was marked by the launch of a ready-to-wear line and the distribution of Chanel accessories throughout the world.

Chanel under Karl Lagerfeld

In the 1980s, more than 40 brand boutiques were opened around the world. By the end of the decade, these boutiques sold luxury items such as $200-an-ounce perfume, $225 ballet flats, $11,000 dresses, and $2,000 leather bags. The rights to Chanel perfume belonged only to the brand itself and were not shared with other distributors.

In 1983, a German designer was appointed to the position of chief designer of the Chanel Fashion House. He became responsible for the design of all collections, while other designers were charged with preserving the classic style of the House and maintaining its legend. Lagerfeld modified the brand's style, moving away from the old Chanel lines to new short strokes and exciting designs.

The release of the new Coco fragrance from Chanel in 1984, named after the founder of the Fashion House, supported the brand's success in the perfume market. Chanel marketers say:

“We release new fragrances every 10 years, and not every three minutes, as other manufacturers do. We do not mislead customers or confuse them by presenting them with a choice. They know what to expect from Chanel. That’s why they come back to us again and again, at any age.”

In 1987, the House of Chanel presented the first “Premiere”.

At the end of the decade, the company's offices moved to New York.

1990s

In the 90s, the company became a leader in fragrance production and marketing. Huge investments have significantly increased income. The success brought the Wertheimer family about $5 billion in profits. The brand's product lines, such as watches (which cost an average of $7,000 per piece), high-end shoes, jewelry, and cosmetics, were significantly expanded.

In 1996, the women's fragrance Chanel Allure was released, as a result of the success of which in 1998 the brand presented its men's version - Allure Homme. Even greater success awaited the company after the purchase of Eres, a swimwear and beach fashion label. In 1999, a skin care line was launchedChanel, and then the first clothes are presented. In the same year, under a licensing agreement with Luxottica, the brand introduced a line of Chanel frames.

Chanel from the 2000s to the present day

During these years, Alain Wertheimer was the chairman of Chanel. The executive director and president of the Fashion House was Françoise Montaigne.

In 2000, the first from Chanel - J12 - were launched.

In 2001, the brand presented a small line of men's clothing, which became part of one of the shows and was sold in the brand's flagship boutiques.

In 2002, the Chance fragrance was released. The House of Chanel also founded the Pataffection company, which included five diversified ateliers:

Desrue, which produces jewelry;
Lemarie, working with feathers and camellias;
Lesage, who did embroidery;
Massaro, shoe studio;
Michel, which makes ladies' hats.

The Pret-a-Porter collections were developed by the main designer of the House, Karl Lagerfeld. They are traditionally presented every December.

In 2002, Chanel continued to increase its sales in the United States. Thus, by December, there were already 25 brand boutiques operating in the United States. In the same year, a rumor was spread about a possible merger between Chanel and one of the largest manufacturers of luxury goods -. These data gave rise to a lot of anxiety, because such a merger could give birth to the largest holding company - a rival to the most famous one. Perhaps this is why the merger was never destined to take place.

To meet the wishes of younger buyers, in 2003, Chanel presented the Coco Mademoiselle fragrance and the B-C Wear line of youth clothing. In the same year, Chanel Haute Couture experienced such a surge in popularity that the brand opened a second boutique on rue Cambon in Paris. Wanting to be present in the Asian market, Chanel is opening a 2,400 square meter boutique in Hong Kong and is also building a $50 million boutique in Japan, in the Ginza district of Tokyo.

Influence on world fashion

Coco Chanel revolutionized the fashion world by introducing loose suits and long straight dresses to replace traditional corsets. The couturier introduced many elements of classic men's fashion into women's clothing. Her simple lines led to the popularity of a boyish female body type, and the rejection of excessive luxury in costume. Clothing from Coco Chanel also gave women more comfort in everyday life, allowing them to be more active.

Coco made jersey fashion fashionable, and her signature tweed suits became a symbol of 20s fashion and timeless classics in women's wardrobes.

Some of Chanel's iconic luxury items also include quilted chain bags, boxy jackets and pearl necklaces.

Chanel logo and fakes

The Chanel logo consists of two intertwined letters “C”, one of which is depicted in its original form, and the other is its mirror image. This logo was first introduced in 1925 on a bottle of Chanel No. 5 fragrance. Many believe that its prototype was the symbol of good luck depicted by Vrubel. According to another version, two letters “C” are the initials of Coco Chanel.

The company is currently fighting the illegal use of its logo on counterfeit products. According to Chanel representatives, the largest number of fake handbags are produced in China and Vietnam. Since 1990, all authentic Chanel bags have been serialized.

Chanel stores around the world

Today, there are about 310 Chanel brand boutiques in the world: 94 of them are in Asia, 70 are located in Europe, 10 in the Middle East, 128 in North America, 2 in South America, 6 in Oceania.

Chanel stores can be located in prestigious areas and shopping centers, departments of large department stores, and airport buildings.

Official site: www.chanel.com

Every time you look at another fashionable handbag, you realize that many people buy them not only because of their beautiful design, but sometimes only because they display such a recognizable brand sign. Most owners of fashionable things sometimes don’t really think about whether they like the item or not, the main thing is that it shows everyone that its owner bought herself an expensive accessory and follows fashion.

But what do the logos of famous brands mean? After all, these are not just beautifully engraved letters on gold jewelry. Each of them was once created by someone, and even more so, for a reason.

Let's start with the most recognizable - Chanel. As you know, the logo of this fashion house is two intertwined letters “C”. In fact, they represent the initials of Coco Chanel, who once created the most successful and prosperous clothing brand. She drew this sign herself in preparation for opening her first store.

But there is also another version in the world. Some people say that this symbol represents just two horseshoes. And they are known to bring happiness and success.

The Louis Vuitton brand is known for producing high-quality bags for many years in a row. And we must admit that their fakes began to appear in those years when Louis Vuitton himself was alive. He, as the founder of the brand, was very worried about this, and therefore in 1876 he decided to create his own logo - two letters LV on a brown background. At that time, this sign was a guarantee that the suitcase was real and not fake.
But now this has not been the case for a long time.

More can be said about the Versace logo. If you take a good look at it, it becomes clear that the woman depicted above its name is none other than the Gorgon Medusa herself (a scary symbol, of course). It began to be used in 1978, and the house's chief designer said that it symbolizes such a strong charm of all the things he produces that everyone who looks at them simply freezes in silent amazement.

And the Givenchy sign is generally shrouded in mystery. On the one hand, it is quite clear - these are four letters G, the arrangement of which resembles a clover leaf. But on the other hand, there is an opinion that only the one who created it knows the true meaning of this logo. After all, a similar symbol was used in Ancient Greece and there it was regarded as a sign of harmony.

Another fairly well-known sign using letters. There are two letters F, one of which is upside down. The interesting thing is that its creator was Karl Lagerfeld in 1965. With this symbol, he wanted to show that the creators and owners of the brand, the large Fendi family, are united not only by business relations, but also by strong family ties.

In addition to letters, you can often see other images on logos. Eg:

Almost everyone is familiar with Lacoste polo shirts. History does not hide the fact that the creator of this fashion empire was the famous tennis player Jean Rene Lacoste. He was famous for the fact that he often won and during the game did not leave his opponents a single chance to win. And then one day, he bet with his friend that if he won the next game, he would give him a suitcase made of crocodile skin. In the end, he got what he wanted. After this incident, another of his acquaintances, Robert George, drew an entertaining picture with an alligator, wanting to show his friend’s temper. The latter did not offend Lacoste at all, but, on the contrary, became a symbol of his brand.

Burberry is a brand that is considered truly English. Each of her items has hints of English style. Its emblem is a rider on a horse holding a flag with the inscription “Prorsum” in one hand and a long spear in the other. Translated from Latin, the strange word means “moving forward” (the company always manages to follow the latest fashion trends and is constantly developing), and the spear symbolizes the fact that the designers of this brand always adhere to their traditions (this is true, no matter how things from Burberry change , they never lose their style).

The Hermes fashion house is known all over the world as a manufacturer of expensive and high-quality clothing. However, if you take a closer look at its symbol - the inscription on top of which is depicted a horse in a harness - you may be surprised, not understanding what one thing has to do with the other. Indeed, at first glance it is difficult to understand the motives of the person who came up with such a logo. But anyone who knows the entire history of the brand will quickly understand what's going on here. After all, the first product that this brand began to produce were bridles and saddles for horses. Having captured such a picture for centuries, the founders of the company thus wanted all their followers to forever remember where they started their business and where they ended up.

Each famous brand has its own emblem by which it is recognized. Usually this logo is small and simple, but some are elaborate and mysterious. The history of the appearance of such specific logos of several of the world's most influential fashion houses is in this article.

Old and respected brand. Their logo - a tiny green alligator - is known to everyone who likes fashion. In 1927, during the Davis Cup, the American press nicknamed Lacoste "the alligator" because of a dispute in which the winner of the tournament would receive a suitcase made of alligator skin. In France, Lacoste's nickname was changed to "crocodile" and stuck with him due to his persistent and tenacious behavior on the court, where Lacoste never forgave the mistakes of his opponents. Robert George, a friend of Lacoste, drew a crocodile for him, which was subsequently embroidered on the blazer in which the athlete competed, and then became established as the logo for all things produced by the company.

Fendi

In 1925, the brand appeared as the name of a married couple who opened their first store. And only in 1952, the Fendi family decided to invite a professional designer, the German Karl Lagerfeld, who laid the foundation for the brand, making it what we see it now. The designer also developed a memorable logo, which is still used today. The double “F” apparently symbolizes the Fendi couple.

The famous Chanel logo was first shown to the fashion world in 1925 on the Chanel No. 5 bottle. There are several versions about the origin of the drawing. One story says that two crossed horseshoes are a symbol of success and good luck. However, most fashion historians are inclined to believe that the emblem is the initials of Coco Chanel, the founder of the French design house.

November 19, 1942 is the date of birth of the famous designer. Having started his atelier with the production of men's outerwear, Klein gradually moved on to designing clothes for women. In the 1970s, the designer adapted the classic men's suit for women's fashion. In 1970, he introduced the PeaCoat, a double-breasted short coat with wide lapels. This model not only became a hit of the season, but also determined the fashion of women's outerwear for almost a whole decade. The company logo - CK is easy to remember and gives a connection to the brand. A dark colored logo is used on Haute Couture clothing, a gray logo is used for regular clothing items, while a white logo is used for sportswear.

Hermé is a French design corporation that is directly associated with impeccable taste and first-class style. Designer Erme's logo depicts
a horse with a carriage, which is very symbolic for the brand - the history of the company began in 1837, when Thierry Hermes founded a private company producing harness for horses. Hermes is the surname of the founder. The next five generations of this family constantly expanded production, creating a real Hermes empire. At the beginning of the twentieth century, Hermes production expanded to include leather goods and luggage bags. At the same time, a unique technology for processing leather products with a special “saddle” seam was used. This is how the Hermès style was born.

The company's success began with the invention of a waterproof material - gabardine - and its use in raincoats and long waterproof coats for soldiers. In 1901, Burberry already had a large order for these clothes. He marked the order with his new emblem - a horseman in armor and a spear in his hand was registered as a trademark of the brand. The knight's costume was a copy of the original. The Latin word "Prorsum", used in heraldry as a motto meaning "Forward", reflects the company's desire for progressive innovation, and the spear is a symbol of the defense of tradition.

The Versace logo is symbolically linked to Greek mythology. The head of the Gorgon Medusa, according to the couturier’s idea, symbolizes the fact that he turns viewers into stone with his collections. The designer's logo was invented in 1978 by Gianni Versace himself, who was obsessed with classic themes. So, the jellyfish was the best option for him, since it was she who he considered “the embodiment of fatal attractiveness.”

Chanel (Chanel) is a world of femininity, sophistication and harmony, in which the woman is above all. The Chanel brand surprises and seduces; it takes women into the world of perfection, luxury and beauty.

History of the Chanel brand

Chanel is the most famous brand in the fashion world. Chanel is a symbol of style and elegance. The success story of this brand is closely connected with the legendary founder of the company - Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel (Coco Chanel).

The Great Mademoiselle - Coco Chanel

Gabrielle Chanel was born on August 19, 1883 in the city of Saumur (France). Her father Albert Chanel was a fair trader, and her mother Jeanne Devol was a peasant woman. When Gabrielle was twelve years old, her mother died and her father took the girl to a Catholic orphanage in Aubazine. At the age of 18, Gabriel goes to work in a clothing store in the city of Moulins, and in his free time he works part-time in a cabaret - he sings. The girl had two favorite songs: “Qui qu”a vu Coco” and “Ko Ko Ri Ko”, hence Coco Chanel.

Gabrielle always had many fans, they had a great influence on the future of Chanel. Thanks to Etienne Balzan, she ended up in Paris. And in 1910, with the money of the Englishman Arthur Capel, she opened her first hat shop in Paris. This is exactly how the story of the most successful and legendary brand, whose name is Chanel, began.

Chanel products were in great demand among fashionistas of that time. Chanel's popularity grew, so in 1913 she opened a boutique in Deauville, in 1915 in Biarritz, and then the "House of Fashion" at 31 rue Cambon in Paris.

In 1924, Coco Chanel opened Parfums Chanel with Pierre Wertheimer.

The emblem of the Chanel brand is the intertwining letters "C" - a logo recognizable by millions. There are two versions of the appearance of the logo. The first version says that intertwined horseshoes are a symbol of success, which is why they became the Chanel logo. The second version says that Mikhail Vrubel in 1886 depicted two horseshoes that intertwined with each other; Coco Chanel noticed this and made them a symbol of her “Fashion House”.

Trends from Chanel

1921 - the first perfume from Chanel, the legendary Chanel No. 5. The creator of the fragrance is Ernest Bo. This fragrance became a revolution in the art of perfumery and gained incredible popularity in the world.

1922 - a new fragrance from Chanel - Chanel No. 22.

1923 - a tweed suit made of a narrow skirt and a fitted jacket, Coco Chanel presented at the salon on Rue Cambon, but then it was not accepted by the fashion world. It was only in 1954 that the tweed suit experienced its rebirth. He became the embodiment of elegance and luxury.

1926 - Coco Chanel creates the little black dress, which forever “settled” in the wardrobe of any self-respecting woman.

1931 - Coco Chanel goes to Hollywood, where she works on the style of Samuel Goldwyn.

1939 - the beginning of World War II. Coco Chanel closes the Fashion House and leaves Paris for 14 years.

1954 - 71-year-old Coco Chanel opens the Fashion House

1955 - the iconic 2.55 handbag was released. This is a small rectangular quilted handbag on a long chain.

1957 - such a fashion trend as two-tone shoes appeared. The combination of black and beige has become the most successful and is considered a classic.

January 10, 1971 - Coco Chanel died at the Ritz Hotel of a heart attack. She was buried in Lausanne, Switzerland (according to the will).

1983 - Karl Otto Lagerfeld became Chanel's chief designer. He not only preserved Coco Chanel's style, but also enriched it.

The Chanel brand is the favorite brand of many famous and respected people; at one time it was preferred by Jacqueline Kennedy, Elizabeth Taylor, Grace Kelly, Jane Fonda, Carole Bouquet, Celine Dion and others.

The Chanel logo is designed on the same principle as Fendi, only the semicircles of the two letters C are intertwined like wedding rings. It first appeared on the packaging of Chanel No. 5 perfume in 1925, and subsequently the icon was placed on all other fashionable “things” from Mademoiselle Coco. The official version says that her initials are immortalized in the logo - Coco Chanel. And mockingbirds are attributed to the Russian artist Mikhail Vrubel, who back in 1886 depicted two crossed horseshoes - a sign of undoubted success and good luck. Be that as it may, Chanel clearly made the right decision with the choice of logo.

Givenchy

Calvin Klein

Burberry

Svetlana Usankova

It is a well-known fact that Coco Chanel was very superstitious. She believed in numerology, astrology, signs, dreams.

Perhaps this is simply due to the fact that the little French girl Gabrielle, who was deprived of her family and mother’s love in childhood and given by her father to a monastery orphanage, subconsciously sought protection and patronage in something invisible, inexplicable and mysterious.

Until the end of her days, Chanel believed (and constantly talked about it) that she owed her success not only to her talent and hard work, but also to the patronage of higher powers and “her majesty” Lady Luck.

Mademoiselle Gabrielle was a girl who was both very superstitious and very ambitious. She loved to intrigue and create an aura around herself that was mysterious, but at the same time scandalous. She herself started rumors about her alleged affairs with influential people, and then mysteriously remained silent and did not refute anything, thereby adding even more fuel to the fire. She liked to feel like a conqueror of men's hearts, and at the same time she was very flattered by such a reputation in the world.

It is also known that Chanel liked to lie about her age. And it is not a fact that Chanel’s date of birth, which is considered official, is actually correct. It’s difficult to say now what was behind it all. Perhaps it’s just Gabrielle’s ambitions and her spirited, adventurous nature. Or maybe her serious and sincere passion for esotericism really had an impact (and esoteric practitioners tend to change names and dates of birth - thereby introducing confusion into the thoughts of evil forces and becoming invulnerable to these forces).

Chanel and her No. 5

So, our mademoiselle was seriously interested in mysticism. She was especially attracted by the world of numerology - numbers made the strongest impression on Chanel. She believed all the signs in her life that were somehow connected with numbers. Coco considered five to be her happiest and most significant number. It was the number 5 that became her talisman, and then the symbol of her fashion house.

The first fragrance released by the House of Chanel received a very strange name for that time - (the name of the founder of the House under some strange number that only she understood).

But Coco more than knew what she was doing: this first perfume of hers - she herself was protected by her number - the talisman.

By the way, according to the official version of the creation of this world's first aldehydic fragrance, perfumer Ernest Beaux brought Coco several options for numbered bottles, but the demanding perfectionist Chanel, without sniffing, chose bottle number 5 and was not mistaken.

Later, the House of Chanel released several more fragrances with iconic numbers for Coco. For example, a fragrance symbolizing the date of her birth (August 19, 1889).

5 shades of passion: Chanel's favorite colors

Gabrielle had 5 favorite colors. Another “Magnificent Five”, called The Colors of Chanel and becoming a classic of the fashion house.

Black was a color that reminded Coco of the monastic austerity of the orphanage in Aubazine. Thanks to Chanel, black ceased to be the color of servants and a symbol of grief. In 1926, it became the color of elegance for the most famous little dress. “I brought black into fashion. And it dominates, because black outshines everything,” Coco loved to repeat.

White is the color that precedes all others and is capable of reflecting light. This is the color of absolute clarity and purity. It is reminiscent of the nuns' headdresses from Coco's childhood and the first communion dress given to her by her father.

Beige is the warm color of Coco's native land - Auvergne. The color of the beaches of Deauville, Biarrizza and the Venetian island of Lido. And also the color of nature, the human body and skin, which was gently touched by the first rays of the sun.

Gold is a color that combines naturalness and artificiality. The color of the real gold jewelry that the Duke of Westminster gave Gabrielle, the color of the imitation gold for the costume jewelry that she loved to create. The color of the golden church relics and embroidered robes of the priests who surrounded her as a child. Gold from the treasury of Venice's St. Mark's Cathedral, gold from the Byzantine Empire and the Baroque style that so inspired Chanel.

Red - Chanel called it “the color of life and the color of blood.” The red lining of the bag made it easy to quickly find what you needed. Red lipstick has become Gabrielle's signature color.

“If you are sad, paint your lips with red lipstick and go into battle. Men hate women’s tears,” said the great Mademoiselle.

And again five! The legendary jewelry "five" Chanel

Coco Chanel's first jewelry collection, released in 1932, again had 5 main themes: comet, ribbon, bow, fringe and feather. Chanel believed that it was her favorite number, the talisman, that helped make this debut collection a stunning success.

And the collection was actually revolutionary for those times: Chanel abolished the clasps on necklaces, wrapped precious comets around women’s necks, and scattered sparkling stars in their hair.

These five symbols of Chanel jewelry to this day remain the main themes for creating jewelry from the great fashion house.

In 1932, Coco created the famous Chanel diamond necklace in the shape of a comet, which later became iconic for the House's jewelry collections.

Ambitious and bright, Gabrielle Chanel was a star herself and therefore adored space. She was attracted and inspired by comets and stars. She marveled at their amazing power to shine in the endless darkness. Chanel believed and proved throughout her life that a woman was created to be a star or a comet that would leave behind a bright, long-lasting mark. And it will shine in the firmament of life regardless of circumstances and problems. But despite all this, in her only interview for television, Chanel admitted that she was afraid to find out what was “there, in the dark abyss.”

Mysterious, unpredictable Coco...

Iconic handbag 2.55

And here we couldn’t do without numerology! The charming quilted handbag on a chain over the shoulder (the object of desire and dream of all fashionistas in the world), which is one of the iconic items of the fashion house, was also named 2.55, why do you think? Everything is very simple: these mysterious numbers contain only the date of its creation - February 1955.

Girl and Leo: Chanel and her mystical patron

Coco was born under the fifth (!) sign of the Zodiac - Leo. And it was Leo who became the main mystical patron throughout Chanel’s life. Coco adored her horoscope sign and completely identified with it. For Chanel, Leo was a real protector. His character completely personified the nature of Coco herself: just as brave, bright and fearless. It was the figurine of Leo that stood on her work table next to letters, cigarettes, patterns and her favorite scissors.

On the first tweed suits, which gave a second life to the House of Chanel and her name, buttons with the image of a lion were sewn on for good luck (Chanel was sure that her faithful patron would not leave her and would help restore her House to its former glory).

And Lev, as always, did not let down his transferred Gabrielle!

Chanel and her magic crystal

How irresistibly Coco was drawn to the mysterious Through the Looking Glass!

As we remember, the Great Mademoiselle was famous for her superstition and therefore tried to protect herself from the evil eye and bad influence by any means. One of her faithful assistants in this was rock crystal - a stone very famous and popular in magic.

Her friends recalled that Coco could stare into her crystal ball, which was in her room at the Ritz, for hours. This ball fascinated Chanel, attracted her (with all its transparency and clarity) with a certain mystical involvement in another world.

Crystal generally fascinated Chanel. When decorating the interior, she was very categorical and wanted to see only a crystal chandelier and nothing else (by the way, this chandelier is still in the Ritz Hotel).

Well, everyone has probably already guessed why one of the most famous Chanel fragrances was named ?

Chanel and her crystal staircase

Believing that all the secrets of the otherworldly Through the Looking Glass are perfectly hidden for the common man under crystal (which, at first glance, deceptively creates the impression of complete visibility), Chanel ordered a crystal staircase connecting her office with the main store and the main venue for Chanel fashion shows on Rue de Cambon 31 in Paris.

Thanks to the mirrored edges of this unusual design, during the shows Chanel could calmly observe everything that was happening below, while remaining unnoticed by anyone.

Chanel certainly couldn’t be denied anything but resourcefulness and creativity!

Chanel's last refuge

Nothing is eternal under the Moon...

And now her favorite patron, Leo, and her favorite talisman number are protecting Chanel in the afterlife.

On the tombstone of the Great Mademoiselle in Switzerland, five lion heads rise as a symbol of an indefatigable thirst for life and faith in one’s Star and one’s luck.

“Fashion is what you wear yourself. Everything that others wear is unfashionable.” The famous aphorism of Oscar Wilde was refuted by Coco Chanel in the mid-20s of the last century, declaring that fashion is the “little black dress.” Her authority was so great that women of various classes and incomes without hesitation put on “mourning” attire and immediately became equally attractive. This decisive step brought Coco worldwide fame and made her discovery a symbol of elegance, luxury and good taste. The concept of “Chanel style” is firmly established in fashion terminology. She herself said: “First of all, it’s style. Fashion goes out of fashion. Style - never!

But if the cut of her models was distinguished by extreme simplicity (“Everything that is excessive must be ruthlessly removed”), then the Great Mademoiselle, as the French called her, embellished and reshaped her own biography beyond recognition.

We know quite little about her childhood. Gabrielle was born on August 19, 1883 in the city of Saumur in western France. Her father was the fair trader Albert Chanel, and her mother was his girlfriend Jeanne Devol. All her life, the legendary Mademoiselle was afraid that journalists might find out about her illegitimate origin, that her mother died of asthma and exhaustion, and that her father simply abandoned her, handing her over to a Catholic orphanage in Aubazine at the age of 12. When the girl turned 20, the nuns found her a job in a knitwear store in the city of Moulins. Gabrielle quickly earned the respect of her new owners and customers - she expertly sewed women's and children's clothing. She devoted her free time from work to singing in cafes - chantane and often performed a fashionable hit: “Who saw Coco at the Trocadero?” This is where the legendary name - Coco Chanel - originates. True, Mademoiselle did not like to remember her singing career and explained the origin of this nickname differently: “My father adored me and called me chicken [coco in French].”

In general, the motive of contempt for her own origins, for the poverty that surrounded her in childhood, haunted Chanel throughout her life. This complex became one of the fundamental ones in her vigorous activity, in her desire to achieve success and recognition by any means. She wanted to escape humiliation and forget her impoverished childhood without affection and love, emptiness and loneliness. And therefore, when in 1905 the young bourgeois Etienne Balsan appeared in her life, personifying idleness and luxury, she decided that this man was created for her. Having settled in his castle, Coco took advantage of all the advantages of her new position: she lay in bed until noon and read cheap novels. But Etienne did not consider her the woman with whom he should connect his life. Three years later, Coco met his friend, a young Englishman named Arthur Capel, nicknamed Boy. It was to him that Chanel owed the start of her career: he advised the girl he liked to open a hat shop and promised to provide financial support. Coco traded the castle for Arthur's bachelor pad in Paris. Here she began making and selling her hats to all of Boy’s former mistresses and their many girlfriends. Chanel’s business quickly took off, and at the end of 1910, taking money from a friend, she moved to Rue Cambon and opened her atelier there with the bold sign “Chanel Fashion.” Very soon this street will become known to the whole world and for half a century will be associated with its name.

In 1913, Coco opened a thriving hat boutique in Deauville. But she dreamed of developing her own line of women's clothing. Chanel did not have the right to make “real” women’s dresses: since she was not a professional dressmaker, she could be prosecuted for illegal competition. Coco found a way out: she began sewing dresses from jersey, a fabric that had previously been used only for sewing men's underwear, and made a fortune from it. All her opening outfits were born in a similar way. When creating, Coco did not refine, but simplified. She did not draw her models or sew them, but simply took scissors, threw the fabric over the model and cut and pinned the shapeless mass of material until the desired silhouette appeared. Coco quickly entered the world of fashion, attracting everyone's attention: she created a style previously unthinkable for women - tracksuits; she dared to appear on the beaches of seaside resorts in a “sailor suit” and a tight skirt. And in a couple of years, Coco will show a jacket without a belt and decorations, removing the bust and curves with almost masculine severity. She will create low waist, shirt dresses, women's trousers and beach pajamas. This is how the Chanel style was born - simple, practical and elegant.

Despite the fact that Coco introduced the fashion for women's trousers, she herself rarely wore them, as she believed that a woman would never look as good in trousers as a man. However, she liked the short men's hairstyle. The reason is simple - short hair is easier to care for. One day she cut off her braids and proudly went out into the open, explaining to everyone that a gas heater in her house had caught fire and had singed her locks. Thus, in 1917, the fashion for short women's haircuts arose. Now it’s hard to imagine that before Chanel, ladies simply had to have long hair.

And then trouble came: in 1919, Arthur Capel died in a car accident. "A Woman's Life" Coco was upset. Perhaps, if this tragedy had not happened in her life, there would not have been the famous experiments with black fabric. Wits claim that Chanel introduced the color black into fashion in order to dress all the women of France in mourning for her lover, because she herself did not have the right to officially wear mourning: she and Arthur were not married.

The first models of such a dress were made from the now forgotten flowing crepe marroquin; they were knee-length, straight cut, with narrow sleeves reaching to the wrists. They were distinguished by an incredibly precise, precise cut and revolutionary skirt length. By the way, Chanel believed that the bottom of the dress should not be raised above the knee, since it is rare that a woman can boast of the impeccable beauty of this part of the body. More expensive cocktail dresses had a U-neckline, while evening dresses had a plunging neckline at the back. With such dresses it was necessary to wear long strings of pearls or colored jewelry, boas, small jackets and tiny hats.

The “little black dress” quickly became an iconic garment and acquired symbolic status. The popularity of Coco Chanel's immortal work is still incredible to this day: more and more new interpretations are appearing, so we can say with confidence that this dress will never go out of fashion.

In the summer of 1920, when Coco opened a large fashion house in Biarritz, she met a Russian emigrant, Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich. Their romance was short but fruitful: the “Russian period” began in Chanel’s work. Coco drew many new ideas from her exotic lover, and details of Russian folk costume and blouses with original embroideries appeared in her collection. But most importantly, the prince introduced Coco to a native of Russia, the outstanding chemist-perfumer Ernest Bo, whose father worked for many years at the Imperial Court. This meeting turned out to be happy for both. After a year of painstaking work and lengthy experiments, Ernest produced “a perfume for a woman that smells like a woman” - the first synthesized perfume from 80 components that does not repeat the smell of any specific flower, as was previously customary. The designers enclosed the golden liquid in a crystal rectangular bottle with a modest label, which was a unique find - before this, bottles had always had an intricate shape. Their success has outlived its creators - to this day Chanel No. 5 perfume is the best-selling perfume on the planet.

In the early 1920s, Chanel began designing jewelry. The idea of mixing rhinestones and natural stones in one product was not the only one that came to her, but she was the first to give life to this idea. At this time, Coco actively communicated with the world of Parisian bohemia: she attended ballet performances, was familiar with the artist Pablo Picasso, the famous ballet impresario Sergei Diaghilev, composer Igor Stravinsky, poet Pierre Reverdy, and playwright Jean Cocteau. Many were looking for a meeting with the famous fashion designer simply out of curiosity, but they were surprised to realize that Coco was an intelligent, witty, and original-minded woman; No wonder Picasso called her “the most sensible woman in the world.”

Men were attracted to her not only by her appearance, but also by her extraordinary personal qualities, strong character, and unpredictable behavior. Coco was either irresistibly flirtatious or extremely harsh, straightforward, even cynical. To those around her, she seemed purposeful, self-confident, satisfied with herself and her successes. By the mid-20s, the “Russian period” gradually faded away. Grand Duke Dmitry got married and left for America, P. Reverdy, with whom Coco had a close relationship, became a recluse, S. Diaghilev died, I. Stravinsky, who at one time was very keen on Chanel, moved to the USA. The Duke of Westminster appeared in Coco's life, and her affair with him lasted for 14 years. This unusually long love affair for Mademoiselle introduced her to a different environment - the world of the English aristocracy. In each of the houses where the Duke took her, she saw the long-awaited final refuge, she often disappeared in England, traveling on his yachts. On weekends, about sixty guests usually gathered at his estate, among whom were often W. Churchill and his wife, the Duke’s closest friends.

Chanel transformed her entire being into an Englishwoman. And this was mainly reflected in her models of that time: “I took English masculinity and made it feminine.” Newspapers wrote that never before had her collections included so much tweed, blouses and striped vests, so many suits for jockeys and yachtsmen, sports coats and waterproof raincoats. Gabrielle has adopted the English love of sweaters. Fashion trendsetters were amazed by her new trick: wearing real jewelry over a tight sweater.

If Chanel could give birth to an heir for the Duke, she would become his wife. Until 1928, while the passion was strong in him, he wanted this. Coco was 46 years old when she began to consult doctors, but it was too late: nature opposed her dream. The Duke of Westminster suffered no less than his beloved, but was forced to marry another. The “English period” ended, and Mademoiselle again threw herself into work. Success accompanied her in all her endeavors. She was at the zenith of fame and, despite her age (she was already over 50), continued to enjoy enviable success with men. In 1940, Coco became interested in the attache of the German embassy, Hans Gunther von Dinklage. They settled in the house above her store - the only surviving piece of the fashion empire, which had 6 thousand employees before the war. Coco closed all her enterprises in the fall of 1939 - she did not want to work. Shortly before this, employees of the House of Chanel went on strike, demanding “some kind of trade union.” So the war became an opportunity for her to get even - Mademoiselle fired everyone. At first, Chanel took a completely patriotic position - by showing her clothing collection in blue, white and red colors (the colors of the French national flag), she took a big risk. And then she decided to take revenge for her forced idleness: she took part in the epic associated with attempts to conclude peace between the Western allies and Germany, using personal connections with W. Churchill. However, this mission was not successful.

After the liberation of Paris, Chanel, whose collaboration with the occupiers was obvious, was immediately detained by members of the “Purge Committee”. But in the evening of the same day she was released. Coco got off easy: even for more innocent things than an affair with a Nazi, then you could lose everything. And it was as if they had forgotten about her. There were rumors that General de Gaulle was personally asked to forget about this by W. Churchill. The only thing the new authorities demanded from Mademoiselle in exchange for freedom was immediate departure from France. And she had to lie low for a good ten years, leaving the professional field in the possession of everyone without a fight.

Coco lived in Switzerland until 1953, and then returned to Paris, to a new generation of fashionistas who had long been convinced that Chanel was just a brand of perfume. When Marlene Dietrich asked Coco why she needed it, she explained her return to her main occupation simply: “Because I was dying of boredom.” True, there was another explanation: “I could no longer see what designers like Dior or Balmain had done with Parisian couture. These gentlemen are crazy! Ladies in their dresses, as soon as they sit down, they look like old armchairs!” The first reaction of connoisseurs and the press to the presentation of Chanel's new collection was shock and indignation - she could not offer anything new! Alas, critics failed to understand that this is precisely its secret - nothing new, only eternal, ageless elegance. Coco took revenge in an unimaginably short time - within a year. What failed miserably in Paris was slightly reworked and shown overseas. The Americans gave her a standing ovation - the triumph of the “little black dress,” a symbol of the era, took place in the United States. A new generation of fashionistas began to consider it an honor to dress from Chanel, and Coco herself turned into a tycoon, managing the largest House in the world fashion industry.

The world recognized her as the only legislator of the most refined elegance. The concept of “Chanel style” is firmly established in fashion terminology. This style suggested that the suit should be functional and comfortable. If a Chanel suit had buttons, they were sure to be fastened. The suit was usually complemented by low-heeled shoes, the toes of which were trimmed with a transverse stripe, which visually made the leg smaller. Chanel skirts covered the knees and had pockets where a businesswoman could put cigarettes. She also came up with the idea of wearing a shoulder bag.

Despite the great many people who surrounded her throughout her life, Mademoiselle remained lonely. On the day of her death, January 10, 1971, when she was 87 years old, only her maid was nearby. The income of the Chanel empire was $160 million a year, and only three outfits were found in her wardrobe, but “very stylish outfits,” as the Great Mademoiselle would say. Coco Chanel was buried, according to her will, not in Paris, but in Lausanne, Switzerland, where, according to her, she felt a sense of security.