Jump to content

Chanel

Coordinates: 51°30′38″N 0°08′36″W / 51.51054°N 0.1432786°W / 51.51054; -0.1432786
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Chanel Ltd
Company typePrivate
IndustryFashion
Founded1910; 114 years ago (1910)
Paris, France[1]
FoundersCoco Chanel and Pierre Wertheimer
Headquarters5 Barlow Place London, W1J 6DG United Kingdom
51°30′38″N 0°08′36″W / 51.51054°N 0.1432786°W / 51.51054; -0.1432786
Number of locations
500+ boutiques[2]
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Products
RevenueIncrease US$15.6 billion (2021)[2]
5,776,000,000 United States dollar (2022) Edit this on Wikidata
IncreaseUS$4.0 billion (2021)[2]
Owners
Number of employees
28,500[2] (end 2021)
Websitechanel.com

Chanel (/ʃəˈnɛl/ shə-NEL, French: [ʃanɛl] ) is a French luxury fashion house founded in 1910 by Coco Chanel in Paris. It is privately owned by the Wertheimer family and has been headquartered in London since 2018.

Chanel specializes in women's ready-to-wear, luxury goods, and accessories and licenses its name and branding to Luxottica for eyewear.[3][4] Chanel is well known for its No. 5 perfume and "Chanel Suit".[5] Chanel is credited for revolutionizing haute couture and ready-to-wear by replacing structured, corseted silhouettes with more functional garments that women still found flattering.[6]

History[edit]

Coco Chanel era[edit]

Establishment and recognition (1909–1920s)
Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel in 1920

The House of Chanel originated in 1909, when Gabrielle Chanel opened a millinery shop at 160 Boulevard Malesherbes, the ground floor of the Parisian flat of the socialite and textile businessman Étienne Balsan, of whom she was the mistress.[4] Because the Balsan flat also was a salon for the French hunting and sporting élite, Chanel had the opportunity to meet their demi-mondaine mistresses who, as such, were women of fashion, upon whom the rich men displayed their wealth – as ornate clothes, jewellery, and hats.

The actress Gabrielle Dorziat wearing a Chanel plumed hat (1912)

Coco Chanel thus could sell to them the hats she designed and made; she thus earned a living independent of Balsan. In the course of those salons, Coco Chanel befriended Arthur "Boy" Capel, an English socialite and polo player friend of Étienne Balsan; per the upper class social custom, Chanel also became mistress to Boy Capel. In 1910, Boy Capel financed her first independent millinery shop, Chanel Modes, at 21 rue Cambon in Paris. Because that locale already housed a dress shop, the business-lease limited Chanel to selling only millinery products, not couture. Two years later 1913, the Deauville and Biarritz couture shops of Coco Chanel offered for sale prêt-à-porter sports clothes for women, the practical designs of which allowed the wearer to play sports.[4][6]

The First World War (1914–1918), affected European fashion through scarcity of materials, and the mobilisation of women. By that time, Chanel had opened a large dress shop at 31 Rue Cambon, near the Hôtel Ritz, in Paris. Among the clothes for sale were flannel blazers, straight-line skirts of linen, sailor blouses, long sweaters made of jersey fabric, and skirt-and-jacket suits.

Coco Chanel used jersey cloth because of its physical properties as a garment, such as its drape – how it falls upon and falls from the body of the woman – and how well it adapted to a simple garment-design. Sartorially, some of Chanel's designs derived from the military uniforms made prevalent by the War; and, by 1915, the designs and the clothes produced by the House of Chanel were known throughout France.[4] In 1915, Chanel opened her very first Couture House in Biarritz, France. She had 300 employees and even designed her first line of Haute Couture.[7]

In 1915 and in 1917, Harper's Bazaar magazine reported that the garments of La Maison Chanel were "on the list of every buyer" for the clothing factories of Europe.[4] The Chanel dress shop at 31 rue Cambon presented day-wear dress-and-coat ensembles of simple design, and black evening dresses trimmed with lace; and tulle-fabric dresses decorated with jet, a minor gemstone material.[4]

Illustration of three women in Chanel day outfits consisting of belted tunic jackets and full jersey skirts, 1917

After the First World War, La Maison Chanel, following the fashion trends of the 1920s, produced beaded dresses made popular by Flapper women.[4] The simple-line, 'flat-chested' fashions Chanel couture made popular were opposite of the hourglass figure fashions of the late 19th century – the Belle Époque of France (c. 1890–1914), and the British Edwardian era (c. 1901–1919). Chanel used colors traditionally associated with masculinity in Europe, such as grey and navy blue, to denote feminine boldness.[6][8] Chanel clothing often featured quilted fabric and leather trimmings; the quilted construction reinforced the fabric, design, and finish, allowing the garment to maintain its form and function while worn. An example is the woolen Chanel suit – a knee-length skirt and a cardigan-style jacket, trimmed and decorated with black embroidery and gold-coloured buttons, often accessorized with two-tone pump shoes, a necklace of pearls, and a leather handbag.[4][6][9]

In 1921, to complement Chanel's clothing lines, Coco Chanel commissioned perfumer Ernest Beaux to create a perfume for La Maison Chanel. His perfumes included the perfume No.5, named after the number of the sample Chanel liked best. Originally, given as a gift to clients, No.5's popularity prompted La Maison Chanel to offer it for sale in 1922.

In 1923, to explain the success of her clothes, Coco Chanel told Harper's Bazaar magazine that design "simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance."[4][10]

Business partners (late 1920s)

The success of the No. 5 encouraged Coco Chanel to expand perfume sales beyond France and Europe and to develop other perfumes – for which she required investment capital, business acumen, and access to the North American market. To that end, the businessman Théophile Bader (founder of Galeries Lafayette) introduced the venture capitalist Pierre Wertheimer to Coco Chanel. Their business deal established the Parfums Chanel company, a parfumerie of which Wertheimer owned 70 per cent, Bader owned 20 per cent, and Chanel owned 10 per cent; commercial success of the joint enterprise was assured by the Chanel name, and by the cachet of la "Maison Chanel", which remained the sole business province of Coco Chanel.[9]

Nonetheless, despite the success of the Chanel couture and parfumerie, the personal relations between Coco and her capitalist partner deteriorated, because, Coco said that Pierre Wertheimer was exploiting her talents as a fashion designer and as a businesswoman.[9] Wertheimer reminded Chanel that he had made her a very rich woman; and that his venture capital had funded Chanel's productive expansion of the parfumerie which created the wealth they enjoyed, all from the success of No. 5 de Chanel.

Nevertheless, unsatisfied, the businesswoman Gabrielle Chanel hired the attorney René de Chambrun to renegotiate the 10-per-cent partnership she entered, in 1924, with the Parfums Chanel company; the lawyer-to-lawyer negotiations failed, and the partnership-percentages remained as established in the original business deal among Wertheimer, Badel, and Chanel.[9]

War (1930s–1940s)

From the gamine fashions of the 1920s, Coco Chanel progressed to womanly fashions in the 1930s: evening-dress designs were characterised by an elongated feminine style, and summer dresses featured contrasts such as silver eyelets, and shoulder straps decorated with rhinestones – drawing from Renaissance-time fashion stylings. In 1932, Chanel presented an exhibition of jewellery dedicated to the diamond as a fashion accessory; it featured the Comet and Fountain necklaces of diamonds, which were of such original design, that Chanel S.A. re-presented them in 1993. Moreover, by 1937, the House of Chanel had expanded the range of its clothes to more women and presented prêt-à-porter clothes designed and cut for the petite woman.[4] Among fashion designers, only the clothes created by Elsa Schiaparelli could compete with the clothes of Chanel.[4]

Chanel's spymaster:
General Walter Schellenberg, Chief of the Sicherheitsdienst

During the Second World War (1939–45), Coco Chanel closed shop at Maison Chanel – leaving only jewellery and parfumerie for sale – and moved to the Hôtel Ritz Paris, where she lived with her boyfriend, Hans Günther von Dincklage, a Nazi intelligence officer.[4][6][9] Upon conquering France in June 1940, the Nazis established a Parisian occupation-headquarters in the Hôtel Meurice, on the rue de la Rivoli, opposite the Louvre Museum, and just around the corner from the fashionable Maison Chanel S.A., at 31 rue Cambon.[4]

Meanwhile, because of the Nazi occupation's official anti-Semitism, Pierre Wertheimer and family, had fled France to the U.S., in mid-1940. Later, in 1941, Coco Chanel attempted to assume business control of Parfums Chanel but was thwarted by an administrative delegation that disallowed her sole disposition of the parfumerie. Having foreseen the Nazi occupation policy of the seizure-and-expropriation to Germany of Jewish business and assets in France, Pierre Wertheimer, the majority partner, had earlier, in May 1940, designated Felix Amiot, a Christian French industrialist, as the "Aryan" proxy whose legal control of the Parfums Chanel business proved politically acceptable to the Nazis, who then allowed the perfume company to continue as an operating business.[9][11]

Occupied France abounded with rumours that Coco Chanel was a Nazi collaborator; her clandestine identity was secret agent 7124 of the Abwehr, code-named "Westminster".[12] As such, by order of General Walter Schellenberg, of the Sicherheitsdienst, Chanel was despatched to London on a mission to communicate to British Prime Minister Winston Churchill the particulars of a "separate peace" plan proposed by Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler, who sought to avoid surrendering to the Red Army of the Soviet Russians.

At War's end, upon the Allied liberation of France, Chanel was arrested for having collaborated with the Nazis. In September 1944, the Free French Purge Committee, the épuration, summoned Chanel for interrogation about her collaborationism, yet, without documentary evidence of or witnesses to her collaboration with the Nazis, and because of Churchill's secret intervention in her behalf, the épuration released Coco Chanel from arrest as a traitor to France.[9][13] Despite having been freed by the political grace of Churchill, the strength of the rumours of Chanel's Nazi collaboration had made it impossible for her to remain in France; so Coco Chanel and her German lover, Hans Günther von Dincklage, went into an eight-year exile to Switzerland.[4][9]

In the post–war period, during Coco Chanel's Swiss exile from France, Pierre Wertheimer returned to Paris and regained formal administrative control of his family's business holdings – including control of Parfums Chanel, the parfumerie established with his venture capital, and successful because of the Chanel name.[9]

In Switzerland, the news revived Coco Chanel's resentment at having been exploited by her business partner, for only ten per cent of the money. So she established a rival Swiss parfumerie to create, produce, and sell her "Chanel perfumes". In turn, Wertheimer, the majority capital stock owner of Parfums Chanel, saw his business interests threatened, and his commercial rights infringed because he did not possess legally exclusive rights to the Chanel name. Nonetheless, Wertheimer avoided a trademark infringement lawsuit against Coco Chanel, lest it damage the commercial reputation and the artistic credibility of his Chanel-brand parfumerie.

Pierre Wertheimer settled his business and commercial-rights quarrel with Chanel, and, in May 1947, they renegotiated the 1924 contract that had established Parfums Chanel – she was paid $400,000 in cash (wartime profits from the sales of perfume No. 5 de Chanel); assigned a 2.0 per cent running royalty from the sales of No. 5 parfumerie; assigned limited commercial rights to sell her "Chanel perfumes" in Switzerland; and granted a perpetual monthly stipend that paid all of her expenses. In exchange, Gabrielle Chanel closed her Swiss parfumerie enterprise, and sold to Parfums Chanel the full rights to the name "Coco Chanel".[9][14]

Resurgence (1950s–1970s)
A Chanel suit, 1965

In 1953, upon returning to France from Switzerland, Coco Chanel found the fashion business enamoured of the "New Look" (1947), by Christian Dior; the signature shape featured a below-mid-calf-length, full-skirt, a narrow waist, and a large bust (stylistically absent since 1912). As a post–War fashion that used some 20 yards of fabric, the House of Dior couture renounced wartime rationing of fabric for clothes.[9]

In 1947 – after the six-year austerities of the Second World War (1939–45) – the New Look was welcomed by the fashion business of Western Europe because sales of the pretty clothes would revive business and the economy.[4]

To regain the business primacy of the House of Chanel, in the fashion fields of haute couture, prêt-à-porter, costume jewellery, and parfumerie, would be expensive; so Chanel approached Pierre Wertheimer for business advice and capital.[9] Having decided to do business with Coco Chanel, Wertheimer's negotiations to fund the resurgence of the House of Chanel, granted him commercial rights to all Chanel-brand products.[9]

In 1953, Chanel collaborated with jeweler Robert Goossens; he was to design jewelry (bijouterie and gemstone) to complement the fashions of the House of Chanel; notably, long-strand necklaces of black pearls and of white pearls, which high contrast softened the severe design of the knitted-wool Chanel Suit (skirt and cardigan jacket).[6]

The House of Chanel also presented leather handbags with either gold-colour chains or metal-and-leather chains, which allowed carrying the handbag from the shoulder or in hand. The quilted-leather handbag was presented to the public in February 1955. In-house, the numeric version of the launching date "2.55" for that line of handbags became the internal "appellation" for that model of the quilted-leather handbag.[4]

The firm's initial venture into masculine parfumerie was an eau de toilette called Pour Monsieur. Chanel and her spring collection received the Fashion Oscar at the 1957 Fashion Awards in Dallas. Pierre Wertheimer bought Bader's 20 per cent share of the Parfums Chanel, which increased the Wertheimer percentage to 90 per cent.[9]

Woman wearing a Chanel cheongsam with robe and a feather hat in 1950s

Later, in 1965, Pierre's son, Jacques Wertheimer, assumed his father's management of the parfumerie.[9] About the past business relationship, between Pierre Wertheimer and Coco Chanel, the Chanel attorney, Chambrun said that it had been "one based on a businessman's passion, despite her misplaced feelings of exploitation . . . [thus] when Pierre returned to Paris, full of pride and excitement [after one of his horses won the 1956 English Derby]. He rushed to Coco, expecting congratulations and praise. But she refused to kiss him. She resented him, you see, all her life."[9]

Coco Chanel died on 10 January 1971, at the age of 87.[4] She was still designing at the time of her death.[4] For example, in the (1966–1969) period, she designed the air hostess uniforms for Olympic Airways, the designer who followed her was Pierre Cardin. In that time, Olympic Airways was a luxury airline, owned by the transport magnate Aristotle Onassis. After her death, the leadership of the company was handed down to Yvonne Dudel, Jean Cazaubon and Philippe Guibourgé.[4] So far, the bags designed by Chanel are still very popular in the vintage market.[15]

After a period of time, Jacques Wertheimer bought the controlling interest of the House of Chanel.[4][9] Critics stated that during his leadership, he never paid much attention to the company, as he was more interested in horse breeding.[9] In 1974, the House of Chanel launched Cristalle eau de toilette, which was designed when Coco Chanel was alive. 1978 saw the launch of the first non-couture, prêt-à-porter line and worldwide distribution of accessories.

Alain Wertheimer, son of Jacques Wertheimer, assumed control of Chanel S.A. in 1974.[4][9] In the U.S., No. 5 de Chanel was not selling well.[9] Alain revamped Chanel No.5 sales by reducing the number of outlets carrying the fragrance from 18,000 to 12,000. He removed the perfume from drugstore shelves and invested millions of dollars in advertisement for Chanel cosmetics. This ensured a greater sense of scarcity and exclusivity for No.5, and sales rocketed back up as demand for the fragrance increased.[9] He used famous people to endorse the perfume – from Marilyn Monroe to Audrey Tautou. Looking for a designer who could bring the label to new heights, he persuaded Karl Lagerfeld to end his contract with fashion house Chloé. Chanel has partnered with friends and ambassadors over the years including notable actors, musicians, and other artists: Jennie, Angèle, Whitney Peak, Caroline de Maigret, Margaret Qualley, Victoria Song, Wang Yibo, Minji,Go Youn-jung, Lily-Rose Depp, Keira Knightley, Kristen Stewart, Marion Cotillard, Nicole Kidman, and Penélope Cruz.[16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31]

Post-Coco era (1980s–present)[edit]

Chanel couture by Lagerfeld: the A/W 2011–2012 collection
A Chanel store in North America

In 1981, Chanel launched Antaeus, an eau de toilette for men. In 1983 Karl Lagerfeld took over as chief designer for Chanel. Like Chanel, he looked into the past as inspiration for his designs. He incorporated the Chanel fabrics and detailing such as tweed, gold accents, and chains. Lagerfeld retained what was signature for Chanel but also helped bring the brand into the present. In later collections Lagerfeld chose to break away from the ladylike look of Chanel and began to experiment with fabrics and styles. During the 1980s, more than 40 Chanel boutiques opened worldwide. By the end of the 1980s, the boutiques sold goods ranging from US$200-per-ounce perfume, US$225 ballerina slippers to US$11,000 dresses and US$2,000 leather handbags. Chanel cosmetics and fragrances were distributed only by Chanel outlets. Chanel marketer Jean Hoehn explained the firm's approach, saying, "We introduce a new fragrance every 10 years, not every three minutes like many competitors. We don't confuse the consumer. With Chanel, people know what to expect. And they keep coming back to us, at all ages, as they enter and leave the market." 1984 saw the launch of a new fragrance in honor of the founder, Coco. In 1986, the House of Chanel struck a deal with watchmakers and in 1987, the first Chanel watch debuted. By the end of the decade, Alain moved the offices to New York City.[9]

Maison de Chanel increased the Wertheimer family fortune to US$5 billion. Sales were hurt by the recession of the early 1990s, but Chanel recovered by the mid-1990s with further boutique expansion.[9]

In 1994, Chanel had a net profit equivalent to €67 million on the sale of €570 million in ready-to-wear clothes and was the most profitable French fashion house.[32]

In 1996, Chanel bought gun-makers Holland & Holland, but failed in its attempt to revamp the firm.[9] The swimwear label Eres was also purchased in 1996.[33] Chanel launched the perfumes Allure in 1996 and Allure Homme in 1998. The House of Chanel launched its first skin care line, Précision, in 1999. That same year, Chanel launched a travel collection, and under a license contract with Luxottica, introduced a line of sunglasses and eyeglass frames.

While Wertheimer remained chairman, Françoise Montenay became CEO and President. 2000 saw the launch of the first unisex watch by Chanel, the J12. In 2001, watchmaker Bell & Ross was acquired. The same year, Chanel boutiques offering only selections of accessories were opened in the United States. Chanel launched a small selection of menswear as a part of their runway shows.

In 2002, Chanel launched the Chance perfume and Paraffection, a subsidiary company originally established in 1997[34] to support artisanal manufacturing, that gathered together Ateliers d'Art or workshops including Desrues for ornamentation and buttons, Lemarié for feathers, Lesage for embroidery, Massaro for shoemaking and Michel for millinery. A prêt-à-porter collection was designed by Karl Lagerfeld.

In July 2002, a jewelry and watch outlet opened on Madison Avenue. Within months, a 1,000-square-foot (90 m2) shoe/handbag boutique opened next door. Chanel continued to expand in the United States and by December 2002, operated 25 U.S. boutiques.[9]

The Chanel flagship store at Prince's Building, Hong Kong

Chanel introduced Coco Mademoiselle and an "In-Between Wear" in 2003, targeting younger women, opened a second shop on Rue Cambon, opened a 2,400 square feet (220 m2) boutique in Central, Hong Kong, and paid nearly US$50 million for a building in Ginza, Tokyo.

In 2007, Maureen Chiquet was appointed CEO. She remained CEO until her termination in 2016.[35]

In 2018, Chanel announced relocation of its global headquarters to London.[36][37][38] In December of the same year, Chanel announced that it would ban fur and exotic skins from its collections.[39]

In February 2019, Lagerfeld died at age 85.[40] Virginie Viard, who had worked with Lagerfeld at the fashion house for over 30 years, was named the new Creative Director.[41]

In December 2021, Leena Nair was appointed Global Chief Executive Officer.[42][43][44]

In February 2024, Chanel opened its U.S. flagship store dedicated to watches and fine jewellery on Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, near Billionaires' Row.[45]

Exhibitions and retrospectives[edit]

The Palais Galliera featured a retrospective Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto (October 1, 2020 – August 17, 2021). The exhibit later traveled to Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum in Tokyo, National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne (December 3, 2021 – April 25, 2022), and will debut at London's Victoria & Albert Museum (September 16, 2023).[46][47][48][49]

The ThyssenBornemisza National Museum in Madrid explored the relationship and reciprocal influence between Pablo Picasso and Gabrielle Chanel with a four-part exhibition (October 11, 2022 – January 15, 2023) spanning their works between 1915 and 1925.[50][51][52][53][54]

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, home to the annual Met Gala in the financial and fashion capital of New York City, first honoured the house with a (May 5-August 7) 2005 exhibit chronicling the work of Coco Chanel's designs dating back to the 1920s. The museum's Costume Institute will unveil a posthumous retrospective, paying homage to former Creative Director, Karl Lagerfeld (May 5-July 16).[55][56][57][58]

Philanthropy, sustainability, arts and culture[edit]

Fondation Chanel is the philanthropic arm of the house. Founded in 2011, some of the organization's key initiatives include promoting greater healthcare advocacy; addressing the disparities in gender-based violence; and "accelerating economic agency and empowerment". Fondation Chanel has partnered with organizations in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, the United Kingdom, and the United States.[59][60][61]

Chanel announced (June 2021) an anchor investment in the Landscape Resilience Fund, contributing $25 million to farmers grappling with the impacts of climate change. Setting a new series of science-based targets, the company also launched the No.1 de Chanel beauty and fragrance line in 2022, with 97% naturally derived ingredients and eco-conscious packaging designed. The house also announced goals in accordance with the Paris Climate Agreement to reduce its carbon footprint by 50% by 2030 and reduce its emissions from value chain by 40% by 2030. As part of the Chanel Mission 1.5 Climate Action Plan, the brand has pledged to transition to 100% renewable electricity by 2025. The company is also sourcing eco-responsible tweeds; shifting to maritime transport with a goal of 80% shipments by sea by 2024; and supporting land and livlihood projects throughout communities in Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America.[62][63][64][65][66][67][68] In January 2024, Chanel launched an initiative with the consortium of 15 cosmetics-manufacturers, called the Traceability Alliance for Sustainable Cosmetics to catalyze traceability in the cosmetics sector.[69][70]

Arts and culture[edit]

The Chanel Culture Fund is a global program of initaitves and partnerships. Since its inception, the House has partnered with the National Portrait Gallery (London), The Centre Pompidou (Paris), and the Power Station (Shanghai). The Fund awards an annual prize (Chanel Next Prize) of €100,000 to ten artists in the fields of performing and visual arts.[71][72][73][74][75][76][77]

Yana Peel, global head of arts and culture said of the Fund in an interview with Harper's Bazaar, "At a time when we are navigating our way through complex new environments around the world, we know that artists generate transformative ideas that help us envision the way forward. Chanel has always championed the vitality and advancement of the arts, and we now expand that tradition through the Fund with a focus on supporting cultural innovators and path-breakers who are mapping out what's next.”[78]

Corporate identity[edit]

The Chanel logotype comprises two interlocked, opposed letters-C, one faced left, one faced right. The logotype was given to Chanel by the Château de Crémat, Nice, and was not registered as a trademark until the first Chanel shops were established.[79][80] The logo is commonly known to stand for "Coco Chanel" and has become one of the most recognizable logos in the world. It has also become the symbol of prestige, luxury, and class.[81]

In 2022, Chanel donated €2 million towards Care and UNHCR, the money will go to Ukraine to help it during the Russian invasion.[82]

Worldwide, Chanel S.A. operates around 310 Chanel boutiques; 94 in Asia, 70 in Europe, 10 in the Middle East, 128 in North America, 1 in Central America, 2 in South America, and 6 in Oceania. The shops are located in wealthy communities, usually in department stores like Harrods and Selfridges, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue, high streets, shopping districts, and inside airports.[9] In 2015, the company paid a record $152 million for 400 North Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. This is the most expensive amount paid for retail space in Los Angeles.[83] In October 2020, the company bought its flagship Bond Street boutique in London for £310 million.[84][85]

Trademarks[edit]

One timeline measurement for Chanel presence in the United States is via trademarks registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). On Tuesday, 18 November 1924, Chanel, Inc. filed trademark applications for the typeset mark Chanel and for the interlocking CC design plus word mark. At that time, the trademarks were registered only for the perfume, toiletry, and cosmetic products in the primary class of common metals and their alloys. Chanel provided the description of face powder, perfume, Eau de Cologne, toilet water, lip stick, and rouge, to the USPTO.[86] The Chanel and double-C trademarks were awarded on the same date of 24 February 1925 with respective Serial Numbers of 71205468 and 71205469. The first trademark application for the No. 5 perfume was on Thursday, 1 April 1926, described as perfume and toilet water. First use and commercial use was stated as 1 January 1921. Registration was granted on 20 July 1926 with Serial Number 71229497.

Combatting counterfeits[edit]

Along with other makers, Chanel is a target of counterfeiters.[87] An authentic classic Chanel handbag retails from around US$4,150, while a counterfeit usually costs around US$200. Beginning in the 1990s, all authentic Chanel handbags were numbered.

In 2018, Chanel filed suit in the Federal District Court of the Southern District of New York, alleging The RealReal was hosting counterfeit (fake) Chanel products on their website and implying to customers that an affiliation existed between the two.[88][89]

Due to the high volume of Chanel counterfeits, the legal department at Chanel has set up a website to educate consumers about "Spotting Fake vs Authentic CHANEL Products."[90] Many fashion bloggers[91][92] are spreading awareness about identifying fake luxury items such as Chanel's products.[93]

Products[edit]

Le nez de Chanel: the perfumer Ernest Beaux (1881–1961) created No. 5 de Chanel in 1921.
Chanel presented Perfume No. 5 to the market in 1922; created by Ernest Beaux in 1921

Fragrance[edit]

In 1924, Pierre Wertheimer founded Parfums Chanel, to produce and sell perfumes and cosmetics; the parfumerie proved to be the most profitable business division of the Chanel S.A. corporation.[9][94] Since its establishment, parfumerie Chanel has employed four perfumers:

Fragrance and Skincare counter at Myer in Sydney

Perfumes[edit]

  • Allure EDT
  • Allure Eau Sensuelle EDP
  • Allure Eau Sensuelle EDT
  • Chance Eau Vive
  • Chance Eau Fraiche
  • Chance Eau Tendre
  • Coco
  • Coco Mademoiselle
  • Coco Noir
  • Cristalle
  • Cristalle Eau Verte
  • No. 5
  • No. 19
  • No. 19 Poudre
  • No 22
  • Gardénia
  • Bois des Iles
  • Cuir de Russie
  • Eau de Cologne
  • 31 Rue Cambon
  • No. 18
  • Coromandel
  • Bel Respiro
  • 28 La Pausa (named for La Pausa, Chanel's villa on the French Riviera)[95]
  • Sycomore
  • Beige
  • Jersey
  • 1932
  • Misia
  • Boy
  • 1957
  • Le Lion de Chanel

Colognes[edit]

  • Allure pour Homme
  • Allure pour Homme Sport
  • Allure pour Homme Eau Extreme
  • Allure pour Homme Cologne Sport
  • Allure Homme Edition Blanche
  • Antaeus
  • Égoïste
  • Platinum Égoïste
  • Bleu De Chanel Eau de Toilette
  • Bleu De Chanel Eau de Parfum
  • Bleu De Chanel Parfum
  • Pour Monsieur

Makeup and skincare[edit]

Cosmetics are the most accessible Chanel product, with counters in department stores across the world, including Harrods, Galeries Lafayette, Bergdorf Goodman, Hudson's Bay, and David Jones, Wojooh, Selfridges & Co,[96] John Lewis, Boots as well as its own beauty boutiques.

Products lines[edit]

  • Mascara
  • Hydra Beauty
  • Le Blanc
  • Le Lift
  • Sublimage
  • Blue Serum
  • La Solution 10 de Chanel
  • Vamp Nail Polish
  • N°1 line (skincare and makeup products based on holistic beauty and eco-friendly principles)[97]

Fine jewellery[edit]

Chanel 'High Jewellery' was founded in November 1932. Chanel debuted 'Bijoux de Diamants' at her Faubourg Saint-Honoré, Paris mansion.[98] In 2012, the company created a special collection to celebrate Diamants' 80th anniversary. Current collections include High Jewelry, Camelia, Comete, Coco Crush, Baroque, 1932, Ultra, Bridal and Jewelry Watches.[99]

Watches[edit]

The Chanel wristwatch division was established in 1987.[100] In 1995, division presented a second design, the Matelassé.[100] Although the Première and Matelassé wristwatches were successful products, the presentation, in 2000, of the Chanel J12 line of unisex style wristwatches, made of ceramic materials, established Chanel wristwatches as a Chanel marque.[100] The J12 line of wristwatches features models in four dial-face sizes: 33mm, 38mm, 41mm, and 42mm.[100][101] In 2008, Chanel S.A. and Audemars Piguet developed the ceramic Chanel AP-3125 clockwork, exclusive to the House of Chanel.[102]

Wine[edit]

Chanel owns the wineries Château Rauzan-Ségla, Château Canon, St. Supéry Estate Vineyards & Winery, and Domaine de i'lle located on the island of Porquerolles in the Cotes de Provence AOP.

Fashion collections and runway shows

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Chanel lifts the veil on its profits for the first time". BBC News. 21 June 2018. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Garnier, Juliette (25 May 2022). "Despite Chanel's record sales in 2021, the luxury sector is plunging back into uncertainty". Le Monde. Archived from the original on 8 July 2022.
  3. ^ Mira, Nicola (24 October 2019). "Luxottica renews eyewear licence contract with Chanel". Fashion Network. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u "Chanel". Fashion Model Directory. Archived from the original on 27 October 2010. Retrieved 19 June 2008.
  5. ^ "Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel (1883–1971) and the House of Chanel". Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History, The Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York. Archived from the original on 1 November 2016.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Martin, Richard (1995). Contemporary fashion. London: St. James Press. p. 750. ISBN 1-55862-173-3.
  7. ^ "1910s". CHANEL. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  8. ^ Costume", p. 52, Eyewitness Books.
  9. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa "Chanel S.A". Funding Universe. Archived from the original on 11 June 2008. Retrieved 19 June 2008.
  10. ^ "BUSINESS ABROAD: King of Perfume". Time. 14 September 1953. Archived from the original on 10 July 2010. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
  11. ^ Mazzeo, Tilar J. The Secret of Chanel No. 5 HarperCollins 2010, p. 150.
  12. ^ McAuley, James (1 September 2011). "The Exchange: Coco Chanel and the Nazi Party". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on 26 October 2011. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
  13. ^ Vaughan, Hal. Sleeping with the Enemy: Coco Chanel's Secret War Alfred A. Knopf. 2011 pp. 186–87
  14. ^ Mazzeo, Tilar J. The Secret of Chanel No. 5, pp. 176–77.
  15. ^ "可可香奈儿,一个戏精女孩的奋斗史". sohu.com. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
  16. ^ "All six Korean ambassadors for 'Chanel' display their iconic visuals for the November issue of 'Elle'". allkpop. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  17. ^ "Chanel's Latest Ambassador Is Gossip Girl's New Star". Vogue. 8 March 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  18. ^ "Chanel Names NewJeans' Minji Brand Ambassador". Hypebae. 13 February 2023. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  19. ^ US, FashionNetwork com. "Chanel announces new brand ambassador: Lily-Rose Depp". FashionNetwork.com. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  20. ^ McDermott, Maeve. "Lily Rose Depp is the face of Chanel's new fragrance". USA TODAY. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  21. ^ "If Lily-Rose Depp Could Relive Any Fashion Memory, She'd Pick This Chanel One". British Vogue. 29 April 2020. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  22. ^ "See Keira Knightley front the new Chanel fragrance, 10 years after her first campaign". Harper's BAZAAR. 27 February 2018. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  23. ^ "Mill Paris | Keira Knightley, star in the 'On the trail of Coco Mademoiselle' campaign by Chanel". The Mill. 26 September 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  24. ^ "Kristen Stewart Fronts CHANEL'S Spring/Summer 2023 Campaign". S/ magazine. 13 March 2023. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  25. ^ Bergeson, Samantha (5 October 2022). "Kristen Stewart Gets Whiplash in Chanel's Déjà Vu Ode to the French New Wave". IndieWire. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  26. ^ "Inside Chanel's Campaign Starring Kristen Stewart". Haute Living. 17 March 2023. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  27. ^ "Marion Cotillard Chanel No. 5 Holiday 2022 Perfume Campaign". www.fashiongonerogue.com. 18 October 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  28. ^ updated, Ying Chu last (28 October 2020). "Marion Cotillard Singing and Dancing for Chanel No. 5 Is Bringing Me Joy". Marie Claire Magazine. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  29. ^ Sharma, Neha Tandon (27 November 2020). "Made in 2004 for $33 million, this Chanel No 5 ad starring Nicole Kidman is still the most expensive ad ever made". Luxurylaunches. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  30. ^ "Penelopé Cruz's Preppy Denim Is Off-Duty Style Done Right". Glamour. 6 September 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  31. ^ "From Jackson Wang, To Wang Yibo: How K-Pop's Chinese Stars Become China's Favorite Brand Ambassadors |". chinafilminsider.com. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  32. ^ Chevalier, Michel; Gerald Mazzalovo (2012). "3". Luxury Brand Management (second ed.). Singapore: John Wiley & Sons. p. 58 (of 316). ISBN 978-1-118-17176-9.
  33. ^ "This Chanel-owned swimwear label has all the vintage swimsuits you need". Lifestyle Asia. 6 April 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2019.
  34. ^ "Chanel". Voguepedia. Archived from the original on 30 October 2013. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
  35. ^ Friedman, Vanessa (15 April 2017). "Maureen Chiquet's Move From Chanel to Self-Empowerment". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  36. ^ "Chanel chooses London for global office". BBC News. 13 September 2018. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  37. ^ Sherman, L. (7 September 2018). "With Eyes on London, Chanel Ltd. Closes Its New York Headquarters". Business of Fashion. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  38. ^ "Chanel Picks London Over New York, Paris as Base for Global Team". Bloomberg. 15 September 2018. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  39. ^ "French Fashion House Chanel Bans Fur and Exotic Animal Skins". Time.
  40. ^ John, Tara (19 February 2019). "Karl Lagerfeld, pioneering fashion designer, has died". CNN Style. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  41. ^ Gonzales, Erica (19 February 2019). "Meet the Designer Succeeding Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel". Harper's BAZAAR. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  42. ^ "Chanel appoints Unilever executive Leena Nair as CEO". The Hindu. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  43. ^ Mehak Agarwal (15 December 2021). "Meet Leena Nair, Chanel's new Indian-origin Global CEO". Business today In. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  44. ^ Akanksha Kamath (14 December 2021). "What do we know about Leena Nair—the new global CEO of Chanel?". Vogue. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  45. ^ Anthony DeMarco (7 February 2024). "Chanel To Open First U.S. Flagship For Watches And Jewelry In New York". Forbes. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
  46. ^ Pelloux, Cécilia. "Iconic Exhibition 'Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto' Opens In Palais Galliera In Paris". Forbes. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  47. ^ Cartner-Morley, Jess (23 March 2023). "V&A Chanel exhibition to feature 200 looks across seven decades". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  48. ^ "All the details on the V&A's major Coco Chanel exhibition". Harper's BAZAAR. 24 March 2023. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  49. ^ "What To Expect From The V&A's Blockbuster Chanel Exhibition". British Vogue. 26 May 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  50. ^ "Picasso/Chanel". Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  51. ^ WW, FashionNetwork com. "Picasso and Chanel's reciprocal influences showcased in Madrid". FashionNetwork.com. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  52. ^ Farrant, Theo (13 October 2022). "When Coco met Pablo - How did Chanel and Picasso influence each other?". euronews. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  53. ^ "Picasso / Chanel". Madrid Capital de Moda. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  54. ^ "'Picasso and Chanel': Exhibition explores a meeting of minds and mutual interests". Yahoo News. 13 October 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  55. ^ "The Met Announces New Details for The Costume Institute's Spring Exhibition Exploring the Work of Karl Lagerfeld - The Metropolitan Museum of Art". www.metmuseum.org. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  56. ^ "Just In: New Details About the Upcoming Met Exhibition, "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty"". Vogue. 22 March 2023. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  57. ^ Feitelberg, Rosemary (22 March 2023). "The Metropolitan Museum of Art Shares Details About Upcoming Karl Lagerfeld Exhibition". WWD. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  58. ^ "Everything We Know About the 2023 Met Gala – Karl Lagerfeld Theme Hosts Chanel". L'Officiel USA. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  59. ^ "Fondation CHANEL". www.theglobalfund.org. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  60. ^ "Press release: Fondation CHANEL and UN Women partner to accelerate women's economic empowerment and counter climate change". UN Women – Headquarters. 28 September 2018. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  61. ^ "Chanel Foundation | EVPA". www.evpa.ngo. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  62. ^ "Chanel Is Launching a Sustainable Beauty Line". NewBeauty. 6 January 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  63. ^ "Chanel launches N°1, a new beauty range that embraces naturality and sustainability". Premium Beauty News. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  64. ^ "How far have luxury brands come in terms of sustainable beauty?". Yahoo News. 6 January 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  65. ^ "15 Waste-Reducing Beauty Products to Buy Now". W Magazine. 21 April 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  66. ^ "Step aside No.5: Chanel's new No.1 collection marks a new era for the brand". Harper's BAZAAR. 6 January 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  67. ^ Panych, Sophia (5 January 2022). "Chanel Aims to Merge Luxury and Sustainability With Its Newest Beauty Line, No. 1 de Chanel". POPSUGAR Beauty UK. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  68. ^ "Chanel Goes Conscious: No.1 de Chanel Is The New Eco-Responsible Beauty Line That Took 10 Years To Make". Marie Claire. 6 January 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  69. ^ "Chanel Leads Beauty Industry Consortium Aiming to Enhance Traceability". WWD. 23 January 2024. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  70. ^ "Chanel co-founds new Traceability Alliance for Sustainable Cosmetics consortium". Cosmetics Business. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  71. ^ Lee, Wendi. "Chanel Puts the Spotlight on Contemporary Artists With Its New Short Film". Tatler Asia. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  72. ^ "Chanel Wants to Empower Artists With the Global Culture Fund - Chanel Culture Arts Fund". L'Officiel USA. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  73. ^ Villa, Angelica (13 December 2021). "Chanel Names 10 Winners of Its First-Ever $113,000 Prize for Artists". ARTnews.com. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  74. ^ Meter, William Van (28 April 2022). "The Chanel Next Prize Awarded 10 Artists $100,000 Each, Including Precious Okoyomon and Wang Bing". Artnet News. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  75. ^ "Chanel Just Awarded $113,000 to Ten Artists With Its New Next Prize". Observer. 13 December 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  76. ^ Pietroni, David Guido (13 December 2021). "Chanel Names 10 Inaugural Winners of Chanel Next Prize". Art Insider. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  77. ^ Banks, Grace. "Chanel's Yana Peel On Collaborating With Tilda Swinton To Discover The Next Generation Of Artists". Forbes. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  78. ^ "Chanel launches Culture Fund to help artists, galleries and museums". Harper's BAZAAR. 21 July 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  79. ^ "Chanel Logo Design and History". Archived from the original on 24 May 2010. Retrieved 10 June 2010.
  80. ^ "Flash Back Friday: The Legend of the Chanel Logo's Double C". Archived from the original on 9 December 2012. Retrieved 14 January 2013.
  81. ^ "The Chanel Logo: The Origin, Design, and Meaning Behind a Legendary Status Symbol". Madison Avenue Couture. 27 July 2021. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  82. ^ "How the fashion industry is reacting to the crisis in Ukraine". Harper's Bazaar. 4 March 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  83. ^ Pleven, Liam. "Chanel Pays Record Price for Retail Space". The Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Archived from the original on 9 December 2015. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  84. ^ London, Luxury (6 October 2020). "Chanel buys its Bond Street boutique for £310 million | Hers | Style". Luxury London. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  85. ^ Correspondent, Louisa Clarence-Smith, Property. "Chanel snaps up Bond Street jewel". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 8 October 2020.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  86. ^ "U.S. Trademark 71205468". Trademark Applications and Registrations Retrieval (TARR). United States Patent and Trademark Office. 18 November 1924. Archived from the original on 10 August 2013. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
  87. ^ "A message from Chanel". Chanel Inc. Archived from the original on 20 November 2008. Retrieved 8 May 2009.
  88. ^ Broderick, Vernon S. "OPINION AND ORDER re: 29 MOTION to Dismiss First Amended Complaint. filed by The RealReal, Inc". law.justia.com. United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  89. ^ Ell, Kellie (21 November 2018). "Chanel and The RealReal Battle It Out Over What's Real and What's Fake". WWD.com. WWD. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  90. ^ Legal at Chanel. "Anti-Counterfeit - Spotting Fake vs Authentic CHANEL". CHANEL.com. CHANEL. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  91. ^ "Fake fashion: how to spot counterfeit Chanel and Hermès bags". South China Morning Post. 3 November 2018. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  92. ^ "Fashion Police: Thai expert on how to spot fake designer bags | Coconuts Bangkok". Coconuts. 18 August 2020. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  93. ^ "How to Authenticate a Chanel Handbag". codogirl.com. 20 February 2020. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  94. ^ Burr, Chandler (2008). The Perfect Scent: A Year Inside the Perfume Industry in Paris and New York. Henry Holt and Co. ISBN 978-0-8050-8037-7.
  95. ^ Elaine, Sciolino (7 June 2013). "Letter from Paris: The House that Coco Built". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 25 October 2014.
  96. ^ "Chanel Make-Up | Selfridges". www.selfridges.com. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  97. ^ "Chanel launches N°1, a new beauty range that embraces naturality and sustainability". Premium Beauty News. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  98. ^ "High Jewellery - All the pieces from CHANEL High Jewellery". Archived from the original on 10 January 2013. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
  99. ^ "Fine Jewellery & High Jewellery – CHANEL". chanel.com. Archived from the original on 10 January 2013.
  100. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Roulet, Christophe. The Chanel J12, from here to eternity Archived 10 August 2013 at the Wayback Machine, The Watch Avenue, 22 June 2009. Retrieved 9 April 2012
  101. ^ Maillard, Pierre. Chanel, watchmaking legitimacy Archived 17 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Europa Star, 5 January 2009. Retrieved 9 April 2011
  102. ^ "Exclusive World of Chanel Watches Watches Channel". watches.infoniac.com. Archived from the original on 11 February 2008.
  103. ^ Spring–Summer 2011 Haute Couture Video" Archived 12 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine, CHANEL
  104. ^ CHANEL Couture SS2011" Archived 14 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Haute Couture News
  105. ^ Fall–Winter 2011 Haute Couture Video" Archived 9 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine, CHANEL
  106. ^ CHANEL Couture FW2011" Archived 15 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Haute Couture News
  107. ^ "Prêt-à-Porter Primavera-Verano 2012 CHANEL - Video". Archived from the original on 1 December 2011. Retrieved 21 December 2011., CHANEL
  108. ^ "CHANEL Official site – FASHION ACCESSORIES, EYEWEAR, READY-TO-WEAR AND HAUTE COUTURE COLLECTIONS". Archived from the original on 6 February 2012. Retrieved 7 February 2012., CHANEL
  109. ^ "Sci-Fi Chanel". The Fashionide. 24 July 2013. Archived from the original on 4 September 2013. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  110. ^ "Boyish Attitude". The Fashionide. 11 March 2014. Archived from the original on 18 March 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  111. ^ "Chanel Pre-Fall 2018 Fashion Show". Vogue. 6 December 2017. Archived from the original on 18 February 2018.
  112. ^ CHANEL (28 December 2017). "The Paris-Hamburg 2017/18 Métiers d'art show – CHANEL". Archived from the original on 26 January 2018 – via YouTube.
  113. ^ "Chanel Spring 2018 Couture Fashion Show". Vogue. 23 January 2018. Archived from the original on 24 February 2018.
  114. ^ "Chanel Resort 2019 Fashion Show". Vogue. 3 May 2018. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
  115. ^ Chernikoff, Leah (5 December 2018). "Chanel Draws Inspiration from Ancient Egypt for Its Metiers d'Art Show". ELLE. Retrieved 12 July 2019.

External links[edit]