The house of Chanel was founded in Paris in 1910 by Gabrielle Chanel, who opened her first millinery shop on Rue Cambon, where the ateliers and flagship boutique remain to this day. Chanel had a clear vision: to make the way women dress functional by designing clothes stripped of ornamentation and corsetry. Her use of jersey, previously reserved for men's underwear, scandalised society and remains one of the most important fabric innovations of the 20th century. The Chanel tweed suit, the little black dress, the quilted handbag, the two-tone shoe, the camellia and costume jewellery worn deliberately alongside real gems remain among the most recognisable designs in fashion. Karl Lagerfeld was appointed creative director in 1983, inheriting a house that had declined significantly since Gabrielle Chanel's death in 1971, and spent thirty-six years reinterpreting the house codes, including the CC monogram, which he made ubiquitous across clothing, jewellery and hardware. He rebuilt Chanel into one of the most recognised luxury houses in the world. Virginie Viard succeeded him as artistic director in 2019 and held the position until 2024.
