SHEfinds | Caroline Pirozzolo
Is there a single brand, label, or fashion house that’s quite as lusted after as Chanel? We’d be hard-pressed to come up with one. There’s just something about those iconic interlocking Cs and the French house’s storied, classic reputation that’s unlike anything else. Not to mention that every collection Karl Lagerfeld sends down the runway is basically drool-worthy. Need we say more?
While you may think you know everything there is to know about Chanel (after all, every fashion girl worth her salt knows at least a few fun facts about the history of the brand), you just might be surprised!
The first Chanel store, which opened in 1910 at 31 Rue Cambon, didn’t even sell clothes – the fashion house began with hats!
According to legend, Coco Chanel was inspired to create the now-iconic interlocking-Cs logo during a visit to Chateau Cremat in Nice, where she often attended parties held by American heiress Irene Bretz. If you take a look at the top of Chateau Cremat’s vaulted arches, the resemblance is pretty uncanny.
Before trying her hand at fashion, Gabrielle Chanel, who later became known by the nickname “Coco,” first dreamed of being a singer – she even performed at several cabarets throughout her teens!
Credit: Chanel
Chanel’s Rouge Noir nail polish was the first nail polish to ever sell out and have a subsequent waiting list. The vampy shade is still a cult favorite today.
Chanel bags, particularly the 2.55 style, increase in price every day, making them an actual investment.
Ever wondered where the coveted 2.55 bag gets its famous (albeit odd) name? The bag is named for the date it was created: February 1955.
That infamously impractical hula hoop bag of Spring 2013? It would set you back $2,400.
Coco Chanel pioneered the idea of suits for women, and an updated version of the house’s signature tweed-suit look is still shown on the runway today.
Credit: Chanel
Is there a more classic, more iconic perfume than Chanel No. 5? No, and it’s the best-selling perfume of all time to prove it.
Before coming to Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld was the head designer at French fashion house Chloé. He was offered a salary of $1 million in order to convince him to leave.
ICYMI, Karl’s cat, Choupette Lagerfeld, is Instagram-famous – with 83.7K followers, to be exact. In 2015, she made 3 million euro, or around $3.3 million.
Love your little black dress? Us too – and Coco Chanel can be thanked for the timelessness of one of our essential pieces.
