Chanel
The first Chanel shop was opened in 1910 in Paris on rue Cambon by the young milliner Gabrielle Chanel (1883–1971), who had picked up the nickname “Coco” while working as a club singer. The boutique drew the attention of the Parisian fashion elite who popularized her wide-brimmed Chanel Modes hats. Soon she added a sportswear store in the Normandy resort town of Deauville, where Coco set the tone for her defining sense of style — traditionally masculine garments reimagined for feminine shapes, made from simple jersey fabric.
Effortless and elegant, her designs promoted comfort and grace in women’s wear that had been dominated in the previous century by complicated layers of fabric and cumbersome corsets. She followed this success with a couture house, opened in 1915 in Biarritz. Over the next six decades, Coco Chanel would become a pivotal designer of both fashionable casual wear and Paris haute couture as well as an icon and arbiter of 20th-century style with her bob haircut and pearls.
However, Chanel was not born into a life of glamour. Following the death of her mother, her father left her in an orphanage where she lived until the age of 18. It was there that she learned to sew as well as appreciate the classic pairing of black and white as worn by the nuns. In 1926, she introduced her first little black dress, reclaiming a color that had once been reserved for mourning and working-class women. That same decade, she debuted her perfume, Chanel No. 5, as well as the Chanel suit with a collarless jacket and fitted skirt, inspired by the boxy lines of men’s clothing and employing a sporty tweed.
Chanel closed her fashion operations during World War II, then returned to the industry in 1954 to design for the functional needs of modern women. Structure and wearability endured in all of Chanel’s clothing and accessories, like the quilted leather 2.55 handbag introduced in 1955 with its gold-chain shoulder strap that freed up a woman’s hands. The 1957 two-tone slingback pumps had a practical heel height while offering a bold statement in the black tip of the shoes.
After Coco Chanel died in 1971, the brand underwent several changes in leadership, including fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, who took over as artistic director in 1983. Over the years, the company has continued to innovate, such as expanding into ready-to-wear fashion in 1978 and, in 2002, establishing a subsidiary company — Paraffection — dedicated to preserving the heritage skills of fashion artisan workshops. The House of Chanel still operates its flagship on rue Cambon in Paris, where it all began.
Browse vintage Chanel evening dresses, jackets and more at 1stDibs.
Late 20th Century French Modern Chanel
Onyx, Gold
1980s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Chanel
Acrylic
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Chanel
Paper
1980s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Chanel
Acrylic
20th Century European Chanel
Late 20th Century French Chanel
Rubber
1990s Italian Modern Chanel
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Chanel
Ostrich Leather
Late 20th Century Italian Minimalist Chanel
Gold
Late 20th Century Italian Modern Chanel
Gold
Early 2000s American Bohemian Chanel
Gold
Late 20th Century Italian Modern Chanel
Gold
Late 20th Century Italian Egyptian Revival Chanel
Gold
Mid-20th Century Argentine Neoclassical Revival Chanel
Brass, Onyx
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Chanel
Mirror, Lucite
21st Century and Contemporary American Organic Modern Chanel
Velvet, Lucite, Driftwood
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Chanel
Porcelain
21st Century and Contemporary American Organic Modern Chanel
Felt, Lucite, Wood
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Chanel
Glass, Gold Leaf, Silver Leaf
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Chanel
Bronze, Wood, Lacquer
1990s French Modern Chanel
Metal
Late 20th Century French Modern Chanel
Glass
Early 2000s French Chanel
Crystal
1950s Regency Vintage Chanel
Fabric, Paint, Upholstery, Wood
Late 20th Century French Chanel
Silk
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Chanel
Mother-of-Pearl, Lucite
1970s French Vintage Chanel
Metal
1990s French Modern Chanel
Glass
Mid-20th Century French Modern Chanel
21st Century and Contemporary French Chanel
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Chanel
Plastic
2010s French Chanel
Leather