Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel changed the way that women dress by challenging fashion conventions in the early 20th century. Her desire for womenswear to be comfortable rather than restrictive was considered truly radical at the time. “The hardest thing about my work is enabling women to move with ease, to move like they’re not in costume,” she said in a film released by the house in 2013. “Not changing attitude, or manner, depending on their dress – it’s very difficult. And the human body is always moving.”
The profound impact Chanel personally had on fashion will be documented in a forthcoming exhibition at the V&A, Gabrielle Chanel: Fashion Manifesto. The showcase will explore how her design signatures were first developed, and revisit how she founded the house of Chanel. It only opens on 16 September, but you can already reserve your tickets on the museum’s website. While we wait for our chance to enter into Coco’s world, revisit her most iconic creations, below.
Little black dresses
Vogue introduced the world to the Chanel LBD in its October 1926 issue with an illustration of a woman wearing a long-sleeved black dress that fell just below the knee. This new style of dress was likened to the revolutionary Model T car, which was invented by Henry Ford in the ’20s.
Skirt suits
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As Vogue’s Edward Enninful once said of the Chanel tweed jacket, “It’s the ultimate sign of luxury – it has never gone out of fashion, and it never will.” In the ’20s, Chanel was inspired by the men’s tweed fishing and hunting jackets she saw her lover, the Duke of Westminster, wear in the Highlands. However, it wasn’t until 1954 that the tweed jacket was officially launched. Instead of a classic coarse tweed, Chanel reworked the traditional Scottish fabric, creating a soft bucked tweed (known as bouclé), which enabled more movement.
Two-tone pumps
Gabrielle Chanel was first seen wearing two-tone pumps in the ’20s, but it wasn’t until 1957 that the first monochrome slingback by Chanel officially launched. She designed the elegant, versatile heels with shoemaker Massaro so that women could wear them all day and night without too much discomfort. Another practical detail of note? The black toe caps, which stop them from getting scuffed.
Breton tops
Gabrielle Chanel included a nautical striped Breton top in her collection in 1917, and it became a cornerstone of her own wardrobe. In the ’30s, she was photographed wearing a striped top tucked into a pair of high-rise tailored trousers, an outfit that feels just as stylish and modern almost a century later.
2.55 bags
Gabrielle Chanel first started working on the quilted 2.55 handbag in the ’20s. It finally launched in February 1955 (hence its moniker) and was the first handbag with a shoulder strap. The distinctive strap is inspired by the chains that Chanel used to weight the hems of her suit jackets and is filled with practical compartments, including a back slip pocket for bank notes and a lipstick-shaped holder in the centre of the bag.
Gabrielle Chanel: Fashion Manifesto will open at the V&A on 16 September
