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Chanel

Artist Info
ChanelFrench, founded 1914

“L’Elégance, c’est moi,” said Chanel—unless the quotation is apocryphal, like so much else in the Chanel legend. Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel (1883-1971) is probably the most famous fashion designer of the twentieth century, but this fame is based not so much on the remarkably enduring appeal of her designs as on the mythology that has surrounded her life and career. The popular image of Chanel is of a unique genius who created her personal style in isolation from the work of other designers, and virtually single-handedly brought women into the modern era. She is credited, for example, with abolishing the corset and “inventing” the Little Black Dress.

Ironically, this hyperbolic portrait, which she did so much to create, has obscured her genuine accomplishments. Paul Poiret and Madeleine Vionnet created corset-less new styles years before Chanel; and myriad designers of the 1920s created little black dresses and functional sportswear separates. But Chanel was not just a fashion designer; she was also her own best fashion model. She created an image of herself as a modern woman of style, dandyish in her simplicity, with a casual chic that made other women look like over-dressed dolls. By publicizing this image, Chanel not only achieved a much higher profile than her contemporaries (whether men like Jean Patou or women like the talented but motherly-looking Jeanne Lanvin), she also created a prototype for the modern woman—one that has lasted until today.

Although she closed her couture house in 1939, Chanel reopened in 1954, and positioned herself as the antithesis of the reigning male designers of the postwar era. In contrast to Dior’s ever-changing silhouettes, she proposed comfortable, slightly boxy suits, which functioned as stylish uniforms. As Karl Lagerfeld observed, to some extent, Chanel’s genius lay in doing the right thing at the right time. The continued success of her perfume, Chanel Number 5, also kept the brand’s name in the public eye. Nevertheless, after her death in 1971, Chanel’s style became fossilized.

It was only in 1983, when Karl Lagerfeld was brought in, that the Chanel style was brought back to life. Indeed, Lagerfeld once pictured himself as an “emergency doctor” who rejuvenated the famous Chanel suit and other signature styles, introducing new materials, such as denim and leather, and techniques like deconstruction. Unlike Chanel, who was a modernist, Lagerfeld was a postmodernist who boldly exaggerated design elements and signature details, such as chains, costume jewelry, and the famous double C’s. Lagerfeld headed design at Chanel until his death in 2019.

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Pale pink chiffon below-the-knee length sleeveless evening dress made of graduating scalloped d…
Evening dress
Chanel
c. 1925
P83.39.8
Evening chemise in pale pink crepe chiffon, straightline with graduating scalloped diagonal flounces; low open round neck with narrow shoulder straps, below knee length; self tie belt with picot edge
Black evening dress with lace neckline and wrist trim, pleated skirt
Evening dress
Chanel
c. 1926
80.13.4
Evening dress in black silk satin with ecru alençon lace yoke and wrist trim; sawtooth inset bands at lower edge of tunic bodice and on wide hip band; knife pleated lower skirt
Black lace two-piece evening dress with round neck and slightly flared tunic top and matching s…
Evening two-piece dress
Chanel
c. 1926
80.13.14
Short two-piece evening dress in black lace and silk; sleeveless, open round neck front with deep décolleté back; slightly flared lace tunic. Black silk satin crepe slip; black silk chiffon hem; matching black lace skirt attached; flared with godets; couture
Red long sleeve day dress with drop waist & knee length pleated skirt
Dress
Chanel
c. 1927
80.13.2
Long sleeve chemise day dress in red silk crepe romaine; bateau neckline, front bib shaped yoke, mock closure at left with self covered fabric buttons, T shaped back shoulder yoke, decorative top stitching in triple row design on bodice at dropped waist and at knee length pleated skirt top to hold down box pleats, picot edge at hem, turned up sleeve cuffs with two decorative self covered buttons; couture
Peacock blue long sleeve dress with drop waist and knee length pleated skirt
Dress
Chanel
1926
80.13.3
Long sleeve chemise dress in peacock blue silk crepe; modified bateau neck, inset bib front with buttoned mock closure at left, shaped back shoulder yoke, drop waist; knee length skirt with narrow, stitched down box pleats; couture
Red evening cape smocked along curved edges of cocoon silhouette, crimson feather trim forming …
Evening cape
Chanel
1927
96.69.15
Calf length evening cape in doubled red silk crepe de chine crinkled and smocked along curved edges of cocoon silhouette, crimson feather trim forming shawl collar and wide hem band
Light blue gloves with blue palms and long cuffs shirred in three rows
Gloves
Chanel
c.1931
71.252.4
Evening gauntlet gloves in shirred light blue cotton velvet with blue kid suede palms; long cuff shirred in three rows
Black sleeveless floor length net and lace evening dress and floor length sleeveless evening dr…
Evening dress
Chanel
c.1932
77.133.2
Long sleeveless evening dress in alternating bands of cream silk charmeuse and Alençon lace; chemise bodice with draped lace collar; flared circle skirt with graduated bands of lace and satin, ending in wide lace hem banded underneath with horse hair braid; attached slip with lace flounce.
Black sleeveless floor length net and lace evening dress and floor length sleeveless evening dr…
Evening dress
Chanel
c. 1932
77.89.1
Sleeveless evening dress in alternating bands of black shirred net and Chantilly lace, increasing in cone shape to hem; scoop neck; drop lining in black taffeta with pleated bias cut double hem flounce and side snap closure; couture
Navy blue suit with cardigan style jacket and matching A-line knee length skirt; dressed with w…
Suit
Chanel
c. 1935
76.53.1
60 cm cardigan jacket in navy blue wool double knit; 7/8 slim sleeves with 2 cm slit at back of cuff; slant welt pocket on either side front; three tailored button front closing. Matching 7 gore skirt with open top stitched seams; 2 cm self waist band; crepe seat lining; hook closing in seam pocket at left side.
Blue wool double breasted suit jacket with gold buttons, off-white bow tie top and blue knee le…
Ensemble
Chanel
c. 1960
88.72.3
Three-piece suit with stylized blazer and skirt in deep blue heavy wool doubleknit; long sleeve tie collar blouse in ivory silk, with CHANEL machine embroidered on patch pockets; gold metal buttons and detachable cuff links
Gold lame and silk brocade evening suit with ties at neckline, ¾ sleeves and pleated mid thigh …
Suit
Chanel
c. 1960
76.185.3
Evening suit, dress and jacket in patterned gold lame and silk brocade with additional shades of brown, beige and periwinkle purple / blue; pattern depicts men riding on horseback with bow and arrow drawn, birds, deer and flowers; dress with V shaped straps, horizontal curved and graduating seamed bands at fitted bodice, dropped waistline, box pleated skirt - pleats are top stitched down and released at mid thigh; boxy jacket with 3/4 length sleeves with horizontal curved and graduating seamed bands, spread collar, self ties at neckline - tie in a knot at CF; couture