ThE WaNtEd FaShIoNs....

Chanel 

Picasso called her "the woman with the most sense in Europe". George Bernard Shaw gave her the title "fashion wonder of the world". Inarguably unique, Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel developed her own creativity to become an uncompromising visionary, the designer who invented 20th century women's fashion.

Gabrielle Chanel took on this nickname after her 1905 performance of the song "Qui qu'a vu Coco dans le Trocadero" for a crowd of uniformed admirers at La Rotonde, a music hall in a small provincial town.

At a time when it was unheard of for women to call the shots, Chanel founded an internationally successful business. This avant-garde attitude earned her a coterie of creative virtuosos. Picasso, Salvador Dali, Stravinsky and Diaghilev were just a few of the admirers who fell under the spell of her supreme talent and legendary wit. Whether as lovers, benefactors, or recipients of her own generosity Chanel attracted some of the most powerful, talented and eccentric men of her days.

Chanel was the first designer to create a boutique that offered its customers the chance to try out a "total look" in a non-fussy environment. The hundred shops bearing her name today continue her tradition of harmony and minimalism, allowing breathing space for the products - and the customers.

Chanel built her business from scratch, and all her life maintained the desire to remain staunchly independent. Today her company remains privately owned, making it something of a rarity in the luxury market. Mademoiselle Chanel's avant-garde thinking, which made The House of CHANEL unique at the beginning of the last century, is still modern today. "Nothing is as beautiful as an empty space. It needs to be properly furnished, with quiet things".

Chanel continues to transcend conventions and re-invent chic. Artistic director Karl Lagerfeld assertively and whimsically pushed the boundaries of the unmistakable Chanel look, reacting intuitively to the speed of the changing times.

Labels: Top Designers