The debut of Gabrielle Chanel
To pay homage to Chanel’s time in fashion, Lagerfeld created modern versions of the long corset worn in the late 1910s, as well as Victorian booties.
Although the story of her childhood and personal life has been told so many times that it is now almost a myth in different versions, all agree that Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel began her career in 1909, designing hats, which would put her on the map as a style icon.
For more than three quarters of a century, Chanel has represented elegance. In 1914, the silhouette of the modern woman was born and Coco Chanel was one of those mainly responsible for creating it. Tired of corsets and whales, she sought designs that highlighted and allowed the movement and naturalness of the female body to flow.
Christy Turlington, one of the top models of the 90s, wore this bustier for the spring-summer 1993 show. In addition to this fashion show, Turlington was very present in many other fashion shows and campaigns of the brand in the late 80s and early 90s, becoming one of the muses of the Parisian maison.
Chanel’s nickname, ‘Coco’, came from her nickname as a cabaret singer, and her interpretation of the song ‘Qui qu’a vu Coco’, a job which she combined with the former and for which she made her own costumes.
Karl Lagerfeld (1933-2019) was a German fashion designer, photographer and creative director, renowned for his influence on the luxury industry. With a career spanning more than six decades, he worked for prestigious houses such as Balmain, Patou, Chloé and Fendi, but his most iconic legacy was built at Chanel, where in 1983 he took over as creative director.
His arrival at the maison marked a renaissance for the brand, modernising the codes established by Coco Chanel, without losing its essence. Lagerfeld revitalised the brand with his innovative and extravagant vision, making it a global symbol of sophistication and redefining contemporary fashion.
