Top 20+ Things You Didn't Know About Chanel

How Many Of These Facts About Chanel Do You Know?

Few fashion brands are as steeped in history and tradition as Chanel. From the decades-long best-selling fragrance to revolutionary handbags, Chanel was a trailblazer for women's fashion which was previously stifled and bound by corsets and skirts. Chanel made strides not only in the fashion world but for the emancipation of women too. Here are 20 things you might not have known about Chanel.

1. Coco Chanel Is The Only Fashion Designer On Time's "Most Influential" List

Coco Chanel is the only fashion designer listed on Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century for her iconic designs. She's recognized for her revolutionizing fashion. 

2. Coco Chanel Designed The Logo Herself

The signature double C logo was created by Coco Chanel herself in 1925. She drew inspiration from the patterns in a stained glass window of a monastery where she grew up.

3. She Was Criticized For Collaborating With Nazis

Coco Chanel stayed in France during WWII and was criticized for collaborating with Nazi-German occupiers and the Vichy puppet regime. She was even interrogated after the war concerning her involvement with a German diplomat. 

4. She Was Friends With Churchill

The only reason Coco Chanel wasn't further interrogated about her collaboration with Nazis during the war was that her pal, Winston Churchill intervened. An unlikely friendship between the two developed after they met through a mutual friend, the Duke of Westminster.

5. Her Name Isn't Coco

Coco Chanel's real name is Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel. She got her nickname Coco when she was working in cabarets and her signature song was “Qui qu'a vu Coco?” Coco also means "darling" in French.

6. Chanel No. 5 Is Still One Of The Best-Selling Perfumes In The World

The iconic fragrance, Chanel No. 5, was debuted in 1921. More than a century later, it's still one of the best-selling perfumes in the world. 

7. Chanel Liberated Women

Coco Chanel ditched the stifling corset, opting for casual, sporty, and chic attire for women. It completely revolutionized the way women dressed, allowing for more freedom of movement and comfort.

8. She Wasn't Raised With Luxury

Despite being associated with luxury and glamor, Coco Chanel had a tough childhood. Her mother died of bronchitis when Coco was just 11 years old and she was put in an orphanage by her father. 

9. Chanel Popularized The LBD

We can thank Chanel for popularizing every girl's go-to look, the little black dress (LBD). She introduced the item as a "day to night" look in a 1926 edition of Vogue. Prior to that, a simple black dress would've been reserved for funerals. 

10. Coco Chanel Died In Suite 302 Of The Ritz

Coco Chanel made Suite 302 of The Ritz Paris her home, spending the last 34 years of her life there. She passed away in that room in 1971 at age 87 with the legendary last words, "You see, this is how you die."

11. Chanel Introduced The First Women's Bag With A Shoulder Strap

Before Coco Chanel, women's handbags were literally handbags meaning they needed to be carried in a hand. The iconic 2.55 bag was the first women's purse to have a shoulder strap, freeing up both hands. 

12. Chanel Repurposed Jersey Fabric

Chanel repurposed the Jersey fabric typically found in men's underwear for her women's sportswear line. She preferred this fabric for its breathability and comfort. 

13. Chanel Fragrances Are Still Made By The Same Family

Chanel fragrances have been made by the Wertheimer family since the 1920s. In 1924, Coco Chanel signed over 80 percent of perfume profits to the Wertheimer family, a decision she later regretted when Chanel No. 5 became the world's best-selling perfume. She even tried unsuccessfully to sue the family for a greater share.

14. Chanel Designs Were Inspires By Nuns

After her mother's death, Coco Chanel was raised in an orphanage by nuns. Their black and white uniforms inspired the brand's iconic color scheme and the chains they used to hang keys over one shoulder inspired the famous chain strap on many of the handbags. 

15. Coco Chanel Was Well-Connected In The Art World

Coco Chanel was close friends with the likes of painter Pablo Picasso and poet and playwright Jean Cocteau. She designed costumes for Cocteau's films and plays. 

16. Marilyn Monroe Helped Boost Chanel No. 5 Sales

In an interview for Life Magazine in 1952, Marilyn Monroe famously answered the question, "What do you wear to bed?" with "Just a few drops of No. 5," instantly boosting the fragrance's sales. Contrary to what you may expect, it wasn't part of any advertising deal. She really did wear and love the perfume.

17. Coco Chanel Was One Of The First Women To Wear Trousers Publicly

In an age where women were expected to wear skirts and dresses, Coco Chanel emerged publicly wearing trousers. In 1918 while rocking some long flowy trousers, she was turned away from a casino, accused of wearing men's pyjamas.

18. Chanel Is The Oldest Haute Couture House

Established in 1918 at number 31 rue Cambon, Chanel is the oldest active haute couture house. Some brands like Hermes are older but didn't move into the haute fashion space until much later. 

19. Chanel No. 5's TV Ad Is The Most Expensive Ever Made

Actress Nicole Kidman and film director Baz Luhrmann teamed up to make a TV ad for Chanel No. 5 which is still the most expensive ever. It cost a baffling $33 million, $52 million in today's money.

20. Karl Lagerfeld Revived The Brand

Unlike other famed artists like Van Gogh whose work appreciated in value after their death, Chanel fell out of favor. About a decade after her death, revered designer Karl Lagerfeld stepped in to revive the brand. He created many of the modern ready-to-wear Chanel looks many of us are familiar with.