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The CHANEL Company/Brand is know for its classic couture and famed fragrance CHANEL No. 5. It’s founder was none other than Gabrielle Bonheur “Coco” Chanel, and it’s last know director (which recently passed away) was the iconic Karl Lagerfeld. The company is estimated to be worth $1.5 billion, with over 120 boutiques worldwide and one of the largest perfume brand in the industry.

CHANEL Company Timeline:

1910- the first shop opened at 21 Rue Cambon in Paris

1913- another boutique was opened in Deauville, France; a line of Jersey garments and collection of sports wear launched

1915- the opening of the first CHANEL Couture House in Biarritz, France

1918- the fashion house is moved to 31 Rue Cambon in France

1921- the unveiling of CHANEL No.5 fragrance created by Ernest Beaux; the use of the iconic interlocking C’s for the first time

1922- CHANEL No.22 launched

1924- first line of CHANEL makeup was launched; “Société Des Parfums CHANEL” was created to come up with unique fragrances and makeup; tweed is used for the first time in Chanel’s designs

1925- GARDENIA fragrance was launched

1926- BOIS DES ILES fragrance was launched (first manly fragrance launched for women); the little black dress launched

1927- CUIR DE RUSSE fragrance was launched; the CHANEL line for skincare launched

1931- Coco Chanel designs for Hollywood Stars

1932- Bijoux De Diamants fine jewelry exhibition

1935- CHANEL employs 4,000 workers and owns 5 boutiques on Rue Cambon

1954- grand re-opening of the Couture House

1955- the CHANEL 2.55 bag launched, POUR MONSEIUER fragrance by Henri Robert was launched

1957- the iconic Two-Toned CHANEL shoe launched

1970- CHANEL No.19 launched

1971- death of Coco Chanel

“May my legend prosper and thrive. I wish it a long and Happy Life!!” -Coco Chanel

1974- CRISTALLE fragrance launched

1978- the Ready-to Wear collection launched

1981- ANTAEUS created by Jacques Polge launched

1983- Karl Lagerfeld was appointed as the creative director or the CHANEL house and designer of the Ready-to-Wear collections

1984- COCO fragrance was launched

1987- the Premiere Watch and CHANEL first line of watches launched

1990- EGOISTE fragrance launched

1993- CHANEL Fine Jewelry and Watch line launched; the venue on 18 Place Vendome becomes the home of this line

1996- ALLURE and ALLURE HOMME launch

2000- J12 CHANEL sports watch launches

2001- COCO MADEMOISELLE fragrance launched

2002- the CHANEL brand once again expanded adding The Metiers D’Art (which consisted of metalworkers, flower and feather craftsmen, milliners, embroiders, shoemakers, goldsmiths, and floral accessory experts)

2003- CHANCE fragrance by Jacques Polge launched

2005- CHANEL at the Met

2006- Rouge Allure lipstick line launched

2007- LES EXCLUSIFS de CHANEL fragrance launched and can only be found is exclusive CHANEL stores

2009- Rouge Coco lipstick launched

2010- BLEU de CHANEL fragrance launched

2011- “Culture CHANEL” international honor bestowed

2012- little black jacket book and photo exhibition launched

2013- No. 5 Culture CHANEL Exhibition in Paris

Tip 2 for Modeling:

NO HOOTCHIE POSES FOR PHOTOS

Having photos taken of you is one of the main expectations of modeling. No matter what you are doing there will always be a photographer involved. Therefor, the way you pose says a lot about you as a model and the agency that you represent. Do remember NO HOOCHIE POSES!

All right Bellah Bloggers! Its that time of the week again! Who do you think wore this beautiful Christian Dior dress better? Is it singer/songwriter Julia Michaels or the iconic Angelababy?

 

CHANEL is one the biggest influential company not only in the fashion industry, but in history as well. But how did the company start? And who is the genius behind the original, classic CHANEL designs, scents, and accessories? Well I am about to tell you so keep on reading…

The creator behind the iconic CHANEL brand is none other than Gabrielle Bonheur “Coco” Chanel. She was born in Saumur, France in 1883 on August the 19th. Gabrielle’s mother died when she was a pre-teen (age 12), so her father sent her and her siblings to an orphanage. This is where she learned how to sew, but her first career was not being a designer. Gabrielle tried her hand at Cabaret singing, which is where she got the nickname “Coco” (short for Cocotte which means “kept woman”), but that did not work out but it is where she met Etienne Balsan who introduced her to the world of fashion in a new way.

Coco Chanel’s first fashion venture was her shop in 1910 on 21 Rue Cambon in Paris, France. The two people who were behind this venture of Coco’s was Etienne Balsan and Arthur “Boy” Capel. Due to it being her first shop, she designed mostly hats and a few clothing pieces under the name of Chanel Modes. Her shop became highly successful, and she was able to open up two more shops (one in Deauville and the CHANEL fashion House in Biarritz) where she began to make clothing.

Most of Coco Chanel’s early work was made out of Jersey, which was a fabric associated with men’s clothing. Due to a dress she made out of this material for herself, she became known for this around Paris. Every woman wanted one, therefor Chanel said the following:

“My fortune is built on that old jersey that I’d put on because it was cold in Deauville.” – Chanel

Coco Chanel is mainly known for her revolutionary women clothing apparel, and her famous fragrance CHANEL No. 5. In 1920, CHANEL launched it’s first fragrance CHANEL No. 5. Chanel’s perfume was the first to feature a designer’s name and it the look of the perfume was her creation entirely. CHANEL No. 5 was backed by department store owner Theophile Bader and Pierre and Paul Wertheimer. Due to this partnership, CHANEL No. 5 became a massive hit and source of revenue for the company.

“Perfume is the unseen, unforgettable, ultimate accessory of fashion…that heralds your arrival and prolongs your departure.” – Chanel

Other fashion trends that were started by CHANEL in the 1920’s are collarless cardigan jacket, bias cut dress, shoe string shoulder strap, the floating evening scarf, and combination of junk and real jewels accessories and embellishments.

“Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury.” – Chanel

Many of these and Coco Chanel’s early design’s (like uncluttered styles, boxy-lines, shortened skirts, and no corsets) became trademarks of her company and future designs.

Due to Coco Chanel’s own slim boyish figure, cropped hair, tanned skin, active lifestyle, and independence; her clothing designs showcase many of these elements and revolutionize women clothing to make it better for the everyday women. She also incorporated her favorite color pallet (black, beige, and white) into her designs as well.

Coco Chanel helped to create women’s clothing that was simpler and more practical, like introducing trousers and suits for women. In 1925, CHANEL came out with its new legendary suit with a collarless jacket and well-fitted skirt. This revolutionized women’s fashion even more by borrowing elements of men’s fashion and emphasizing comfort over the constraints of then-popular fashions. Not too long after, the CHANEL little black dress came out. Confirming that black could be chic and elegant as evening wear and plain enough for daily wear.  In 1929, the iconic CHANEL bag with the thin strap came into existence.

“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” – Chanel

In 1938, Coco Chanel retired from the fashion industry, and the CHANEL fashion house closed for some time. But 16 years later she came back strong in the fashion industry due to the fact that she upset by men dominating the Paris fashion industry. Even though she took a break from fashion, her comeback design made her the most recognizable name in the world due to pairing taste, fashion, and practicality with the awareness of what people want.

“In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different.” – Chanel

In 1954, at the age of 70, Coco Chanel returned to Paris to open up her Couture Fashion House after closing it in 1939 because of World War II. She said that war was not a time for fashion, and there was an incident with a German lover of hers that kept her away from the public eye. Her post war label successful in Britian and America, but less so in France. Even though this was the case, Coco Chanel was still able to influence and revolutionize fashion.

On January 10th, 1971, Gabrielle Bonheur “Coco” Chanel died. Even though she was gone, people like the Wertheimer family and Karl Lagerfeld kept her legacy and iconic looks alive. Her story and her merchandise continues to inspire and captivate people everywhere. Coco Chanel will always be known as the French modernist designer who revolutionized women’s clothing. She was even the only designer to be listed in the TIME 100 most influential people of the 20th Century. Coco Chanel was famous for her timeless designs, trade-mark suits, and little black dress that are accompanied by pearls.

“With a black sweater and 10 rows of pearls, Chanel revolutionized fashion.” – Dior 

As long as her CHANEL Company keeps the much revered style and sophisticated designs, her legacy will continue to revolutionize the fashion industry.

 

 

 

As history evolves, so does the fashion worn by the people who change history. But just as history repeats itself, fashion trends do the same. One fashion trend that transcends time since the 1800’s is ruching. For those of you who don’t know what ruching is, let me explain.

Ruching the gathering of strips of fabric. Simple right? Well you’re not wrong. Ruching appeared back in the fashion seen in the 1980’s as a classic gathering technique in order to add liveliness back to clinging clothing. This fashion trend shows up in all sort or clothing apparel; from skirts to sleeves. It’s more commonly seen in the everyday styles of maternity clothes.

So what does ruching accomplish? The answer to that is that it accomplishes a lot. It adds texture, silhouette, liveliness, and style to just about any type of apparel. It even helps to elongate the frame and allow a curvy appearance to shine through. In order to accomplish this, the fabric is gathered, pleated, or repeatedly folded as embellishment.

Take ruching on dressed as an example. It creates a 3-Dimensional look to the fabric and emphasizes the contours of the form wearing it.

Rouching has four techniques that is applicable to said trend:

1.) Gathering with Basting Stitches

This is the easiest method of ruching because basting stitches can be made by hand or

a sewing machine. This allows the fabric to contain its fullness and create automatic

folds.

2.) Stitching with an Elastic Band

3.) Pleating the Fabric

4.) Hand Stitching a Rouche with Smocking Stitches

This method consist of tying knots in the back of the fabric in a pattern.

 

No matter what method is used, ruching is definitely a trend to follow for this 2019 Fashion Season.

We all talk and hear about the fashion industry, especially those of us who work in this industry, but what exactly is the fashion industry?

The fashion industry is a mutli-billion-dollar global enterprise devoted to making and selling clothes. Now most people consider all clothing inside the fashion industry, but the apparel industry is completely different than the fashion industry due to it not being “high fashion”. But what is considered fashion if there is also an apparel clothing industry?

Fashion is defined as the styles of clothing and accessories worn at any given time by any groups of people. This means that even everyday wear and apparel are also considered fashion, just not part of the specific fashion industry fashion.

There are many things that contribute to the fashion industry, it’s not just clothes and fashion shows (though that is the fun part). The fashion industry encompasses the design, manufacturing, distribution, marketing, retailing, advertising, and promotion of all apparel and designer fashion. Because of all of this, the industry accounts for a significant share of the world economic output.

There are five levels to the fashion industry:

1.) Production of Raw Materials (Design and Textiles)

2.) Fashion Design and Manufacturing

3.) Fashion Retailing, Marketing, and Merchandise

4.) Fashion Shows

5.) Media and Marketing

 

The fashion industry forms a part of a larger social and cultural phenomenon called the “fashion system”. The fashion system is a concept that embraces the business of fashion and the art and craft of fashion. Just proving that the fashion industry thrives by being diverse and flexible to gratify any consumer desire.

 

 

 

 

We all love looking for award show just to see who are the same outfit as someone else so we can judge who wore it better. Well know here is your chance. Let us know who you think where it better, Miley Cyrus or Taraji P. Henson.

 

“Fashion is an attitude more than a clothing detail.” – Karl Lagerfeld

Karl Lagerfeld:

One of the most upsetting recent events in the fashion industry is the death if Karl Lagerfeld. Know, most people do not understand the significance of loosing someone like Karl because they do not know the influence he had and continues to have in the world of fashion.

Karl Lagerfeld can only be described as a force of nature. He had is own original perspective on fashion and pop culture that will be severely missed. Not only was he the creative director of his own signature brand labeled KARL LAGERFELD (which he sold in 2005 to the Tommy Hilfiger Group), but he was oversaw the creative direction of the Chanel and Fendi fashion houses. Karl was the genius behind Chanel’s ready-to-wear and couture design collections (boucle tweed, pearls, dual-tones footwear, and interlocking C’s), as well as Fendi’s ready-to-wear collections.

 

Major Contributions:

Though Karl Lagerfeld was born the son of a wealthy Hamburg, Germany businessman, he worked hard for the fashion industry and challenged the industry in a way that was uniquely his own and cannot be copied. Not only was he a genius at designing and staging fashion, but he also was great at illustration, photography, styling, and publishing. Basically a genius in any art field he stepped into.

Here are a few of his contributions:

1957- Became the Art Director for Jean Patou

1962- First Freelancer in the Modern Fashion Industry

1964- Chloe Perfume

1965- Director of Fendi’s Fashion House

1983- Director of Chanel’s Fashion House

1984- Karl Lagerfeld Fashion House Created

2004- 1st Designer to be asked by a fashion giant (H&M) to collaborate on

a collection

2005- Sold KARL LAGERFELD brand to Tommy Hilfiger group

2018- Collaboration with model Kaia Gerber to introduce KARL

LAGERFELD X KAIA Collection

2019- Died on February 19th, 2019

 

KARL LAGERFELD Brand:

Everyone gets the Karl Lagerfeld was creative and out-of-the-box when it came to the fashions produced by the two company houses that he oversaw, therefor it is no surprise that his own fashions were just a unique as the designer himself. Karl’s fashion brand combined Parisian-inspired styles with rock-chic ease. Which created and edgy yet classy look. Through his brand, the fashion industry could see that not only was Karl a fashion icon, but a inspiration to all who wanted to create/or were creating fashion apparel or/and advertisements. His brand has over 100 monobrand points of sales around the world (including Paris, New York, Moscow, London, Dubai, and Shanghai), with distribution through the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. In 2005, he sold his brand to the Tommy Hilfiger Group but continued to create more collections for it. Karl Lagerfeld was basically the ultimate artist and a fashion super genius.

 

Photos:

The Chole Perfume the was created by Karl Lagerfeld that became popular even though he did not have his own brand yet. Karl also created the ad himself. 

An original KARL LAGERFELD Collection design.

A Karl Lagerfeld Chanel House design that incorporates the interlocking C’s and the boucle tweed iconic look.

A few photos of Karl Lagerfeld with his own KARL LAGERFELD collection (left), Chanel Collection (middle), and Fandi Collection (right).