How it began: Coco Chanel, born in 1883, transformed the face of fashion when she began her epony-mous fashion house and began appropriating menswear and sportswear, creating what would become the new lexicon of style. The little black dress, the quilted purse, the iconic Chanel N°5 and the tweed jacket are just some of the label’s signature pieces that are still relevant today.
The label’s legacy: When Karl Lagerfeld revamped the label in 1983, he made what was once stale fresh again, transforming the matronly tweed suit into a playful, youthful stab at dress-up. The classic 2.5 was reissued and gained cult status. Again. The label has grown in popularity, with a film on Chanel, starring another Chanel face, Audrey Tatou, earning accolades at Cannes.
The women who wear it: Nicole Kidman famously endorsed the fragrance in a short film masquerading as a Baz Lhurman-directed commercial. Keira Knightly, who drew sighs from fans all over the world when she glided through Atonement in period frocks, was another fan favorite. These days, Vanessa Paradis, the French actress and mother of Johnny Depp’s children, has the hipster vote as Chanel’s latest muse.
Chanel N°5
The perfume is the stuff of legends. Marilyn Monroe once informed the press that she went to bed wearing only a spritz of Chanel N°5. Andy Warhol made the bottle a part of pop culture when he silkscreened nine prints of the iconic bottle. Today, N°5 has a permanent place in the Museum of Modern Art in NY. N°5 was the first of its kind, since Chanel used revolutionary techniques to create the scent. “I wanted to give women an artificial perfume,” said Chanel. “Yes, I really do mean artificial, like a dress, something that has been made. I don’t want any rose or lily of the valley, I want a perfume that is a composition.”
Chanel Nanolotion
From the Hydramax collection comes Nanolotion, an ultra concentrate that restores the skin’s pH balance and hydrates at the core. Made with Lotus Flower Concentrated Water, the power-packed formula, which derives its hydrating essence from the lotus flower, transforms into an energizing water upon contact with the skin, leaving your visage glowing and satin soft.
Chanel Sublimage Eye
The delicate lines fanning around the eye, the puffiness, the dark circles are all signs of a life not well-lived. Chanel’s Sublimage Eye Essential Regenerating Eye Cream was designed specifically to ease the signs of aging around the eyes. Made from the Vanilla Planifolia, a Madagascar plant known for its anti-aging properties, the cream aids in revitalizing and regenerating skin to create a luminous complexion.
Chanel Eye Gloss
Chanel Makeup global creative director Peter Philips channeled the dusky hues of Venice at sunset with this cream eye quad, which boasts the same deep, rich hues seen at the label’s cruise collection show which debuted against the dazzling skyline of Venice beach in Italy.