Research Chanel

Today I researched Chanel to take a good look at the little black dress so I can take this into account for my own design. Last term I also did research in Chanel so I already know history about her. 

Coco Chanel (1883) born in France was a French fashion designer that made many changes in the Parisian Haute Couture. She inspired women with casual designs instead of complicated and uncomfortable dresses. One of her famous innovations were the costume jewelry, the Chanel suit, the quilted purse and of course the little black dress. 

Her first succes of clothing came from a dress she. made on a cold day out of a sweater.  She opened her first shop in Paris in 1910 where she started selling hats. By the late 1920s she did not only sell clothes but also perfume, textile mill and jewelry.

All with the help of her rich 'lovers' especially with Boy Capel who she fell in love with. He helped her financial so she could follow her dreams. In 1913 she opened a boutique in Deauville were she designed clothes for women that were modern and comfortable just like the clothing for men.

Chanel cannot sketch nor she doesn't like to sew. She does not like the designs on paper because she has a theory that no one can tell what a dress looks like and wants to see the design on the models. However that did not stop her from creating beautiful designs. Her style and palette is still modern as it was back then, chic and sportive. She created feminine evening dresses of lace that gave women as much authority as her day wear did. Her vision was that fashion should be available to the widest possible market. In 1939 she closed her shop due to the outbreak of World War 2. Until 1954 she designed the famous suit design, bell-bottomed pants and the quilted bag.

The little black dress

Her inspiration for the little black dress came from her unfortunate childhood. She had grown up with uniforms for working class women and it wasn't until this dress  showed up on the cover of Vogue, it changed the fashion world. This dress is known as a black evening dress, simply and classic. It is intented to be long lasting, affordable but mostly accessible. It was for woman who could afford to be chic. (The list, 2020) She had revolutionized fashion with a practical yet elegant dress, with straight lined silhouettes, stepping out of the excess, the tight corsets, and constricted clothes.

She made black the ultimate colour of fashion.  The Chanel logo represents the elegance and sophistication that Chanel stands for same as for the little black dress. The color black represents darkness, night and despair.

“Breakfast at Tiffany's” (1961)

High neck-line, over the knees, connect accurately.

What I mostly like about this dress is that it is a blank canvas. You can wear it on many occasions, it can be sexy or conservative.  Because this dress is known for its simplicity, I want to take this into account with my own dress. I will not use exaggerated shapes because this dress is timeless.  I tend to make minimal adjustments but to make it more attractive I will have to play with the accessories. My dress needs to remain classic and simple so I can finish the look with beautiful accessories.  Now that I know the background of this dress, the next step is to research how I can make my own twist on it. 

Reference:

Vogue Australia. 2019. Everything to know about the history of the little black dress. [online] Available at: <https://www.vogue.com.au/fashion/news/everything-to-know-about-the-history-of-the-little-black-dress/image-gallery/331833aef31580619e15123a0e1496d0> [Accessed 29 April 2021].0

TheList.com. 2020. Here's How Coco Chanel Created The Little Black Dress. [online] Available at: <https://www.thelist.com/250041/heres-how-coco-chanel-created-the-little-black-dress> [Accessed 29 April 2021].

Encyclopedia Britannica. 2021. Coco Chanel | Biography, Fashion, Designs, Perfume, & Facts. [online] Available at: <https://www.britannica.com/biography/Coco-Chanel> [Accessed 29 April 2021].

Biography. 2021. Coco Chanel. [online] Available at: <https://www.biography.com/fashion-designer/coco-chanel> [Accessed 29 April 2021].

The Business of Fashion. 2021. Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel (1883-1971). [online] Available at: <https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/news-analysis/gabrielle-coco-chanel-1883-1971> [Accessed 29 April 2021].