Chanel History

By visiting our Chanel Catalogue you can see the models that we have currently in stock.

1883: Gabrielle CHANEL born in Saumur.

1909: Gabriel Chanel opened a little milliners shop in Paris, at 160 boulevard Malesherbes.

1910: Chanel relocated to 21rue Cambon, where she remained for more than 50 years, throughout her years of glorious success.

1913: Opened second shop in Deauville.

1916: Opens third shop in Biarritz.

1921: The chemist Ernest Beaux offered her five formulae for perfumes, one of which became Chanel N° 5, still the top selling perfume in the world today.

1924: Coco Chanel and Pierre Wertheimer, the director of BOURJOIS, developed the perfume business together.


1935: She reached her most glorious peak, and all the crowned heads and celebrities of the time could be seen at rue Cambon. Coco CHANEL headed a workforce of over 4,000.

1939: Right at the start of the war, CHANEL decided to close and lay off her staff. She tried, by various dubious manoeuvres, but failed to secure, the exclusive rights to every perfume that bore her name, in the absence of the Wertheimer family, in exile in the United States. Following her arrest, Mademoiselle CHANEL retired to Switzerland for the next few years.

1954: Coco CHANEL re-opened in the rue Cambon and ceded the control of the couture house to Pierre Wertheimer, who forgave her, knowing that without Gabrielle Chanel, there would be no CHANEL.
 


1971: Gabrielle CHANEL died on 10 January at the RITZ Hotel, where she lived near to the rue Cambon, leaving a veritable empire behind her.

1972: To ensure their succession, the Wertheimer family turned to the faithful workforce of the Coco Chanel ateliers, attached to the tradition of the great couture House.

1983: The Wertheimer turned to great names in couture-Karl LAGERFELD, formerly at BALMAIN and PATOU- and perfumery - Jacques POLGE, from GIVAUDAN ROURE.

2000: Creative Director at Chanel Jacques Helleu followed Coco Chanels credo, having designed the first Chanel watch named ''Premiere" in 1987. The first model of the Chanel J12 watches line was introduced in.

2005: Chanel designers introduced the J12 line into the area of Fine Jewelry timepieces - they developed the jewelry watch that was equipped with the tourbillion. Chanel asked experienced Swiss watchmakers to develop the exclusive "CHANEL O5-T.1" movement.

2006: the line was joined by Chanel J12 Haute Joaillerie set with 597 baguette-cut diamonds, followed by the creation of the Chanel J12 Tourbillon Haute Joaillerie.

2007: Chanel launched its first J12 GMT model.

2008: Chanel initiated the partnership with Audemars Piguet, having developed the J12 calibre 3125, equipped with an innovative automatic movement - CHANEL AP - 3125, the fusion of the AP 3120 movement and Chanel J12 ceramic.[7]