In 1909, Gabrielle Bonheur "Coco"Chanel founded the House of Chanel, a Parisian fashion house. Born on August 19, 1883, Chanel was one of the most respected designers of the 20th century, and she made a long-lasting impact on the fashion industry. She transformed high-style fashion by replacing traditional uncomfortable and restrictive clothing with a new casual and elegant style, allowing women to feel comfortable in their clothes as well as retain a high sense of fashion.

Coco Chanel originally made decorated hats that were worn by ashion-conscious French women. In 1913, though, she introduced a ange of comfortable womens sportswear that allowed for freedom f movement, and her tasteful clothing became widely known in rance for its simplicity. Some years later, her legendary perfume, hanel No. 5, was launched, and it has since become one of the most amous fragrances of all time, worn by just about every female egastar of the past 60 years. arilyn Monroe even said that ll she wore to bed was a few rops of Chanel No.5.

Chanel's status as a fashion legend was even more firmly established when she released the "little black dress," a sexy dress made of thin black silk that caused a stir in fashion circles and is imitated to this day.

When World War II began, Chanel retired, closing her dressmaking business so that her company only continued to sell accessories and jewelry. Her relationship with a Nazi officer during the war resulted in her exile to Switzerland and her years of decreasing popularity. In 1954 she came back to France, started selling clothing again, and soon rose to the upper ranks of fashion marketing and design.

Coco Chanel died on January 10, 1971, at the age of 87. During her life, she led a fashion revolution that still inspires many of today's greatest fashion designers. When Germanborn designer Karl Lagerfeld was appointed artistic director for the House of Chanel in 1983, a new, modern, and more adventurous style was introduced, and once again, Chanel was at the head of fashion.

1909年，嘉布麗葉兒．波納．「可可」．香奈兒設立了House of Chanel 這間巴黎時尚小店。香奈兒生於1883年8月19日，她是20世紀最受推崇的設計師，對時尚界產生了深遠的影響。她用嶄新的優雅休閒設計，取代傳統既不舒服又拘束的服裝，重新詮釋了高格調時尚，讓女性在保有時尚品味之餘也能穿得舒適。

可可．香奈兒原本替重視時尚的法國女士製作帽飾，但是到了1913年，她推出了一系列舒適的女性運動服，讓身體活動更方便，她的優雅服飾也以樸素風格風靡法國。數年之後，她的傳奇香水「香奈兒5號」問世，自此成為有史以來最負盛名的香水之一。過去60年來，幾乎每一位大牌女明星都會噴這款香水。瑪麗蓮．夢露甚至曾說，她只擦香奈兒5號睡覺。

香奈兒的時尚傳奇地位，在她發表了「黑色小洋裝」這款黑色薄絹製的性感洋裝後，更加屹立不搖，並在時尚圈刮起一陣旋風，至今仍被爭相模仿。

第二次世界大戰爆發之後，香奈兒退休並結束製裝事業，她的公司只繼續賣配件和珠寶。她在戰時與一名納粹黨員過從甚密，致使她流亡瑞士，聲望也逐日下降。1954年，她回到法國，重新開始販售衣服，沒多久又重返時尚行銷和設計的崇高地位。

可可．香奈兒於1971年1月10日辭世，享年87歲。她一生引領的時尚改革，至今仍啟發了許多頂尖的時尚設計師。德國設計師卡爾．拉格斐在1983年被指派為香奈兒（House of Chanel）的藝術總監，帶來新穎、現代，同時更大膽的設計風格，而香奈兒則再度成為時尚界的龍頭。