Chanel: Couture and Industry

For almost a century, the name Chanel has been inextricably linked to elegance, modernity, and fashion innovation. It was Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel (1883–1971) who single-handedly made striped jerseys and loose trousers chic, costume jewelry desirable, the little black dress the height of sophistication, and tweed suits a staple of every fashion-conscious woman’s wardrobe. In this beautifully illustrated book, drawing on the renowned collections of the V&A, fashion historian Amy de la Haye celebrates Chanel as the couturière who changed the way stylish women everywhere dress, then and now. She also examines the creative output of this most famous of fashion houses, from its infancy in the 1920s to the present day as it continues to prosper under the direction of Karl Lagerfeld.