CHANEL

Coco Chanel founded Chanel in Paris in 1910 as a hat shop, revolutionizing women's fashion with simple, comfortable, and elegant designs, like jersey sportswear and the iconic "Little Black Dress," moving away from restrictive Victorian styles. Key innovations include the No. 5 perfume (1921), the quilted 2.55 bag (1950s), the two-tone shoe (1957), and the famous tweed suit (1924), establishing a timeless brand known for sophistication, though its history also includes controversy during WWII and its current private ownership by the Wertheimer brothers.