Coco Chanel’s greatest inventions

Coco Chanel is an indomitable name in the world of fashion. Yet, the extent of her influence may surprise many, as numerous globally acclaimed fashion pieces stem from her original designs. Ranging from iconic handbags to timeless tweed coats, here's a comprehensive catalogue of Coco's innovative contributions to fashion.

Tweed Suit

In an attempt to combine masculine and feminine fashion, Coco Chanel used tweed in her suits all the way in the 1920s. This invariably became one of her biggest contributions to the world of fashion. While not historically considered to be luxurious, tweed suits have found fans in celebrities such as Princess Diana and Anna Wintour among others.

The Li'l Black Dress

Another product of the 1920s, the little black dress was Chanel's brainchild and what a blessed one at that! Simple, versatile, and timeless, the outfit is known as "Chanel's Ford," carrying its weight over the decades and well into the modern times.

The Pearl Necklace

An ace fashion designer, Chanel was also a top-rate jewellery connoisseur. She was the first to combine fine jewellery with fashionable clothes, completing the outfit. While she had hired herself an expensive Italian jewellery designer, Fulco di Verdura, the idea of the pearl necklace is widely believed to have come from Coco herself.

The Handbag

Before the 1920s, the world of fashion had never known a single handbag. There were only clutches that had to be carried with both hands. Inspired by strap handles used in soldiers' bags, Coco Chanel designed her own handbag that sported the iconic Chanel pop up lid — and thank goodness — straps!

The Chanel No. 5

Prepared for Coco by her perfumer Ernest Beaux, the Chanel No. 5 is an exquisite fragrance that was brought out under the brand in the 1920s. The perfume was called Chanel No. 5 because it was the fifth sample out of the ten that were created. A particular favourite of Marilyn Monroe, the scent continues to be one of the bestselling perfumes across the world.

Women's Pants

In a world filled with exquisite dresses and skirts for women, if any designer was gutsy enough to go for pants, it was Chanel. She loved wearing her partner's pants as they gave her freedom of mobility, and she found them comfortable and stylish enough to make them commercially viable for women. It's all thanks to Coco that women nowadays wear everything from pyjamas to formal pants.

Slingbacks and Ballet Flats

From slingbacks to ballet flats, both the iconic shoes that females around the world wear different variations of, are handiworks of Coco Chanel. If the slingback is all the rage on the ramp and great for occasional wear, the ballet flat is its more practical sister that one can play sports in!