CHANEL

In the section “The Story Behind the Brand,” we present the journey of an ordinary person to worldwide recognition.

Coco was born in 1883 in the French town of Saumur. She lost her mother when she was twelve. Until coming of age, Gabrielle lived in an orphanage for the poor, where she learned to sew. She later recalled that the path to the chapel — along which she walked every day — was decorated with tiles arranged in circles of five, a number that would become key in her later life.

After leaving the orphanage, Chanel worked as a seamstress and sang in the evenings at a venue where she received her stage nickname “Coco.” After unsuccessful attempts to build a singing career, Gabrielle moved to Paris and dedicated herself to making clothes and hats. Her garments and accessories were stylish and striking; no woman went unnoticed while wearing them.

The success of the fashion house inspired Coco to create an equally distinctive and memorable fragrance — Chanel No. 5. The perfume went against the prevailing tastes of the time, yet it is still counted among the world’s best-selling scents.

All new Chanel collections were traditionally presented on 05/05 — the fifth day of the fifth month of the year. The number 5 became the lucky number of the girl who had known a difficult childhood.