Chanel

From LoveToKnow Makeup

The essence of the Chanel brand was delivered from a thin but mighty woman. Most everyone in the fashion world knows of Coco Chanel and the significant impact her products have had on society in the past and present.

Chanel offers a world famous look.

Coco Chanel

Coco has been consistently described as an amazing woman who possesses unlimited mesmerizing energy. Whether she was running her business, creating her designs, or the host of a dinner party, she was always the center of attention. Although she lived an independent life, she was never without a man. As the founder of the first fashion empire, she was her own self-made millionaire. Her hard-earned successes occurred naturally through a unique style that followed her throughout her life. Although she turned out to be an extremely flourishing fashion designer, her roots were not so glamorous.

Born in despicable poverty to a family with a sickly mother and wandering father, Coco spent her free-time dreaming of a life of luxury and wealth. After the untimely death of her mother and complete abandonment of her father, she was orphaned at the age of 12. After living within the strict walls of the orphanage, she was sent away to boarding school. The school was a hierarchical society with strict boundaries between the social classes. As an orphan, Coco was regularly mistreated as part of the poorest members of the school. This segregation led her to be particularly aware of the way people looked – especially in the upper classes of society.

At school, she learned a critical skill – the ability to sew. This helped her land a job at a tailor which was the first jump toward her career in fashion. The skills she learned as a seamstress combined with her natural talent in fashion ultimately were her stepping stones to victory. When she first began to initiate her creations, it was the hats that set her apart. As she became better known for her designs, she truly transformed the fashion of the time – providing women more freedom and simplicity with their selection of dress. It wasn’t only her clothes that grew the company, but her personality as well. Known for her potent ability to flirt and her strong goals of independent wealth, she managed to thrive within a business world previously dominated by men.

Coco Chanel has left behind her a legacy, both as a woman and as a brand. We remember her designs, but also her attitude. It was Coco who not only created fashionable clothes for women, but also liberated them from the restrictive outfits of the time. As they say, you are what you wear, and Coco helped women recognize their personal freedom through clothing.

The Perfume

As a fashion designer, Coco was destined to create a signature perfume. Plus, like other designers, her perfume was bound to be more profitable then her clothing line. What no one could have guessed was exactly how lucrative this one product would be.

Coco used her connections to hire a renowned perfumer to the Czar Nicolas II to conceive her perfect scent. A chemist by the name of Ernest Beaux, who tried numerous fragrances before eventually discovering the one she liked. Chanel No. 5 was born containing eighty different florals, with a strong jasmine note. The finished scent was fresh and lively, with a perfectly universal appeal.

Although the fragrance itself was delightful, Coco knew that it would take creative marketing to sell it. Taking on the challenge, she applied her style and a resistance to conformity to create a distinctive marketing effort. The first step was to switch from the frilly bottles of the time to a classic simple perfume bottle. The next step was the name, being the first to attach her name to the fragrance, plus breaking the tradition of giving the scent a fancy name – she simply called it Chanel No. 5. In order to draw additional attention to the release of her new product, she handed out small samples to all the rich and wealthy - thus, creating a sense of being part of an exclusive club. She also sprayed it in all her fitting rooms and would have her assistants spray it before every event she attended – just as she walked into the room.

A few years after the initial success of No. 5, she partnered with Pierre Wertheimer and Theophile Bader to spin-off the perfume production to a new organization labeled Parfums Chanel. Although, this scent eventually became the most popular perfume in the world – due to this management change she actually lost most of its financial success.

Parfums Chanel has released numerous new fragrances throughout the last century. While many have been quality classics and natural best sellers, none have replaced Chanel No. 5 in popularity.

Modern Times

The current company has continued the traditions of luxuries in clothing and fragrances. They have also expanded their brand influence into beauty and skin care. Their makeup brand is about extravagance and not price. For the cosmetic consumer who is looking for romantic touch and sensual sensations to their beauty routine, Chanel fits the niche.

A quick visit to their website will echo this sentiment. They also have a section of professional application videos, almost like a personalized visit to your own online makeup artist. With detailed follow-along demonstrations, you can learn techniques for face makeup, lips and eye makeup.

Newest Products

Mascara

An all-in-one lash delight that delivers volume, length and curl in a single stroke. The unique brush design reaches even the smallest of lashes.

Professional Finish Concealer

A new style of liquid brush on concealer for seamless coverage and easy application.

Fragrance

In addition to the classic staple, Chanel No. 5, the same bottle design delivers a variety of new scents. The current highlighted collection is Allure. With the men’s Homme as a sexy and warm cologne with fresh woody spices, and the women’s Sensuelle offering a rounded character constructed from six fragrance facets providing a warm floral scent.