What is the Chanel brand famous for?

The Chanel brand is famous for a few things. First, Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel introduced a pioneering design for a shoulder bag in the late 1920s. (It was based on the backpacks that soldiers carried on the battlefield, and some experts suggest that this is the first handbag designed with a shoulder strap.) It was reintroduced decades later as Chanel’s iconic 2.55, a vast improvement on the day’s top-handle accessories and clutches. In 1926, Chanel introduced her first little black dress, reclaiming a color that had once been reserved for mourning and working-class women. That same decade, she debuted her perfume, Chanel No. 5, as well as the Chanel suit with a fitted skirt, inspired by the boxy lines of men’s clothing and employing a sporty tweed. On 1stDibs, explore a variety of Chanel apparel, bags and accessories.