Chanel classic tweed jacket, circa 2002
View Similar Items
Chanel classic tweed jacket, circa 2002
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Dimensions:Marked Size: 38 (EU)
- Place of Origin:France
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:London, GB
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU14021974473
Karl Lagerfeld
More than a mere tastemaker, Karl Lagerfeld devoted himself to the continual pursuit of chic. “My life and my job,” the designer once said, “is to forget myself.” During his five-decade career designing shoes, handbags, evening dresses and other items for Chanel, Fendi, Chloé and many others, Lagerfeld was a quintessential chameleon, ever evolving to embody the times.
An outsize, instantly recognizable personality — his ponytail powdered like an 18th-century viscount, his eyes perpetually shielded by dark glasses, wearing fistfuls of chunky silver jewels — Lagerfeld was, above all, an avatar of style.
Born in Hamburg (in 1933, ’35, or ’38 by varying accounts), Karl Lagerfeld packed his bags for Paris in 1954. His design for a coat won him the International Wool Secretariat and landed him a job with the celebrated couturier Pierre Balmain. He went on to become the designer of Jean Patou, eventually realizing that his seemingly endless ideas could fuel a career as a designer-for-hire. As such, Lagerfeld lent his vision to everyone from Loewe and Max Mara to Krizia and Charles Jourdan, nimbly moving among a diverse range of styles. It was an unprecedented way of working in the days when freelance was still a dirty word. During the late ’60s and ’70s, he refashioned Chloé to reflect the free spirit of the day and, beginning in 1965, joined forces with the Fendi family, taking it from sleepy furrier to fashion’s haute-est stratum.
Because of his track record for reviving and reimagining brands that had grown stagnant, in 1984 Lagerfeld was handed the reins at Chanel, which had been gathering dust since its founder’s heyday. From his first collection, Lagerfeld injected the venerable house with a frisson of modernity. He riffed on its iconography — tweed skirt suits, pearls, camellias — accenting a lexicon of Chanel-isms with tastes of the moment. Despite producing eight collections a year for Chanel, as well as four to five for Fendi, Lagerfeld never faltered in proposing new ideas each time he put pencil to paper.
Lagerfeld’s collections for Chanel, in particular, displayed his knack for synthesizing old and new, high and low. From Watteau (Spring/Summer 1985 couture) and Serge Roche (Spring/Summer 1990 ready-to-wear) to hip-hop fly girls (Fall/Winter 1991 ready-to-wear), surfers (Spring/Summer 2003 ready-to-wear) and ancient Egypt (Pre-Fall 2019), Lagerfeld used each season’s inspiration to conceive Chanel’s signatures anew.
Browse a collection of sophisticated designs by Karl Lagerfeld on 1stDibs, including evening gowns for Chanel, vintage cocktail dresses for Chloé and more.
Chanel
In the years following the opening of her modest millinery shop, Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel became a pivotal designer of both fashionable casual wear and Paris haute couture as well as an icon and arbiter of 20th-century style with her bob haircut and pearls. Today vintage Chanel handbags, jackets and evening dresses are among the most sought-after clothing and accessories for fashion lovers all over the world.
The first Chanel shop was established in 1910 in Paris on rue Cambon by the young milliner Gabrielle Chanel (1883–1971), who had picked up the nickname “Coco” while working as a club singer. The boutique drew the attention of the Parisian fashion elite who popularized her wide-brimmed Chanel Modes hats. Soon she added a sportswear store in the Normandy resort town of Deauville, where Coco set the tone for her defining sense of style — traditionally masculine garments reimagined for feminine shapes, made from simple jersey fabric.
Effortless and elegant, Chanel's designs promoted comfort and grace in women’s wear that had been dominated in the previous century by complicated layers of fabric and cumbersome corsets. She followed this success with a couture house, opened in 1915 in Biarritz.
But Chanel was not born into a life of glamour. Following the death of her mother, her father left her in an orphanage where she lived until the age of 18. It was there that she learned to sew as well as appreciate the classic pairing of black and white as worn by the nuns. In 1926, she 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.
Chanel closed her fashion operations during World War II, then returned to the industry in 1954 to design for the functional needs of modern women. Structure and wearability endured in all of Chanel’s clothing and accessories, like the quilted leather 2.55 handbag introduced in 1955 with its gold-chain shoulder strap that freed up a woman’s hands. Chanel's collarless jacket reacted against the constricting styles of Christian Dior's New Look, replacing them with a design that was timeless, an instant classic. The 1957 two-tone slingback pumps had a practical heel height while offering a bold statement in the black tip of the shoes.
After Coco Chanel died in 1971, the brand underwent several changes in leadership, including fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, who took over as artistic director in 1983. Over the years, the company has continued to innovate, such as expanding into ready-to-wear fashion in 1978 and, in 2002, establishing a subsidiary company — Paraffection — dedicated to preserving the heritage skills of fashion artisan workshops. The House of Chanel still operates its flagship on rue Cambon in Paris, where it all began.
Browse vintage Chanel bags, evening dresses, shoes, jewelry and other clothing and accessories on 1stDibs.
- Fendi by Karl Lagerfeld blue and brown cowhide jacket and pants set, fw 1999By Karl Lagerfeld for Fendi, FendiLocated in London, GB▪ Fendi jacket and pants set ▪ Designed by Karl Lagerfeld ▪ Blue and brown cowhide ▪ Long sleeve zip-up jacket ▪ Crystal adornments to the collar ...Category
1990s Italian Suits, Outfits and Ensembles
- Vivienne Westwood Autumn-Winter 2002 brocade bondage evening jacketBy Vivienne WestwoodLocated in London, GBVivienne Westwood Autumn-Winter 2002 brocade bondage evening jacket - leg of mutton sleeve with two-way zippers - extra long belt - bondage strapsCategory
Early 2000s British Jackets
- Worlds End tan leather Pirates double breasted waistcoat, fw 1981Located in London, GBWorlds End by Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren. Unisex tan leather double breasted waistcoat. Mandarin collar, ruffled hem with raw finish, matching leather buttons and cream co...Category
1980s British Jackets
- Christian Dior by John Galliano pink suede and lace dress and jacket, fw 2000By Christian Dior, John Galliano for Christian DiorLocated in London, GB▪ Christian Dior pink suede and lace slip dress and jacket set ▪ Designed by John Galliano ▪ Calais lace inserts, skirt, and trim ▪ Spaghetti straps ▪ Silk lining ▪ Handkerchief he...Category
Early 2000s French Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Louis Vuitton by Marc Jacobs fox fur jacket, fw 2003By Louis VuittonLocated in London, GB▪ Louis Vuitton jacket ▪ Designed by Marc Jacobs ▪ Mauve fox fur ▪ Monogram jacquard lining ▪ Grosgrain ribbon belt ▪ Size 40 ▪ Fall-Winter 2003 ▪ 100% Fox ▪ Made in ItalyCategory
Early 2000s Italian Jackets
- Vivienne Westwood brown leather sheepskin puff sleeve jacket, fw 1995By Vivienne WestwoodLocated in London, GBVivienne Westwood brown leather sheepskin puff sleeve jacket with large orb buttons and shawl lapel. Fall-Winter 1995Category
1990s British Jackets
- Antique Ottoman Red Velvet VestLocated in Amsterdam, NLThis is an unique antique ottoman vest, decorated with elaborate gold threads. We offer more exclusive vintage items, view our frontstore. Details: Colo...Category
20th Century Unknown Vests
$790 Sale Price20% Off - Moschino Couture Pink Newsprint JacketBy Moschino Couture, MoschinoLocated in Sheung Wan, HK- Vintage 80s Moschino couture pink wool printed with humourous "articles" from an Italian newspaper smiley face newsprint jacket. - Featuring four gold...Category
1980s Italian Jackets
- Vintage 1990’s Comme Des Garçons wool wrap style vestBy Comme des GarçonsLocated in COLLINGWOOD, AUCOMME DES GARCONS mesh cropped jacket from the runway collection. COMME DES GARCONS Shawl Top in woollen floral lace. Beautiful alternating taupe and caramel abstract daisies creat...Category
1990s Japanese Vests
- Roberto Cavalli Blush Pink Fringed Silk Jacket MBy Roberto CavalliLocated in Dubai, Al Qouz 2How fabulous does this designer jacket look! It is made of fine materials and features long sleeves. Pair it with a dress and heels for a cool look. Includes: Price TagCategory
2010s Italian Jackets
- Yves Saint Laurent Tan Brown Cotton Twill Ruffled Zip-Up Jacket LBy Yves Saint LaurentLocated in Dubai, Al Qouz 2How fabulous does this designer jacket look! It is made of fine materials and features long sleeves. Pair it with pants and sneakers for a cool look.Category
2010s European Jackets
- Chanel Lemon Vintage Knitted Blazer, Late 1980’s – Early 1990’sBy Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel, ChanelLocated in New York, NYVintage Chanel knitted blazer, Late 1980’s – Early 1990’s. Green color, gold buttons, pointed collar Fabric: Not listed, feels like wool blend. Size: 36 / S Bust: 31″/ 79 cm Waist:...Category
20th Century French Blazers
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
Remembering Fashion Designer, Collector and Supreme Tastemaker Karl Lagerfeld
The creative force behind brands like Chanel, Fendi and Chloé was as exacting in his interiors as he was in his clothing designs.
This Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen Ensemble Is Part Zsa Zsa Gabor, Part ‘Blade Runner’
As Burton steps away from the brand, it’s a fitting time to revisit one of her visionary designs.