Chanel is a luxury fashion brand that is known for its timeless designs, high-quality materials, and impeccable craftsmanship. One of the signature fabrics that Chanel is famous for is tweed.
But have you ever wondered where Chanel gets its tweed fabric from? Let’s take a closer look.
What Is Tweed?
Tweed is a rough, woolen fabric that originated in Scotland. It was traditionally used to make outerwear such as jackets, coats, and capes because of its durability and warmth. Tweed comes in various patterns and colors and has a distinctive flecked appearance due to the use of different colored yarns.
Chanel’s Love Affair with Tweed
Chanel has been using tweed in their designs since the 1920s when Coco Chanel first introduced it to her collections. She was inspired by the tweed jackets worn by English aristocrats while hunting in the Scottish countryside. Chanel saw potential in this rugged fabric and transformed it into something elegant and sophisticated.
Where Does Chanel Get Their Tweed Fabric?
Chanel sources its tweed fabric from a small textile company called Lesage located in Paris, France. Lesage has been supplying fabrics to haute couture houses since 1858, including Chanel since the 1920s.
Lesage sources premium wool from Scotland and Ireland to create their signature tweeds. The wool is then dyed in-house using a special technique that allows for subtle variations in color. The dyed wool is then spun into yarns of different thicknesses before being woven into tweed on traditional looms.
The Creation Process
The creation process of Chanel’s tweeds is meticulous and time-consuming. Once Lesage produces the tweeds, they are sent to the Chanel atelier where they are cut and sewn into garments by skilled craftsmen.
Chanel’s tweed jackets, for example, can take up to 150 hours to make by hand. Each jacket is made up of dozens of individual pieces that are cut and sewn together with precision. The result is a jacket that fits like a glove and feels like a second skin.
Conclusion
Chanel’s tweed fabric is sourced from a small textile company called Lesage located in Paris, France. Lesage creates their tweeds using premium wool from Scotland and Ireland, which is then dyed in-house using a special technique that allows for subtle variations in color. The tweeds are then woven on traditional looms before being sent to the Chanel atelier where they are turned into garments by skilled craftsmen.
Chanel’s love affair with tweed has stood the test of time, and it’s easy to see why. The fabric is durable, warm, and versatile, making it the perfect material for creating timeless designs that will last a lifetime.