Coco Chanel is one of the most iconic fashion designers of all time. Her legacy continues to influence the fashion industry today.
One of the things that made her designs so unique was her use of fabrics. In this article, we will take a look at some of the fabrics that Coco Chanel used in her designs.
Tweed
One fabric that is synonymous with Chanel is tweed. Tweed is a rough, woolen fabric that is made in Scotland.
Chanel used tweed in many of her designs, most notably in her suits. She transformed tweed from a rough, utilitarian fabric into a symbol of luxury.
Bouclé
Bouclé is another type of woolen fabric that Chanel used in her designs. It has a looped, curly texture and can be made from different types of fibers such as wool, cotton or silk. Bouclé was often used in combination with tweed to create contrasting textures in her garments.
Silk
Silk was another favorite fabric of Coco Chanel’s. She often used it for blouses and dresses. Silk has a soft and luxurious feel which added elegance to her designs.
Jersey
Chanel also popularized jersey fabric for high-end fashion wear during the early 20th century when it was mostly considered an undergarment material for women’s clothing, mainly due to its stretchy nature which previously made it less suitable for outerwear garments. She revolutionized women’s fashion by incorporating jersey into everyday clothing such as dresses and suits.
Lace
Lace was another fabric that Chanel incorporated into her designs. Lace has been around for centuries but had traditionally been associated with delicate and feminine clothing pieces such as wedding gowns or lingerie. However, she broke away from these conventions by using lace in more casual garments like blouses (sometimes layered over jersey), skirts, and dresses.
Conclusion
Coco Chanel’s use of fabrics was one of the many things that set her apart from other designers. Her ability to take fabrics that were traditionally associated with utilitarian or undergarment wear and transform them into high-end, luxurious garments was a testament to her creativity and innovation. By using tweed, bouclé, silk, jersey, and lace in her designs, she created a new standard for women’s fashion that continues to influence designers today.