Hats to high fashion

Born Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel in 1883 in Saumur, France, Coco Chanel’s early life was a stark contrast to the opulence and fame that would later define her world. After losing her mother at a young age, Chanel and her sisters were placed in an orphanage at the abbey in Aubazine. The strict and simple surroundings of the orphanage deeply influenced her later designs, as it was here that Chanel learned to sew – a skill that would become the foundation of her career.

At eighteen, Chanel left the orphanage and moved to Moulins, a town in central France, where she found work as a seamstress by day and a cabaret singer by night. It was during this time that she acquired the nickname ‘Coco’, a name that would become iconic.

In 1904, Chanel met Étienne Balsan, a wealthy textile heir and avid horse breeder and polo and racing enthusiast. Balsan’s estate, complete with a private stable, became a pivotal backdrop in Chanel’s life. She frequently rode alongside Balsan, often wearing menswear for its comfort and functionality. This exposure to the equestrian world, with its emphasis on practicality and style, deeply influenced Chanel’s design ethos.

Recognising Chanel’s creativity, Balsan helped the budding designer to launch a hat boutique on the first floor of his residence on Boulevard Malesherbes. Chanel’s initial hat designs mirrored the structure of riding helmets and often drew inspiration from the polo uniforms she saw on Balsan’s estate. It was during this time that she formed a new acquaintance, Arthur “Boy” Capel, a British polo player.

In the hat shop on Boulevard Malesherbes, Chanel’s talent began to blossom. Her creations, influenced by her equestrian experiences and her innate sense of style, were a breath of fresh air in an era dominated by elaborate, often fussy headwear. She embraced clean lines, minimalism, and a focus on functionality, reflecting the practicality of riding attire. This allowed women to move more freely and express their individuality, a concept that resonated with the modern, independent women of the early 20th century.

Chanel also drew inspiration from menswear, incorporating fedoras and boaters into her creations, challenging traditional gender norms. Her hats quickly gained popularity, particularly among the actresses of the Parisian theatre and the fashionable women at the racetracks. These high-profile endorsements elevated her brand and helped establish her as a rising star in the fashion world.

In 1913, with Capel’s financial backing, Chanel expanded her business by opening a boutique in Deauville. It was here that she began to experiment with clothing design, using jersey fabric – a material previously used for men’s underwear – to create comfortable yet stylish garments. This move, inspired by the ease and movement of sportswear, marked the beginning of her transformation from a milliner to a fashion designer.

Her ‘Coco’ breeches quickly became a sensation, with the designer herself photographed wearing them at polo events. During World War I, practicality led women to embrace pants even more, cementing this new fashion statement. While she never married, Chanel maintained her close relationship with Capel, whose world of horses still influenced her work. From the rhombus stitching on her iconic bags reminiscent of saddles to the tailored male-inspired button-down shirts and riding boots designed for women, Chanel remained true to her original inspirations. Her designs graced the pages of magazines like Vogue, often with an equestrian theme, and she continued attending polo matches to watch Capel.

By the 1920s, Chanel’s brand was firmly established, and her influence extended beyond hats to fragrance, with the launch of Chanel No. 5, and to fashion, with the introduction of the iconic LBD, or little black dress.

Even as she entered the world of high fashion, Chanel’s beginnings and her love for horses remained central to her designs. And although her hat designs evolved to incorporate more elaborate elements like feathers and ribbons, the essence of practicality and elegance always remained. Her signature boater hats, known as a ‘Deauville hat’, with their wide brims and simple grosgrain ribbons, became as iconic as her little black dress, symbolising timeless style and sophistication.