Fashion Icon: CoCo Chanel

Most women love some sort of fashion - a trend, a designer, a fashion icon. But, it's been brought to my attention that some people don't know any history about their favorite labels and designers. So, once a month I'm going to try to help with this. This month we're going to start at the top - CoCo Chanel.

CoCo Chanel rose to become one of the premier fashion designers in Paris, France in the 1920s. She is known for replacing the corsets that the women were wearing during the times with comfort and casual elegance - women's pants, suits, dresses, costume jewelry, and perfume. By the 1950s the Chanel suit, the "Little Black Dress", and Chanel No 5 perfume were staples in the fashion industry.

She worked almost until the day she died in 1971. Karl Lagerfeld has been the chief designer for Chanel since 1983.

The fashion industry is still inspired by Chanel's style. Anytime you see long layering pearl necklaces, quilted leather handbags, handbags with chain and leather handles, tweed suits, and of course black party dresses, you can thank CoCo Chanel for being different and trying new things.