Chanel

Chanel belongs to that category of brands that became iconic primarily thanks to the intrinsic qualities and attributes of a single individual. The brand takes its name from its founder: Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel (later nicknamed Coco), the French designer who subverted 20th-century fashion with her revolutionary vision of womanhood. The Chanel style was sober, practical, and functional, yet extremely elegant, managing to enhance femininity despite proposing a distinctly masculine way of dressing, thus imagining an emancipated, free, and confident woman, much like herself, who personally designed her iconic double C logo. After her death, in 1983, Karl Lagerfeld took over all creative directions at Chanel, and by respecting the maison's style parameters, he was able to innovate and instill in subsequent generations a love for the unconventional, sober, and chic—the ultimate glamour high-end brand.