How Context Informed Practice in Coco Chanels Work - Coursework Example

How context informed practice in Coco Chanel’s work Coco Chanel is one designer I found thrilling in the fashion industry. She is arguably the most prominent fashion designer and well-known for revolutionising the women’s way of dressing. Coco ushered a new era for the fashion brand and mainly capitalise on adapting to the changes in the time she was living in as well as her status as a fashion symbol (Chanel, n.p). The fashion designer is renowned for her timeless designs, trademark suits as well as her little black dresses. Coco Chanel started as a singer although briefly prior to opening her very first attires shop in 1910. The French fashion designer founded the Chanel brand. Coco Chanel mainly gained fame due to her contribution in liberating women from the constraints of the “corseted silhouette” as claimed by Riot (283-5). This renowned fashion designer influence in the fashion industry has gone beyond the couture clothing. Chanel’s design aesthetic was identifiable with the jewellery, jersey fabric, handbags, fine watches and fragrance. As a fashion pioneer, Chanel’s career was shaped by people such as Etienne Balsan and Arthur Capel, who she got involved with before her first fashion venture. Unknowingly, her associations with Etienne Balsan and Arthur Capel drew her more into fashion and would later affect her imaginations and consequently her works. Chanel started her first shop by selling hats in Paris’s Rue Cambon. Later on, she opened more stores in Deauville and Biarritz, where she began making clothes (Chanel et al., n.p). Chanel’s first fashion for attire success originated from the clothe she created out of an old jersey on a cold day. Many people who happened to have seen the dress inquired where she got it and offered to make the attire for them. All in all, Coco Chanel works have played a critical role in changing the course of fashion history. Most her products and their features still exist and dominate the fashion industry to date. From an analysis of Chanel’s works including jersey fabric, jewellery and watches, it becomes ostensible that context largely informs practice as it unabatedly affects the artist’s imagination and perception of the surrounding environment. Jersey fabric Jersey fabric was Chanel’s first venture into the world of fashion. Coco Chanel came up with the Jersey at the time when it was strictly associated with men’s underwear (de la Haye, n.p). The designer was the first to use jersey fabric to make attire for the women clothes. The fabric used by Chanel was simple, practical and comfortable and reflected a complete direct opposite of the then women’s attire. The previous women clothing was flashy, extreme and mainly based on an itchy corset. The jersey fabric was also an necessity at the time. The war had caused a shortage of supply of more expensive fabric and thus Chanel at the time was able to purchase the material in bulk. Having witness the two World Wars, the infamous fashioned designer allowed her materials as a tool to fight for societal influences levelled against women at the time. With her jersey, Chanel was able to create a humanized women’s wear and ushered in the feminine style from the black dress to tweed suit (Paris, n.p). Chanel’s first shop in Paris dealt with sportswear most of them made of the jersey. In 1920s, she introduced the little black dress for the women as an indication that women no longer had to make the great wealth impression. Chanel silks and chiffon flared-up in the thirties the decade that followed the Second World War, which took her out of business. Her used of jersey from the first time has gradually evolved to meet her customers’ needs and the changing times. Chanel’s first complete couture collection was made from her 1916 purchase of surplus jersey fabrics. The fabric was used make three-quarter-length coats belted at the waist. In addition, the coats were decorated with luxurious fabrics, which were put on with matching skirts. In March 1917 the Les Elegances Parisiennes issue demonstrated Chanel’s jersey suits. Some of these suits were delicately embellished while others exactingly plain. All these were matched well with open neck blouses. Chanel’s design of 1918 comprised of a coat of tan jersey with stripes of brown rabbits fur. This design matched with fur lining to the dress, which later became her trademark. The fashions by Channel were remarkable and aroused a sensation courtesy of their simplicity and modernity. The 1919, was the year that Chanel was declared “I woke up famous” (Charles-Roux & Daniel, n.p). Her daywear was branded by the stylish utility while the flagrantly romantic characterized her evening wear. At the same time, Chanel presented cases of blacks velvet decorated with ostrich fringe rows showing a Spanish impact. From 1920 to 1923 the fashion designer teamed up with Dmitri Pavlovitch. Within those years, Chanel collections were instilled with the Russian influences. Chanel collections revealed long, lean and belted blouses grounded on the Russian peasant wear in 1922. Moreover, by 1923 Chanel had simplified the clothes cut and provided less of brocaded fabric. As a result, she became a leader in the international trend toward shorter hemlines. The beginning of 1930 saw Chanel making her hemlines longer and even slightly flared. Chanel then directed her efforts on her waists and jackets decorated with soft, bloused bodices. Bows became utilizes as decorative details on the shoulders and skirts of her clothes. The cravat bows offered a feminine feeling to her blouses. Furthermore, from 1934 Chanel began to use an American elasticized fabric in her collections to make garments with a crepe-like surface. In 1950s, Chanel modernized her formulas that had earned her lots of success earlier in her career (Charles-Roux & Daniel, n.p). She re-established herself in the fashion industry in which she had reached international stature. In 1955, Chanel introduced a gray jersey suit comprising of a softly-fitted jacket inclusive of pockets and full box-pleated skirt, matched with a bow-tied white blouse. Chanel presented braid trimmings in 1957 to her cardigan-style jackets. The present day Chanel’s suits are made of nubby wools, tweeds or jersey fabrics have become a fashion associated with the affluent. The Chanel designs are broadly copied in the mass market. Although, the Chanel’s fashions by 1960 became a less prominent fore-front style, she continued to dress her loyal clientele in suits that were subtly revised every season. Jacqueline Kennedy is one of the most famous and stylish customers for Chanel from this time. Chanel pointed out that outright, functional and comfortable; jersey clothes were not en vogue appearance for women, especially those who prefer decorative and luxurious gowns. Therefore, as a fashion designer she saw the need to use the jersey fabric and make a dress for the women. The fabric’s qualities made the fashion icon to continue to use it long after her venture became profitable. The clothes made using jersey fabrics needed little seaming for it to be a comfortable fit. Additionally, the material was simple, practical and made women feel comfortable and confident with it. Jewellery Jewellery was another iconic work of Coco Chanel. She considered the role of jewellery was to embellish rather than just to show off wealth (Skarda, n.p). In an act to challenge convention, Chanel put on heaps of jewellery, which were often precious during the day and at the evening stayed without any at sometimes. Her loose and straight-cut fashion, as well as the use of many plain fabrics, offered the ideal foil for the lavish costume jewellery that she came up in the 1920. Chanel opened own jewellery shop in 1924, which was run by Comte Etienne de Beaumont. The long chains characterised by colored stones and cross-shaped ornaments was created by Beaumont. The Byzantine crosses inspired Chanel that she liked the most. Chanel jewellery was of significant in size and worn in multiple threads were instrumental in the success of her business. Chanel formed a vogue in 1926 for earrings that did not match black pearl in both the ears. Again, in 1928 Chanel presented diamond paste jewels and the gypsy necklaces in 1929 as well as the colored beads mixed with chunky wooden chains (Skarda, n.p). Chanel fine jewellery makings were stirred by audacious character Mademoiselle, which was her first jewellery collection. In addition, the aspiration also came from the strong theme that signifies the identity of the brands (Skarda, n.p). In the 1930s, Chanel hired the services of Fulco di Santo Stefano Della Cerda, duc di Verdura to design jewellery for her (Shihaan, 17-18). Di Verdura had been her textile designer since 1927, and most importantly he pioneered the restoration of the enamel jewellery. Some other individuals who designed jewellery for her although occasionally include Christian Berard and Maison Gripoix. Gripoix was notably significant in developing romantic floral and rococo-revival styles for Chanel. As from the middle to the late 1930s, channel jewellery revealed influences from India and southeast of Asia. Chanel approach to jewellery design showed her courageousness in style. The studios that she operated in contained pieces of flexible modelling plastic which she produced jewellery from and embedding original and fake gemstones into plastic (Shihaan, 7-9). Chanel pioneered the use costume jewellery to develop the finishing touch to her general appearance. She employed unique and innovative ways in her jewellery venture. In fact, she defied the 1920s costumes that mostly stuck to the Art Deco and tried to follow the trends introduced by Cartier and Van Cleef. Chanel, instead, created her style. Watches Coco Chanel also engaged in the fine mechanical watches creation. Her commitment to technology enabled her to set up her workshop (Kapferer, 43-44). Although, watching-making at Chanel started way after her departure, the first watch it ever produced “the premiere” contained all the designs elements idiosyncratic to Chanel. The watch has the bracelet characterised by her iconic chain and leather strap. In 1989, Chanel presented another version of the premiere that was of a diamond-studded version. Furthermore, it also developed a new watch line called the Mademoiselle in 1990 and another named as Matellase in 1994. All these creations were luxurious and still regarded as highly decorative. Chanel dedication to innovation, functionality and design as enabled her introduce the J12 line of watches. The J12 line gave her a new niche in the growing watch market. The creation of J12 line saw Chanel overcome two challenges, which is the venturing into the men’s watches and making of fine mechanical watches. The J12 line shows Chanel devotion and dedication to technology. Chanel used high-tech ceramic materials that are employed in the making of airplanes. It was Chanel’s culture to develop things that were always innovative, well-designed and attractive at the same time. Despite Chanel being a latecomer in the watch industry, her enduring artistic design enabled her to set up an in-house workshop. The establishment of the workshop accentuates her ultimate devotion to technology and its significance in the world of models. Chanel reputation among the watch consumers can be signified by her being placed second to Rolex or Omega, the best well-known watch excellent producers (Nagasawa, n.p). She is renowned for coming up with brands that are sophisticated in nature as well as transforming products by applying her technological expertise. The J12 comes in different colours of Chanel’s corporate colours of black and white, which is ever more gaining fame as the organization new signature. Conclusion Coco Chanel left a strong legacy behind. The multiple fashion choices available woman today started with Chanel vision and her challenge to the conventional perspectives of women’s lives and bodies. In her entire career, Chanel opposed every attempted that limited the freedom of women movement. Her designs were radical and revolutionary and complete critical to the emancipation of women from the corsets structures and inhibiting embellishment. Her contributions to the world of fashion still prevail to present. Some of her outstanding contributions that we people enjoyed today include comfy fitting jacket, well-fitting suits, little black dress, a crisp white shirt as well as cosy navy-style pea jacket. The other great legacy left by Chanel encompasses the gold buttons, black-tipped sling-back shoes and heaps of bold jewellery with bright carbons and pearls. Works cited Chanel, Coco, et al. "coco-chanel_Coco_Chanel_Designer_French_französisch." Chanel, Gabrielle Bonheur. "coco chanel." Charles-Roux, Edmonde, and Daniel Wheeler. The world of Coco Chanel: friends, fashion, fame. Thames & Hudson, 2005. De la Haye, Amy. "Gabrielle (Coco) Chanel." Kapferer, Jean-Noël. "All that glitters is not green: The challenge of sustainable luxury." European Business Review (2010): 40-45. Nagasawa, Shinya. "Chanels Devotion and Product Development as a Luxury Brand: Taking R&D and product development of its watch business as an example." (2010). Paris, P. "Jersey Fabric Found Its Way into Fashion." N.p., 18 Mar. 2012. Web. 3 Apr. 2015. Riot, Elen. "Woman in love, artist or entrepreneur? The edifying, mystifying life of Coco Chanel." Society and Business Review 8.3 (2013): 281-313. Shihaan, Dr Larif M. "Chanel Cuff Bracelet-Gabrielle Coco Chanel-Fine Jewellery-Reference Database." Internet Stones. COM. http://www. internetstones. com/chanel-cuff-bracelet-gabrielle-cocol-fine-jewelry-artistic-collection-hautecouture-accessories. html. Retrieved (2010): 02-22. Skarda, E. "Chanel 1932 Fine Jewellery Collection: Reimagining Bijoux De Diamants."TIME.com. N.p., 9 Oct. 2012. Web. 3 Apr. 2015. Read More