Chanel is a French luxury fashion house founded in 1910 by Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel in Paris. The company is privately held and controlled by Alain and Gerard Wertheimer, grandsons of Pierre Wertheimer, who became a business partner of Coco Chanel in 1924. Chanel operates across fashion, leather goods, fragrance, beauty, watches, and jewelry.

The house is recognized for establishing many enduring elements of modern fashion, including the Chanel suit, the little black dress, and the quilted handbag with chain strap. The Chanel No. 5 fragrance, introduced in 1921, remains one of the most commercially successful perfumes in history. The interlocking CC logo and camellia flower are among the brand's signature motifs.

Chanel's haute couture and ready-to-wear collections are produced in its ateliers in Paris. The brand also operates a high jewelry division and a watch division based in Switzerland, with timepieces produced at its own manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Chanel Beauty encompasses skincare, makeup, and fragrance lines sold through its boutiques and select department stores.

Carl Lagerfeld served as creative director from 1983 until his death in 2019, during which time he reinvigorated the brand and significantly expanded its global profile. Virginie Viard succeeded him and led the house until 2024. The company operates over 600 boutiques and points of sale worldwide. Chanel reported revenue of approximately 19.7 billion USD in 2023, making it one of the largest privately held luxury companies in the world. The brand does not sell its fashion or leather goods online, maintaining an in-store-only sales model for these categories.

Fashion Houses

Chanel is a French fashion house founded by Coco Chanel in 1910, known for haute couture and ready-to-wear collections that emphasize clean lines, tweed fabrics, and refined simplicity. The house produces two haute couture collections per year in its Paris ateliers, alongside ready-to-wear, Metiers d'Art, and cruise collections. Creative direction has shaped the brand through Karl Lagerfeld's 36-year tenure and subsequent leadership.

Fine Jewelry

Chanel's fine jewelry division produces collections inspired by the house's design codes, including the camellia, the comet, and the lion. The brand creates fine jewelry in gold, platinum, and precious stones, available through Chanel boutiques and its Place Vendome flagship in Paris.

High Jewelry

Chanel presents annual high jewelry collections featuring one-of-a-kind and limited-edition pieces set with exceptional gemstones. These collections often draw on themes from Coco Chanel's personal iconography and are shown at dedicated events in Paris. Pieces are available by appointment and are priced in the six- and seven-figure range.

Luxury Cosmetics

Chanel Beauty offers a full range of cosmetics including foundation, lipstick, mascara, and skincare under lines such as Le Teint, Rouge Coco, and Le Lift. Products are sold through Chanel beauty boutiques, department store counters, and the brand's e-commerce platform. Chanel is one of the leading prestige beauty brands globally.

Luxury Eyewear

Chanel offers a range of sunglasses and optical frames featuring the brand's signature design elements including the interlocking CC logo, camellia motifs, and chain-link temples. Eyewear is available through Chanel boutiques and authorized optical retailers.

Luxury Handbags

Chanel produces some of the most sought-after handbags in the luxury market. The Classic Flap bag, 2.55, Boy bag, and Gabrielle are core styles crafted in lambskin, caviar leather, and tweed. Chanel handbags are sold exclusively through Chanel boutiques and are not available online, contributing to controlled supply and strong resale values. Prices for the Classic Flap have increased significantly over recent years.

Luxury Perfumes

Chanel's fragrance portfolio includes iconic scents such as No. 5, Coco Mademoiselle, Bleu de Chanel, and the Les Exclusifs de Chanel collection. No. 5, created by Ernest Beaux in 1921, is one of the most recognized perfumes in history. The brand produces its fragrances in-house and sells through boutiques, department stores, and its online beauty platform.

Luxury Skincare

Chanel's skincare lines include Sublimage, Le Lift, Hydra Beauty, and N1 de Chanel. The Sublimage range uses high-concentration botanical extracts and represents the brand's most premium skincare tier. Products are developed at Chanel's research facilities and sold through its boutiques and beauty counters worldwide.

Luxury Watches

Chanel produces luxury watches through its Swiss subsidiary, with manufacturing at its own facility in La Chaux-de-Fonds. The J12, introduced in 2000, is the house's signature timepiece, available in ceramic, white gold, and diamond-set variations. Chanel also produces the Premiere and Boy-Friend watch lines. The brand develops its own movements for select high-complication pieces.