Chanel is a vocabulary, a set of canons, a discipline. A grammar.

In Chapter 14 of Inside Chanel, the brand unveils the Chanel ‘The Vocabulary of Fashion’ through the history, symbols, and codes of Gabrielle Chanel, and how it’s continuously reinvented by Karl Lagerfeld. Gabrielle Chanel set in place a new language of fashion, and a style that never ceases to perpetuate itself thanks to Karl Lagerfeld.

The quilted handbag inspired by men’s satchels, the little black dress, costume jewelry, the camellia, the chain, the two-tone shoe, the pearl and tweed are all integral elements of the Chanel vocabulary.

In Lagerfeld’s words, “Mademoiselle Chanel handed us down a style. And the style she advocated never dates. Chanel’s success was knowing how to get across the elements of her identity. Timeless music built around five notes by which women instantly recognize the essence of Chanel: luxury and refinement.”