Chanel

Chanel's design philosophy represented a break from the corseted, ornamental fashion that dominated the early twentieth century. She introduced garments in jersey fabric, previously used only for undergarments, and promoted a look that was simple, comfortable, and functional. In 1921, she launched Chanel No. 5, a perfume created by the French-Russian chemist Ernest Beaux. It was the first fragrance to bear a designer's name and was presented in a deliberately minimalist bottle. No. 5 became the best-selling perfume in the world and remains so more than a century after its introduction. In 1926, Chanel published designs for a short black dress in American Vogue, which the magazine compared to the Ford Model T for its democratic simplicity; the "little black dress" entered the permanent vocabulary of women's fashion.

The Chanel 2.55 handbag, introduced in February 1955, was a further innovation. The quilted leather bag incorporated a chain shoulder strap that freed both hands, a design principle rooted in Chanel's observation of soldiers' bags and the straps used by stable hands. The interlocked-CC monogram, in use since the 1920s, became one of the most recognized symbols in fashion. The tweed suit, with its collarless jacket and gold chain sewn into the hem for drape, was introduced in the 1950s after Chanel's return from a fifteen-year absence from fashion following the Second World War.

After Chanel's death in 1971, the house was led by a succession of designers. Karl Lagerfeld assumed creative direction in 1983 and held the position until his death in February 2019, a tenure of thirty-six years that revitalized the brand and expanded it into a global operation. Virginie Viard succeeded Lagerfeld and served as creative director until June 2024. Chanel is the only fashion designer listed on Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people of the twentieth century. The company remains privately held by the Wertheimer family, who have controlled it since 1954.

With over 700 lots on Auctionist, Chanel is a consistent presence in the Nordic fashion and luxury auction market. The 2.55 and Classic Flap bags in various sizes and materials are the most actively traded items, with vintage models from the 1980s and 1990s, particularly in lambskin and caviar leather, achieving the strongest results. Tweed jackets from the Lagerfeld era, costume jewellery, and No. 5 vintage presentation sets also appear regularly at Bukowskis, Stockholms Auktionsverk, and other Nordic auction houses.