Ch. 1 - Overview of Marketing (Brief History and Mission Statement)

Designer Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel founded Chanel in 1909 in Paris, France. Chanel is a high fashion brand that focuses mainly on haute couture, ready-to-wear clothes, luxury products, and fashion accessories. The first Chanel retail store was opened in Paris in 1910 and exclusively sold hats. Chanel's next two stores in France also sold clothing, which she designed and sewed herself. The Chanel brand is best known for its little black dress, tweed suit, quilted leather handbags with gold or metal chains, two-tone shoes and “the perfect red lipstick.” Chanel No.5 is credited as being the first perfume to be branded with a fashion designer’s name and is reportedly is still the best selling fragrance in history.

Coco Chanel died on January 10, 1971 at the age of 87, and Karl Lagerfeld took over leadership as chief designer of the Chanel business in 1983. More than 40 years after the death of Coco Chanel, the Chanel brand is one of the World's Most Valuable Retail Brands. Currently Chanel has international retail store locations in more than 120 countries, with separate Chanel retail stores for fashion and accessories, fine jewelry, beauty, and eyewear. The Chanel global headquarters are located where the Chanel brand had its beginnings, in Paris, France.

Staying true to the distinction of its past and its founder, Coco Chanel, the Chanel company mission statement maintains the legacy of the Chanel brand while successfully moving it into the future.

The Chanel company mission statement is:

"To be the Ultimate House of Luxury, defining style and creating desire, now and forever."

The mission of Chanel's "look" has always portrayed an image of elegance, grace and style from the beginning of the brand up until to modern times. The visionary of the company is for fashion to be functional. The company was shaped on Coco Chanel's term of reshaping femininity for women of her time.