Fashion from 1912- 1920....

In 1921 Chanel was the first fashion designer to put her name on a scent bottle. She designed the bottle herself, Chanel No 5 was launched.

Gabrielle Chanel did the most to transform the design of fashionable wartime dress. By noting and developing trends for more practical, sporty clothing.

Chanel began her career as a milliner and opened first shop in Deauville in 1913. Her continuing success enabled her to open a couture house in Biaritz in 1915.

Chanel's paired down sporty clothes were ideal for wartime chic. Simple two piece jersey outfits were the virtue of simplicity

Jersey:

Had previously been used in menswear for sports and underwear. Chanel made this textile the height of fashion.

Women loved her clothes

Manufacturers were quick to copy her styles.

From 1916......

Increasing numbers of men joined the services. Women were encouraged to enter the work force. Highly skilled jobs in transport, hospitals and farms required increasingly practical clothing

This triggered a new approach to working dress.

Women adopted men's styling:

•Breeches

•Dungarees

•Boiler suits

•Low heeled lace up boots

These changes in line and form where echoes in under garments. Softer corsets / bust bodices were worn but they became more practical. They were no longer used to shape the body – just support it. By 1916 the brassiere was developed from the bust bodice