Chanel

Founded in Paris in 1910 by Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel with the opening of her millinery shop on Rue de Cambon, Chanel is one of the most influential haute couture houses in modern history. The founder revolutionized women's fashion by eliminating the restrictive 19th-century corsets from dresses, introducing garments inspired by sportswear and men's tailoring.

The brand's most groundbreaking innovation arrived in 1921 with the launch of Chanel No. 5 perfume, formulated by chemist Ernest Beaux. It was the first fragrance to break away from the era's single-note floral scents by incorporating for the first time an overdose of synthetic aldehydes combined with more than 80 ingredients, creating an abstract aroma that did not mimic any flower found in nature.

Among its industrial design milestones are the introduction of woven tweed for women's jackets (1954), the creation of the quilted metal-chain 2.55 bag (named for its February 1955 creation date) and the two-tone pump with black toe and open heel (1957), designed to visually shorten the foot and lengthen the leg.