Chanel the brand and its storyThe Chanel brand is one of the most powerful examples in the fashion world and one of the best for exemplifying the way to induce the founding myth upon consumers, as well as for creating an archetype in its field through Coco Chanel. By resisting to the obstacles it faced due to geopolitical and socio-economic conditions, the Chanel brand continues its legend until today. Founded at the end of the 19th century, it has become a symbol of elegance, paradoxical if we were to consider the changes brought by Coco to the world of fashion. Even if a large part of the people wearing Chanel creation today are not familiar with the story behind the stores and the tags on the items they bought, Cocos symbol remains an authority in terms of fashion, imposing her principles until today. The story of the Chanel brand is the story of Coco Chanel. After the death of her mother, her father didnt think he could take care of her anymore. So he left her in the care of her aunts and after that in the care of the nuns at a monastery. The time she spent in the monastery, obeying strict rules and wearing only black, simple outfits, influenced profoundly her creations. The story of the Chanel brand begins in Rue de lHorloge in Moulins, where along with her sister Adrienne, Coco used to make clothes for money. Their arrival at the tailors brought new customers, especially among the rich women living in the castles outside the town. However, Coco did not spend a lot of time there, for she longed for another life, one of artistry, fantasy and innovation. After beginning a relationship with Etienne Balsan, she developed a networking circle of highly positioned French ladies. Etienne wasnt very interested in her passion for clothes, as opposed to her next lover, Boy Capel. He financed the opening of her first shop in a one room apartment on 160 Malesherbes Boulevard in 1909, the store which was relocated in Rue Cambon, where it can be found today. He had also sent there a couple of his friends to make some new clothes. In 1913, as advised by Boy Capel, Coco extended her business in Deauville, the heart of the French seaside tourism until today. Shortly after opening the store in Deauville, the war started and the Parisian one had to be closed. The French ladies found however refuge exactly in Normandy, where Cocos new store was. Out of money, they couldnt afford expensive clothes as they before. Moreover, there were no expensive materials at all, due to commerce shortages. They were so short on materials, that they had to cut the jersey from the sweaters of the boys who arranged the stable and the one from the sweaters worn by Coco. By the end of the summer, Coco had made 200.000 franks and she was about to construct a brand more powerful than the one of Paul Poiret, the French designer in vogue at that time. In 1916, Coco opened the new store in Biarritz, also in Normandy and left it in the care of Antoinette, another sister of hers. At this time, the American Harpers Bazaar edition published a photo of Cocos new chemise dress and of her haircut, the article bearing the title: a tomboy is a successful girl! In 1920, Coco introduced on the Parisian fashion market the little black dress, which is until now a symbol of the Chanel brand. In 1926, her new dress model is called the new Ford by Chanel. In the same year, Chanel introduces a ready-to-wear collection along to the haute-couture one. In 1931 begin Chanels first collaborations with Hollywood, along with favorable reviews in the New Yorker, New York Herald Tribune or Variety. Coco also launches in this period her new jewelry collection. 1936 is one of the most relentless Chanel years, because all of Chanels tailors went into strike and asked for higher wages. Coco wasnt even left to step foot in her own factory. She waited until the collection was launched and then fired them all. The tailors was closed after this collection, only the store remaining open during World War II and the tailors was occupied by Nazi soldiers. Chanel was kept alive by Chanel No.5, its famous perfume launched in 1933 as a result of a collaboration between Coco and Ernest Beaux. In 1954 the tailors was reopened, but the first after war collection was a fiasco. No one thought that there was any more of the Chanel spirit left. The third collection received, however, positive reactions. Life magazine declared: aged 71, Gabrielle Chanel brings a whole lot more than a new fashion, she brings a revolution. The brand was further on run by Coco 17 years, until she died at the Ritz hotel, aged 88. The last thing she supposedly said was now this is the way to die.After Cocos death, the brand was taken over firstly by Yvonne Dudel and Jean Cazaubon, from 1974 by the brothers Alain and Gerard Wertheimer and Guy Douvier, who convinced todays creative director to join the fashion in 1983. At the moment, Chanel is owned by the Wertheimer family, having over 100 stores across the world, 35 of which being in Japan, where Chanel enjoys great success. Karl Lagerfelds vision of fashion contradicts the one of Coco so much, that he claims that I made Chanel what it is today. Without me, this fashion house would have been long closed. He introduced leather jackets in the Chanel collections, he severely modified the Chanel jackets and introduced strong rock and trashy symbols in some ready to wear and haute couture pieces. According to BrandZ magazine, the Chanel brand is worth $6.82 billion today.

Ana-Maria NeacuCLOEAnul al II-leaEN-DE

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Chief officersDirectorsVice-presidentSenior Vice-PresidentExecutive Vice-PresidentsOther directors

Michael Murphy, Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice PresidentRichard Sterushy, Chief Operating OfficerChristine Mcdonald, DIRECTOR MFG Q / AE. Rohnman, Chief Information Officer; Database AdministratorTony Arroyo, COOTony Caruso, CTO

Lynn Kopper, Director of AdvertisingGerard Satre, Director-Internal AuditMichael Hanley, Associate Director, RetailAdrienne Hahn, Director of Legal AdministrationJudy Chen, Director, TreasurySantino Renzo, Store Design DirectorSara Teass, Director WatchesJohn Zaneski, Director Operational SystemsBrian Miller, Director of benefits administrationGreg Schmitt, Director of Financial ReportingKatherine Kim, Director of MarketingChristina Vicente,Director of Retail Design at Chanel IncLouis Erickson, Executive Director Financial AccountingAmy Miller, New York Regional DirectorRobert Lavino, Director Network OperationsVictor Wailewski, Director Information TechnologyFilippo Randon, Director of Digital Marketing

Peter McHale, Vice PresidentVeronica Hardy, Vice President - General CounselRobin Gruber, Vice President - CounselJohn Spillane, Vice President / Director / ManagerElizabeth Mankin, Vice President Beaute MarketingKenneth Ellmer, Vice President - TreasurerMario Pompeo, Vice President Internal Audit

Laurie Palma, Senior Vice President of Fragrance and InterneMichel Dupuis, Senior Vice President of Purchasing and Product DevelopmentDennis Gannon, Senior Vice President FinanceSusan Clatworthy, Senior Vice President Retail StoresDebbie Brown, Senior Vice President

Kim Gold, Senior Executive Assistant to the Global Chief Executive OfficerMaureen Chiquet, Chief Executive Officer

Kimberly Bohner, DirectorJohn Son, Project Manager ChanelGerard Wertheimer, Co-OwnerKarl Lagerfeld, Head of DesignerClaire Isnard, Chief Global Organizational Development And Human Resources OfficerROBERT BLAU, DirectorMark Kabus, Information Technology SecurityFrancoise Montenay, Chairwoman of Supervisory BoardAlainWertheimer,Co-OwnerJean-Michel Bideau, General Manager of Chanel France Parfum Beaute

The Chanel company is controlled by the Wertheimer family, the ones that funded Cocos return to business in the 50s. One of the brothers, Alain Wertheimer, is the Chairman of the Board and the other one is the director. They both control Chanels finances and all others Chanel directors must answer to them. The CEO of the company is Maureen Chicquet, a 43 old American living in Paris. All design operations are established by Karl Lagerfeld, the Head of Design, or the Creative Director. Katherine Kim, the Marketing Director, established the communication strategy of the company and Filippo Random, the Director for Digital Marekting coordinates the companys activity in social media. Each branch has its own leader (fashion, beauty, watches, store design, retail, purchasing). Along these are also the regional directors (New York, Europe, Japan, Asia ) who coordinate the strategy for these specific areas. The Product Developers deal with identifying trends and creating products accordingly. The financial and audit officers are the ones dealing the companys financial operations. The activity of the whole company is controlled by the supervisory board who deal with corporate governance and respecting its principles.