For over a century, the name of Chanel has been synonymous with feminine elegance, modernity and innovation in fashion. This lavishly illustrated book, newly expanded and updated, examines the creative output of Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel (1883-1971) over the course of her long career and documents the creation and meteoric rise of the Chanel fashion empire and the products that bear its exclusive label - haute couture, ready-to-wear, accessories, jewellery and perfumes.

A final chapter looks at the House after Chanel: the vision of creative director Karl Lagerfeld who from 1983 until his death in 2019 ensured that the brand retained its position at the forefront of fashion's vanguard; and the reinterpreting of Chanel fashion signatures by his successor, Virginie Viard, today.