Melissa Marana
Professor Eli
COMD
10/14/22
Chanel Logo
Gabrielle “Coco” Bonheur Chanel was a pioneer from a point in history that was very hard to reach during the beginning of the 20th century where women had limited rights. Because of her we have an iconic brand today called Chanel. Coco Chanel is a very high-end brand that sells the most luxurious products from clothes to expensive fragrances. In this essay I will discuss the history, design, and typeface of the famous logo Chanel.
Chanel.com
The double CC stands for ‘Coco Chanel’. Coco, which she was known as first launched a boutique in 1910. She began selling hats that were bought by celebrities during that time. Later in 1925 the logo was designed by Chanel herself. The design of the logo is based on her name Coco Chanel representing as two black overlapping “C”s mirroring each other. The thought process of the logo according to an article called “Fashion House” states that she was inspired by the “geometric patterns of stained-glass windows of a chapel in Aubazines, a monastery where Chanel grew up and spend most of her childhood.” (Admin, Vintage United). She used her nickname Coco, short for “cocotte” a, “French word for, ‘kept women’.” (Madison Avenue Couture). Her name was used as the logo by representing her, “mistress status” in being able to start a business such as a “prominent society man” could. (Madison Avenue Couture).
eatlovesavor.com
The logo today is instantly recognized for its interlocking Cs on products from its website, “Chanel.com”, clothes, and fragrances, becoming a symbol of luxury, wealth and elegance. Chanel’s brand is of the highest quality any company has sold and that that has sustained for 100 years.The Chanel logo connect to its products by revolutionizing its signature color black. This is significant because traditionally the color black was dedicated for only mourning and religious purposes. It was considered, “inappropriate for social and fashion purposes.” (Jennifer Whitehead). However, Chanel introduced, ‘the little black dress’ (chanel.com) which would change the brands image completely. Doing this design Chanel single handedly revolutionized the concept of black in fashion products as an elegance chic look, therefore becoming the associated color to the brand.
Moving onto the logo’s typeface the Cs are wide with thick, clean black curve lines. It also had the name, “Chanel” under the Cs in a bold strong letters, with space in between making it readable. The logo is based on a “geometric typeface” (1000 logos article) which is seen by how the two-dimensional c’s can be looked as two semi circles interlocking. The logo has also a white background frame emphasizing the brands name. Jenifer Whitehead said, “The monochrome palette of the Chanel logo can be used both in traditional and reverse version” so no matter which way the color is brought out by reversing them it would still represent elegance and power. Introducing the color black again is important because it represents the “elegance and sophistication that Chanel stands for” (Magda Amaska). The simple shapes and letters convey elegance as Coco’s philosophy of “less is more” (Chanel.com).
In conclusion the logo of Coco Chanel is original and has never been altered since its design from 1925. Making it timeless and significant. With the obstacles Chanel faced during a time where women weren’t being taken seriously her brand shows that anything can be done regardless of the misogynistic mentality. Chanel will always be a pioneer feminist who changed the fashion industry forever with elegance and high quality.
Bibliography:
Adamska, Magda. “The Positioning of the Four Most Valuable Luxury Fashion Brands: Brandstruck: Brand Strategy / Positioning Case Studies.” BrandStruck, 14 Jan. 2019, https://brandstruck.co/blog-post/positioning-three-valuable-luxury-fashion-brands/.
Admin. “The History of the Iconic Chanel Logo Read on Vintage-United Blog.” Vintage, 26 Apr. 2021, https://vintage-united.com/what-is-the-history-of-the-iconic-chanel-logo/.
“Chanel Logo.” 1000 Logos The Famous Brands and Company Logos in the World Chanel Logo Comments,https://1000logos.net/chanel-logo/
Chanel. “Chanel Official Website: Fashion, Fragrance, Beauty, Watches, Fine Jewelry.” CHANEL, https://www.chanel.com/us/.
Savor, Eat Love, and Charter World. “Discover: Luxury Brand: Chanel: Eat Love Savor Luxury Lifestyle Magazine.” EAT LOVE SAVOR Luxury Lifestyle “, 14 Apr. 2019, https://www.eatlovesavor.com/discover-luxury-brand-chanel/.
“The Chanel Logo: The Origin, Design, and Meaning behind a Legendary Status Symbol.” Madison Avenue Couture, https://madisonavenuecouture.com/blogs/news/chanel-logo-origin-design-meaning.
Whitehead, Jennifer. “The Chanel Logo.” Medium, FGD1 The Archive, 19 Oct. 2017, https://medium.com/fgd1-the-archive/the-chanel-logo-50ce0b30f09a.
