Chanel Couture Appraisals

Time has not diminished the popularity of the woman, the brand, nor her iconic style,  all of which has provided fashion inspiration for designers for decades. Ask most women what the one garment they would not throw away in their annual spring clean and it would most likely be the vintage Chanel couture which graces the farthest recess of their closet; possibly never to be worn, but one which should be valued by an expert prior to selling.  Whether tweed, haute couture, formal wear, or Chanel accessories our experts have access to the vintage fashion auction results that the House of Chanel’s garments have achieved for the past decades. 

Née Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel, she was born in a small French village called Saumur.  transformed a life of poverty into worldwide fame and immortality. By the 1920s Coco Chanel was making waves in the world of fashion with her elegant, baggy trousers for women, androgynous designs and black and white palette. Already a well-respected designer, she had used wool from the Scottish Highlands, mainly the Shetland Isles. Chanel’s connection with tweed began in 1924 however, when she commenced a relationship with the Duke of Westminster, Hugh Grosvenor. 

Although her French weavers were exasperated by the tendency of the Scottish wool to buckle, causing irregularities, Chanel loved the non-uniform nature of the fabric and her love affair with tweed bloomed.

In the 50s and 60s, Chanel reintroduced the Chanel jacket in many pastel colours. Today, the classic fabric and design is still reworked by Karl Lagerfeld, the head of the Chanel fashion house.

The Chanel jacket is not the only iconic item that continues to perform well at auction. Think the little black dress, the cocktail dress or the large oval sunglasses seen on Holly Go Lightly. Audrey Hepburn was the perfect Chanel model!  Before Coco Chanel wearing a black dress was reserved for mourning  and after her design hit Vogue in 1926, Chanel’s dress became a symbol for a woman with taste. 

Are you curious as to the value of your Chanel Couture item? Our leading Vintage fashion specialist can value your item for you!