The founder of Chanel, Gabrielle Chanel was born on August 19th, 1883 in Saumur France. She and her siblings were abandoned by her dad when her mom died in 1895. After that, she lived in an orphanage for a few years and then moved on to a Catholic finishing school. Later on, she worked as a seamstress and then developed her nickname "Coco" at a cafe. In 1908, she started to sell hats from her partner's apartment. However, she started to have an affair with Arthur Edward Capel in 1908 and that also helped her business go up. 

When Chanel opened, it operated in the fashion industry. The brand sold many clothing and accessories items. In 1910, hats were the first product sold in Rue21. Chanel wanted hats, but the hats she found weren't what she liked. She started to redo the hat's designs and make it to her preference. her hats were recognized by wealthy clients. A French courtesan and comedian, Émilienne Marie André liked Chanel's designs and asked her to make hats for her. In 1913, Gabrielle opened her own boutique and sold sportswear made of jerseys. In 1920, Chanel launched a perfume and its first makeup collection, including a skincare collection. In 1939, Chanel had to close its stores due to World War ll. From the five rue Cambon buildings, only 31 stores remained open.  However, in 1954, Chanel reopens its stores and makes a comeback with a fashion show. 

Chanel wasn't an overnight hit. When she first started in a small hat store, she was making losses instead of profits. Instead, it required momentum and grit. Throughout the years, Gabrielle kept her business going in small baby steps and brought new items to her stores. The success of Chanel was when Gabrielle had clarity, confidence, and consistency. The first time Chanel faced competition in 15 years by Elsa Schiaparelli, and later on faced competition from Christian Dior and Cristobal Balenciaga.