Chanel (1883-1971) was to fashion what the Model T was to the auto industry. Before Chanel, women wore tight corsets and fussy, impractical clothing. Chanel introduced revolutionary ideas that changed attitudes about women and women’s wear around the world. A short list of Coco’s contributions to fashion includes: the Little Black Dress; multiple strands of pearls; costume jewelry; quilted handbags with chain handles; easy, comfortable, practical luxury; the use of jersey fabric, formerly used exclusively for men’s underwear. Coco said:

Luxury is not the opposite of poverty; it is the opposite of vulgarity.