Chanel

Gabrielle Chanel opened her first hat boutique in Paris in 1910, initially with financial support from Boy Capel, followed by a second boutique in Deauville in 1912 and a couture house in Biarritz in 1915; in 1918 she took over 31 rue Cambon in Paris.⁠[1]

In 1921 Gabrielle Chanel created N°5, which the company describes as the first perfume by a dressmaker.⁠[1]

Companies House records show that Chanel Limited (company number 00203669) was incorporated in England and Wales on February 6, 1925 as a private limited company, with its registered office in London.⁠[2]

In 1932 Gabrielle Chanel presented the fine jewellery collection “Bijoux de Diamants,” and in 1937 she posed herself for the brand’s advertisements.⁠[1]

In December 2021 Leena Nair, chief human resources officer of Unilever after a 30-year career there, was named global chief executive officer of Chanel, joining in January 2022 and based in London. The role had been held on an interim basis by co-owner Alain Wertheimer since Maureen Chiquet stepped down as CEO in early 2016.⁠[3]

In May 2022 Chanel Limited announced 2021 revenues of US$15.6 billion, up 49.6% on a comparable basis from 2020, and operating profit of US$5,461 million, with close to 28,500 employees at year end. Its 2022 results, published in May 2023, showed revenues of US$17.2 billion, up 17% on a comparable basis, operating profit of US$5,776 million, and headcount above 32,000.⁠[4][5]

In June 2024 Virginie Viard announced her departure. She had worked at Chanel since 1987, long as Karl Lagerfeld’s right hand, and took over as creative director of the fashion collections after Lagerfeld’s death, a role she held for five years.⁠[6]

In December 2024 Chanel appointed Matthieu Blazy, previously creative director of Bottega Veneta, as Artistic Director of Fashion Activities, overseeing haute couture, ready-to-wear and accessories; he is the fourth person to lead the house’s fashion, after Gabrielle Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld and Virginie Viard. At the time Alain Wertheimer was global executive chairman and Leena Nair global CEO.⁠[7][6]

On May 20, 2025 Chanel Limited announced 2024 revenues of US$18.7 billion, down 4.3% on a comparable basis, operating profit of US$4,479 million, down 30%, and record capital expenditure of US$1,755 million, up 43%.⁠[8]

In October 2025 Matthieu Blazy presented his debut Chanel show, for Spring–Summer 2026, at the Grand Palais in Paris, followed in December by his first Métiers d’art show in the New York City subway. That year Chanel invested more than US$700 million to acquire long-standing suppliers and opened more than 40 boutiques; in June it reopened La Pausa, Gabrielle Chanel’s Mediterranean villa, after a multi-year restoration, and launched NEVOLD, an operationally independent entity dedicated to the circularity of natural textile and leather materials.⁠[9]

On May 19, 2026 Chanel Limited announced 2025 revenues of US$19,269 million, up 1.8% on a comparable basis—US$6,054 million in Europe, US$9,182 million in Asia Pacific and US$4,033 million in the Americas—operating profit of US$4,712 million, up 5.2%, free cash flow of US$2,646 million, up 43.6%, capital investment of US$1,449 million, and 37,984 employees at year end.⁠[9]

The company said its new global headquarters in Berkeley Square, London, was due to open by the end of 2026, and its new fragrance manufacturing facility in France opened in February 2026. Chanel provides US$125 million a year to Fondation CHANEL, an independent UK-registered charity.⁠[9]

Chanel: Official website: https://www.chanel.com/ (opens in a new window).⁠[10]

X: Public account: https://x.com/CHANEL (opens in a new window).⁠[10]

LinkedInLinkedInLinkedIn is a social networking platform for professionals. It was founded in 2002 by Reid Hoffman and others, launched in 2003, and listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2011; after Microsoft acquired it for approximately $26.2 billion in 2016, it became a wholly owned Microsoft subsidiary. Its revenue comes from membership subscriptions, advertising, and recruitment solutions.Open the full entry: Public profile: https://www.linkedin.com/company/chanel/ (opens in a new window).⁠[10]

YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is Google’s video-sharing and creator platform, founded in 2005 by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim and acquired by Google in 2006. Built around video uploading, viewing, and creator earnings, the platform has developed Shorts, YouTube Music, Premium, YouTube TV, and products for children, and is headquartered in San Bruno, California, United States.Open the full entry: Public channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/CHANEL (opens in a new window).⁠[10]