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| In the late l950s, the fashion industry was changing. Chanel was one of the first to accept that fashion had lost its elitist character and turned this to her advantage. |
| An astute businesswoman, Chanel saw the future of fashion: it was in selling the designer's label itself. |
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| Haute couture could no longer cover the expenses of a grand fashion house. Instead, the future of the great house would depend on selling the prestigious Chanel label to a larger audience in less expensive, factory-produced "ready-to-wear" products. Most of all, the House of Chanel would be supported by the famous perfume. |
| Chanel set to work finding American manufacturers for pret-a-porter. In this way, she would market copies of her own stuff to Ms. Budget-Conscious Fashion Bug who wanted Chanel style at Macy's prices. Voila, the people's Chanel. |
| By putting her high-class name on affordable products, Chanel anticipated the Calvin Kleins and Donna Karans of today, adding cache to mass-produced stuff with their carefully cultivated brand names. Inadvertently, she also inspired an entire cottage industry of naughty knock-offs. |
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| back to the house of chanel |
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