Type Privately held Industry fashion Founded 1909 / 1910 Founder(s) Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel Paris, France Headquarters 135 Avenue Charles de Gaulle 92521 Neuilly-sur-Seine Cedex Area served Worldwide Alain Wertheimer, co-owner Key people Gerard Wertheimer, co-owner Karl Lagerfeld, head designer haute couture, Perfume, Jewellery, Fashion Products accessory Website www.chanel.com Chanel S.A., commonly known as "Chanel" is a Parisian fashion house founded by the late couturier Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel, recognized as one of the most established in haute couture, specializing in luxury goods (haute couture, ready-to-wear, handbags, perfumery, and cosmetics among others.According to Forbes, the privately held House of Chanel is jointly owned by Alain Wertheimer and Gerard Wertheimer who are the great-grandsons of the early (1924) Chanel partner Pierre Wertheimer. The company has had many high-profile celebrities as spokesmodels, including Catherine Deneuve , Nicole Kidman. Marilyn Monroe brought this perfume to fame through her famous advertisment. BRIEF HISTORY Chanel's designs tended to be simple rather than opulent in look.World War I affected fashion. During World War I, Coco opened a shop on Rue Cambon in front of the Hôtel Ritz Paris.Coco Chanel established her reputation as a meticulous fashion couturier Earnest Beaux created the fragrance for Coco and she named it after her lucky number 5.]The fragrance was a success. Chanel operates over 200 Chanel boutiques worldwide.[5] The locations are found in upscale shopping districts, upscale department stores and malls, and inside major airports.[5] The Chanel flagship store in Ginza on the corner of 3-5-3 Ginza Chuo-ku, Tokyo - 104-0061, and the other three surrounding corners are the home of the Louis Vuitton, Bulgari, and Cartier flagship stores.[8].