Dress Fabric
1928-1929 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This dress fabric is made of lightweight wool and silk. It is printed with a bold pattern of overlapping planes of green, beige and white, outlined in black. It was made for use by Coco Chanel in 1929. The selvage has the words ‘Tricot Chanel’ and its design registration number, 272020, stamped upon it.
In the early 1920s Chanel opened her own textile factory in Asnières-sur-Seine to cater for the demand for her signature silk-enriched wool and cotton jersey fabrics. This enabled her to control her own production and guarantee that Chanel fabrics were exclusive to her alone. Until around 1929, the factory was called 'Tricot Chanel'. After Chanel expanded into producing exclusive printed silks and other woven fabrics, the factory was renamed 'Tissus Chanel'.
Chanel used printed fabrics for coat linings worn with matching dresses, which became one of her design trademarks.This is a woven fabric stamped 'Tricot Chanel', so is probably one of Chanel's first fabric prints before the factory's official name change.
In the early 1920s Chanel opened her own textile factory in Asnières-sur-Seine to cater for the demand for her signature silk-enriched wool and cotton jersey fabrics. This enabled her to control her own production and guarantee that Chanel fabrics were exclusive to her alone. Until around 1929, the factory was called 'Tricot Chanel'. After Chanel expanded into producing exclusive printed silks and other woven fabrics, the factory was renamed 'Tissus Chanel'.
Chanel used printed fabrics for coat linings worn with matching dresses, which became one of her design trademarks.This is a woven fabric stamped 'Tricot Chanel', so is probably one of Chanel's first fabric prints before the factory's official name change.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Printed wool and silk |
| Brief description | Dress fabric of printed wool and silk, manufactured by Tricots Chanel, Asnières-sur-Seine, France, 1928-29. |
| Physical description | Plain weave, lightweight fabric of wool and silk, printed with an abstract pattern of irregular meandering vertical bands in dark and light green, beige, and cream outlined in black. T.193-1975 and T.195-1975 are the same design in different colourways. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Marks and inscriptions | 'Tricots Chanel' (1) Makers's mark; French; Selvedge; Stamping) |
| Gallery label | [Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto exhibition, September 2023 - March 2024]
BRITISH CHANEL FABRICS
In the late 1920s, Chanel was spending time in Britain due to her relationship with the Duke of Westminster. She opened a salon in Mayfair and was considering possible British business ventures. In February 1929, she registered these textile designs in various colourways. They were the only designs that she ever registered in Britain.
Tricots Chanel textile samples
1929
Printed silk and wool crepe
V&A: T.191, 192, 194-1975
Given by the Manchester Design Registry(16/09/2023) |
| Credit line | Given by the Manchester Design Registry |
| Production | Made for use by Coco Chanel. |
| Summary | This dress fabric is made of lightweight wool and silk. It is printed with a bold pattern of overlapping planes of green, beige and white, outlined in black. It was made for use by Coco Chanel in 1929. The selvage has the words ‘Tricot Chanel’ and its design registration number, 272020, stamped upon it. In the early 1920s Chanel opened her own textile factory in Asnières-sur-Seine to cater for the demand for her signature silk-enriched wool and cotton jersey fabrics. This enabled her to control her own production and guarantee that Chanel fabrics were exclusive to her alone. Until around 1929, the factory was called 'Tricot Chanel'. After Chanel expanded into producing exclusive printed silks and other woven fabrics, the factory was renamed 'Tissus Chanel'. Chanel used printed fabrics for coat linings worn with matching dresses, which became one of her design trademarks.This is a woven fabric stamped 'Tricot Chanel', so is probably one of Chanel's first fabric prints before the factory's official name change. |
| Associated objects |
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| Other number | 272020 - Manufacturer's number |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.194-1975 |
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| Record created | January 10, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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