Coco Chanel opened her first fashion boutique in Deauville, France, in 1913.
Chanel had already established a millinery shop in Paris in 1910, selling hats under her own name. Her move into Deauville expanded her work beyond millinery and into clothing. Deauville was a fashionable seaside resort frequented by wealthy Parisians and international visitors, making it a valuable setting for introducing practical, informal garments to an affluent clientele.
The boutique helped Chanel develop the style that later defined her house: comfortable sportswear, jersey garments, relaxed silhouettes, and designs suited to modern leisure. Her use of jersey was especially notable because the fabric had previously been associated mainly with underwear and menswear.
Deauville is therefore different from Paris, where Chanel opened her earlier hat shop and later established major business premises. The town’s resort culture played an important role in the early expansion of her fashion business.