Coco Chanel famously used jersey in her early sportswear designs.
Jersey was traditionally associated with practical, relatively inexpensive clothing rather than luxury fashion. Chanel adopted the knitted fabric for women’s garments during the 1910s, especially when wartime shortages made more expensive materials difficult to obtain. Its stretch, softness, and movement suited the relaxed sportswear aesthetic she was developing.
Using jersey helped Chanel challenge the rigid silhouettes common in high fashion at the time. Her garments emphasized comfort and ease without abandoning elegance. The material also worked well with the active lifestyles of women who traveled, played sports, or spent time at seaside resorts.
The fabric is sometimes mistakenly identified as denim because both are associated with casual clothing. They are different textiles: jersey is a knitted fabric, while denim is a woven cotton twill. Chanel’s early use of jersey was significant precisely because she elevated an everyday material into fashionable clothing.