What was the name of Coco Chanel’s first Paris shop, opened in 1910?

Coco Chanel’s first Paris shop, opened in 1910, was called Chanel Modes.

Chanel began her business career with hats rather than the complete clothing collections for which she later became famous. In 1910, she opened a millinery shop at 21 rue Cambon in Paris under the name Chanel Modes. Her hats attracted attention for their comparatively simple, modern shapes.

Her early success expanded through resorts associated with fashionable leisure. She opened additional establishments in Deauville and Biarritz, where her practical sportswear and relaxed designs appealed to women seeking alternatives to heavily structured clothing.

The name is easy to confuse with the later Chanel fashion-house identity. “Chanel Modes” refers specifically to the early Paris millinery business. The famous address at 31 rue Cambon became associated with Chanel later, but it was not the location of the original 1910 shop. This distinction helps separate Chanel’s beginnings as a hat maker from her later couture empire.