Coco Chanel popularized jersey in early 1920s fashion.
Jersey was traditionally associated with practical underwear and men’s sports clothing rather than luxury womenswear. Chanel used the knitted fabric for comfortable dresses, skirts, and suits, helping transform an inexpensive and flexible material into a fashionable choice.
Her use of jersey was closely connected to the disruptions of the First World War. Shortages and changing lifestyles encouraged designers to work with practical fabrics, while Chanel’s clients increasingly valued freedom of movement over heavily structured clothing. The fabric’s stretch and soft drape suited her relaxed silhouettes.
Jersey is sometimes confused with tweed, another material strongly associated with Chanel, especially her later suits. Tweed became a signature of the Chanel look, but jersey was the fabric that established her early reputation for modern, informal luxury.