Coco Chanel opened her first millinery shop in Paris.
Chanel began her millinery business in Paris in 1910, initially operating at 21 Rue Cambon. Her hats attracted attention among fashionable Parisian women and performers, helping her move from modest beginnings into the world of couture. The Paris location became the foundation of the Chanel fashion house.
She had previously sold hats in other French resort settings, including Deauville, where she opened a boutique in 1913. That earlier activity is why some accounts describe Deauville as the starting point of her fashion business. However, Paris was the city of her first millinery shop.
Rue Cambon later became inseparable from Chanel’s identity. The house expanded along the street, and 31 Rue Cambon became its celebrated couture address and Chanel’s longtime working base.