The spirit of the "House of Chanel" was re-created in the 2005 Met exhibition, which began with a presentation of Chanel's ground-breaking designs from the 1920s. It continued to examine its history thematically, focusing on the iconographical details of her work. Period examples were juxtaposed with the work of designer Karl Lagerfeld, who revitalized the spirit and identity of the house in 1983.

Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel's journey into the world of fashion began in 1909…