CHANEL 90s
Simply iconic. Think of the glamorous 90s and Chanel, the world-famous fashion brand that conquered the world and has become the equivalent of sophistication and ultimate luxury.
It is the year 1990, Chanel is at their peak showcasing its first eyewear collection on the catwalk in Paris. The next years until 1999 define a remarkable decade with the most stunning sunglasses made in the history of Chanel eyewear.
Now, 30 years later these frames are considered vintage treasures and holy grails. What is it that makes this eyewear so unique and desirable up to the present day?
CHANEL designs
The designs of Chanel in this era were not only daring but also spot-on and timeless. Under the reign of Karl Lagerfeld, Chanel reinvented itself and was now mixing high fashion with street style. To quote Lagerfeld:
“Fashion in the 90s was more about attitude than detailing”
But details like the used materials made the products get attitude, cleverly done by Lagerfeld.
Accessories played an important part in the new looks, the excessive use of gold chains, leather, and pearls proves that. Using these materials as well in the eyewear collection turned every piece into an eternal eye-catcher, serving attitude with the ultimate Lagerfeld signature. Think of the famous ‘Chanel pearl sunglasses from SS94’ or the ‘Chanel chain sunglasses from AW92’.
CHANEL interlocked C’s
When you think of the 90s you see logos everywhere. The logo-mania trend was embraced by Chanel, helping it rise to the sky.
Karl Lagerfeld reintroduced the interlocked C’s – a logo already invented by founder Coco Chanel in the 20s – but now used to its full potential and it was thrown on everything like it was confetti. From bikinis and crop tops to handbags and sunglasses.
It became the most memorable part of the 90s Chanel look. The CC logo was found on almost every pair of Chanel sunglasses, Karl even took it to the next level with the ‘runway sample glasses of AW94’. In our humble opinion, this beauty earned the absolute holy grail status.
CHANEL boutique exclusive
Unlike nowadays you could only purchase your pair of Chanel at a Chanel boutique. Back then, eyewear retailers weren’t licensed to sell Chanel. This made Chanel eyewear much more exclusive. After 1999 this changed when they became available in department stores and optical shops as well.
CHANEL runway shows
Of all fashion runway shows you’re probably the most familiar with the images of Chanel shows from the 1990s. No launching spaceships nor arctic stage set-ups. None of that. It was the runway in its essence.
The original era of the supermodels and Karl Lagerfeld brought them all together. Each show was spectacular thanks to the allure of A-list models like Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer, Karen Mulder, Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, and many more.
CHANEL ads & campaigns
To this day, many fashion brands are still inspired by the timeless 90s Chanel print designs.
The ads and campaigns were so elegant and recognizable thanks to the strong branding, styling, and the presence of absolute supermodels.
CHANEL sustainability
Quality-wise, the 90s eyewear collections were unmatched. The materials used were of highly durable quality and because the technology wasn’t that advanced yet, the amount of manual labor was much higher compared to nowadays. If you want to know more about the materials and how to make sure you purchase an authentic 90s Chanel pair of sunglasses make sure to check our authenticity page.