Chantelle is a lingerie brand which belongs to the
Groupe Chantelle, a French lingerie company which was founded in 1876 by François Auguste Gamichon.
A pioneer in manufacturing elastic knits, the Chantelle brand grew thanks to the 'Kretz tulle' used first in its corsets, then in its bras. The company has been owned by the Kretz family since the 1900s.
History
![Chantelle Lingerie - Annual Auction -Magazine ad - Zan-e Rooz, Issue 303 - 16 January 1971](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/Chantelle_Lingerie_-_Annual_Auction_-Magazine_ad_-_Zan-e_Rooz%2C_Issue_303_-_16_January_1971.jpg)
* 1876: The company that would become Chantelle is founded at the end of the 19th century, as a manufacturer of elastic knits.
* The 1900s: At the time, women's figures are still tightly corseted in dresses with a train. Maurice Kretz, François Auguste Gamichon's nephew, begins to manufacture corsets made of elastic fabrics in 1902.
* The 1930s: The launch of the "little black dress" by
Chanel
Chanel ( , ) is a French high-end luxury fashion house founded in 1910 by Coco Chanel in Paris. Chanel specializes in women's ready-to-wear, luxury goods, and accessories and licenses its name and branding to Luxottica for eyewear. Chanel is ...
in
Vogue
Vogue may refer to:
Business
* ''Vogue'' (magazine), a US fashion magazine
** British ''Vogue'', a British fashion magazine
** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine
** ''Vogue Australia'', an Australian fashion magazine
** ''Vogue China'', ...
magazine in 1926 leads many women to "abandon" their corsets. Jean Kretz, a textile engineer and Maurice Kretz's son, refines the weaving methods and launches "Kretz tulle", an elastic fabric.
* The 1940s: Claude Kretz, who has joined his father in the company, uses "Kretz tulle" to manufacture the first girdles. The Chantelle brand is first used in 1949.
* The 1950s:
New Look silhouettes, wasp waists and pneumatic breasts appear; their icon is the American actress
Mae West
Mae West (born Mary Jane West; August 17, 1893 – November 22, 1980) was an American stage and film actress, playwright, screenwriter, singer, and sex symbol whose entertainment career spanned over seven decades. She was known for her breezy ...
. The Chantelle girdle, suppler and lighter than the corset, launches with the slogan: "Chantelle, the girdle that stays in place."
* The 1960s: On the eve of ready-to-wear, Chantelle launches its first bras under the impulse of Claude Kretz. In 1962, Chantelle opens its first bra manufacturing plant in
Epernay in the
Champagne
Champagne (, ) is a sparkling wine originated and produced in the Champagne wine region of France under the rules of the appellation, that demand specific vineyard practices, sourcing of grapes exclusively from designated places within it, spe ...
region.
* The 1970s: Chantelle launches the "Défi" model in 1972, the very first molded bra.
* The 1980s: Chantelle launches the risque "Vertige" model in 1983, one of the first see-through and plunging neckline bras.
* The 2000s: Chantelle moves toward invisible products and T-shirt bras. Its "Women of the World" campaign highlights the "Africa" and "Graphie" lines.
* The 2010s: Chantelle launches a more casual line, based on technologies offering freedom of movement and comfort, like Spacer and
Memory foam
Memory foam consists mainly of polyurethane with additional chemicals that increase its viscosity and density. It is often referred to as "viscoelastic" polyurethane foam, or low-resilience polyurethane foam (LRPu). The foam bubbles or ‘cells’ ...
innovations.
Iconic Products
*1972: Introduction of the "Défi" model onto the market – the very first molded, seamless, bra, prioritizing good support for the bust.
* 1982: Launch of the "Les chéris" collection, which evokes a new style of seduction.
*1983: Chantelle dares to go see-through and offers a plunging neckline with "Vertige" supported by a campaign by Jacques Séguéla.
*1999: The "Hedona" molded bra meets women's new expectations.
* 2013: Chantelle launches its first Swimwear collection for the Spring/Summer season.
See also
*
Groupe Chantelle
References
External links
Company website
{{Authority control
Clothing companies of France
French brands
Underwear brands
Lingerie brands