Chanel's fashions became well-known

Coco Chanel revolutionized haute couture fashion by replacing the traditional corseted silhouette with the comfort of simple suits and long, slender dresses. Chanel frequently incorporated ideas from male fashion into her designs. Chanel's simpler lines of women's couture led to the popular "flat-chested" look of the 1920s. Her clothing was relaxed, unstructured, and changed the way women dressed for outdoor activities. Coco omitted corsets, liberating women and allowing more comfort. Contemporary Fashion states, "She dressed the modern woman in clothes for a lifestyle." Coco is credited for making jersey (a soft elasticated knit used for undergarments) a popular fashion fabric. Her jersey dresses, often in navy and gray, were cut to flatter the figure rather than to emphasize and distort the natural body shape.

Chanel is also known for its quilted fabric and leather which also has a "secret" quilting pattern sewn at the back to keep the material strong. It was inspired by the jackets worn by jockeys. This material is used for clothing and accessories alike.

She had numerous other major successes that changed the fashion industry, including the Chanel suit, composed of a knee-length skirt and trim, boxy jacket, traditionally made of woven wool with black sewing trim and gold buttons, worn with large costume-pearl necklaces. After the success of her perfume, Chanel No. 5, Coco Chanel's fashions became well-known and were purchased by the high flyers of London and Paris society alike. The financial gain from the fragrance also helped her company during difficult years.