Adding to their insightful exploration of various topics with The Impossible Collection series, Assouline’s Fall 2019 Ultimate Collection looks back at the world of Chanel, from the days of Gabrielle Chanel through to Karl Lagerfeld’s unmatched influence in reinventing the brand.

Gabrielle Chanel predicted the future of contemporary womenswear, bringing the concept of luxurious minimalism to the forefront, using humble fabrics such as tweed and jersey to create a new type of couture. Creating a unique silhouette the world hadn’t seen before, Chanel was making waves in her era, allowing women to dress more freely and embrace the future during a time of social shift in perspective. While Gabrielle Chanel created clothing that affects how we now dress, Karl Lagerfeld drew on her vision and the brand’s history, and revived a fashion house that was slowing down, setting the blueprint for many others after him.

Curated by fashion journalist Alexander Fury, Assouline’s Chanel: The Impossible Collection brings together images from some of the world’s most influential photographers, specialist museums and private collections around the world, as well as archival images, allowing the public a rarely-before-seen glimpse into the world of Chanel.

Chanel: The Impossible Collection, £695, is available to purchase from  http://www.assouline.com