The women’s wardrobe staple that is the Little Black Dress - a Coco Chanel design from 1926. This dress appeared as an illustration in American Vogue for the first time. Vogue editors christened the ‘Ford’ dress after the era’s classic black car, asserting that the chic, long-sleeved design is unlined crèpe de chine would “become sort of a uniform for all women of taste.”

The dresses’ design is acknowledged as an epitome of cut and proportion. Using classic elegant materials such as lace and soft weightless silk, the little black dress made women wearing anything else feel unsuitably overdressed.

The high-quality design, construction and finish of these clothes helped establish the professional reputation of Coco Chanel as a meticulous couturière.