14 Photos That Prove The Chanel Tweed Jacket Never Goes Out Of Style

The late Karl Lagerfeld had a natural ability for giving witty one-liners. Here’s one that still seems to be true: “There are things in fashion that never go out of style: jeans, a white shirt and a Chanel jacket.” The classic Chanel tweed jacket ranks highly on the wish lists of fashion’s elite. A solid favorite among editors, influencers and Hollywood’s finest, everyone from Princess Diana to Claudia Schiffer to Kendall Jenner has worn the instantly recognizable jacket.

It may come as a surprise to learn that the Chanel tweed jacket was originally inspired by a menswear design. Thought up by Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel in the 1920s, the designer was influenced by the men’s tweed fishing and hunting jackets worn by her lover the Duke of Westminster on his sporting estate, Reay Forest, in Sutherland, in the north-west Highlands. It took her until 1954 to design the tweed jacket for women, in itself a retort to the feminized outfits of the early 1950s, and her attempt to help women feel more powerful. Her tweed bouclé jacket, which renewed the coarse, Scottish fabric, allowing women to move freely thanks to its loose fit and gently cropped sleeves, was an instant hit.

Multiple iterations of the Chanel staple have appeared on red carpets, talk show couches, royal tours and state occasions ever since. It has been featured in numerous Chanel collections, including many by the late Lagerfeld, who refreshed the style season in, season out during his 36-year tenure at the Paris house.

Below, enjoy 14 photos of the timeless appeal of the Chanel tweed jacket.