Gabrielle Chanel (1883 - 1971), Evening dress, c.1925

Chanel often used modest materials and subdued colors, but, as these scalloped flounces attest, her technique retained couture's impeccable craftsmanship. She championed simple clothes that reflected a modern lifestyle and attitude. In response to Poiret's charge that her style was "poverty de luxe," Chanel replied, "simplicity does not mean poverty."