31 of the Most Beautiful Chanel Dresses We've Ever Seen

If there’s one fashion brand that makes my heart beat a little faster, it’s Chanel—and I don’t think I’m alone here. If I’m being honest, one of my favorite things about fashion is the sense of fantasy and escape woven into it—and no one masters that better than Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel. With opulent sets staged at the Grand Palais or far-flung locations around the world like Cuba, Salzburg, or Tokyo, you’re immediately transported into another world of his own design—and that’s all before the models come walking down the runway. Recently, I even had the chance to attend a Chanel runway show (hello, lifelong dream) and can attest to the magic of it all.

But the real breathtaking moments happen once the gowns are unearthed from backstage. Whether they’re finished with layer upon layer of tulle and lace or covered with delicate ostrich feathers or even hand-beaded for upward of 400 hours, these pieces are truly works of art. So if you want to escape into a fashion dreamworld, allow us to introduce you to the 31 most beautiful Chanel dresses we’ve ever seen—because we all need a little fashion magic in our lives.

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Chanel F/W 2001 Haute Couture

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Chanel S/S 2003

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Chanel S/S 2005 Haute Couture

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Chanel S/S 2006 Haute Couture

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Chanel S/S 2007 Haute Couture

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Chanel S/S 2007 Haute Couture

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Chanel F/W 2007 Haute Couture

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Chanel S/S 2008 Haute Couture

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Chanel S/S 2008 Haute Couture

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Chanel F/W 2008 Haute Couture

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Chanel S/S 2009 Haute Couture

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Chanel F/W 2010 Haute Couture

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Chanel S/S 2011 Haute Couture

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Chanel F/W 2011 Haute Couture

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Chanel S/S 2013 Haute Couture

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Chanel S/S 2013 Haute Couture

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Chanel F/W 2013 Haute Couture

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Chanel S/S 2014 Haute Couture

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Chanel F/W 2014 Haute Couture

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Chanel F/W 2014 Haute Couture

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Chanel S/S 2015 Haute Couture

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Chanel S/S 2015 Haute Couture

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Chanel S/S 2015 Haute Couture

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Chanel F/W 2015 Haute Couture

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Chanel S/S 2016 Haute Couture

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Chanel S/S 2017 Haute Couture

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Chanel S/S 2017 Haute Couture

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Chanel F/W 2017 Haute Couture

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Chanel F/W 2017 Haute Couture

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Chanel S/S 2018 Haute Couture

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Chanel S/S 2018 Haute Couture

Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be waiting patiently to see what happens at the next Chanel couture show.

Associate Director, Special Projects

Kristen Nichols is the Associate Director, Special Projects at Who What Wear with over a decade of experience in fashion, editorial, and publishing. She oversees luxury content and wedding features, and covers fashion within the luxury market, runway reporting, shopping features, trends, and interviews with leading industry experts. She also contributes to podcast recordings, social media, and branded content initiatives. Kristen has worked with brands including Prada, Chanel, MyTheresa, and Luisa Via Roma, and rising designers such as Refine and Tove, and her style has been featured in publications including Vogue.com, Vogue France, WWD, and the CFDA. Before Who What Wear, Kristen began her career at Rodarte, where she worked on assistant styling, photo shoots, and runway shows, and at Allure, where she moved into print and digital editorial. She graduated from the University of Southern California, where she studied art history and business, and currently lives in New York.