31 Rue Cambon ~ Chanel

So last summer when I was in Paris, I got the chance to visit the amazing 31 Rue Cambon. It was amazing to see where it all started with Chanel. She is not only a legend, but an inspiration, which is hwy I was so thrilled to be able to see the staircase. Unfortunately, I didn't do my research, and I'm still unsure whether it is possible now, but I didn't get to her her apartments. Lucky for me, the guard by the staircase was wonderful and turned a blind eye when I stepped on it to take some pictures. I wish I had a better camera at the time, but I still think everything turned out splendidly ;) 

Now, what is 31 Rue Cambon you ask? Well, here's a little bit of history for you:

"In 1910, Gabrielle Chanel opened her hat shop, “Chanel Modes”, at Number 21 rue Cambon, in the center of Paris, only a stone’s throw from Place Vendôme and rue Faubourg Saint-Honoré, in the heart of a very fashionable part of town.
19th century writers such as Stendhal and Chateaubriand occasionally dwelled on rue Cambon, where Chanel would brush shoulders with renowned caricaturist George Goursat, also known as “SEM”. He created the first artistic rendering of perfume N°5.
As she quickly gained recognition for her talents as a hat-maker, Gabrielle decided that she needed larger premises. In 1918, she acquired the entire building at Number 31. It was here that she invented the concept of the modern boutique: in 1921, she began displaying fashion accessories and her first perfume (N°5) to wear with her garments and hats. Later, she added jewelry and beauty products.

Gabrielle Chanel claimed rue Cambon as her territory and arranged her 18th century building to suit her needs. The boutique occupied the ground floor, while the large reception room on the first floor was used to present her collections and hold fittings for Haute Couture dresses and suits. A stairway lined with mirrors led to her second-floor apartment, which was an intimately private realm filled with treasures. The third floor housed the studio, where Karl Lagerfeld works today, together with light-flooded workshops nestled below the rooftops. All of her activities, which included workshops for making jewelry, hats and sportswear, were united in this building, whose configuration has remained unchanged.
During the 1920s, Chanel expanded up the street and by 1927 she occupied five buildings on rue Cambon (Numbers 23 to 31)." ~ http://chanel-news.chanel.com/en/archives/31-rue-cambon-the-story-behind-the-facade/