A duo for the ages, Elizabeth Taylor and Chanel seamlessly go hand in hand. The glamour and the timelessness is unmatched, and those closest to the icon that still is Taylor say it was a long-standing and mutual relationship.
“Elizabeth came into contact with the house of Chanel early in life,” the House of Taylor/Elizabeth Taylor Estate exclusively shared with us. “Coco Chanel rarely did fittings herself, but for Elizabeth, she was completely involved in the process and even invited her into her Paris apartment for privacy.”
In fact, Karl Lagerfeld designed for Taylor even before he became the creative director for Chanel. “He designed her costumes for the film, Boom! under the Tiziani label, so Elizabeth had history with him as well. She can be seen in Chanel in every decade of her adult life. In 1967, she wore a Chanel ball gown with matching handbag and shoes for the Royal film premiere of Taming of the Shrew, a film she and Richard Burton produced and starred in as Shakespearean characters, Kate and Petruchio.”
Although Taylor can be seen in classic Chanel suits as early as the ’60s, her estate says she truly embraced them during the 1980s. “It was the decade of the power suit, which served her well in her new role as a critical voice fighting for resources and the basic human rights of people affected by AIDS.”
And then, of course, there was the beauty. “Aside from Elizabeth’s love of Chanel fashion and jewelry over the course of her life, she fully embraced Chanel beauty products—including their lipstick, lip gloss, lip liner, eyeshadow and eyeliner,” shares the estate, revealing this closely held beauty secret: “She preferred a glossy lip, and the quality of the brand’s lipstick is moist and lush. Elizabeth primarily used lip gloss with a sponge applicator, which Chanel brilliantly produced in coordination with their lipstick colors. Elizabeth was known for her red lips, but she also wore shades of pink and coral depending on her mood and outfit. Chanel regularly came out with the best versions.”
Another fun fact: While the estate says Taylor didn’t wear Chanel fragrances, they reveal it was Gabrielle herself who suggested Elizabeth design her own line of fragrances while they were sitting together at dinner one evening.
