If Chanel Built Your Personal Brand aka How to Chanel Yourself
Chanel is a masterclass in founder myth and timeless reinvention. Here’s how to steal its luxury codes, mystique, and main character energy for your own personal brand.
I knew I had to write about Chanel the minute I saw the news: they just overtook Louis Vuitton in the Brand Finance rankings. Second only to Porsche BTW.
And it’s not because they shouted louder. Not because they did 90 days of Reels or did a GRWM on TikTok. But because they held their lane—and made the world come to them.
Plus, the changing of the guard with Matthieu Blazy coming in as Artistic Director, it is a masterclass in brand evolution: honouring heritage while making room for fresh vision.
So, if your personal brand is ready to evolve without losing its edge, this one’s for you. And that’s exactly why this month’s breakdown is all about how to Chanel yourself—so your personal brand becomes Impossible to Ignore.
Let’s dive in!
There’s a reason Chanel doesn’t need to scream to be seen. While everyone else is trying to trend their way to relevance and launching “A New Thing™️” every other Tuesday, Chanel does one thing: it releases on its own timeline. And then it enters the room like it owns it—because it kinda does. Anticipation built, couture sold out.
But most high-end experts, coaches and service providers are doing the opposite. Oversharing. Over-offering. Overwhelming. And somehow still overlooked. Your work is incredible, but your brand? It’s giving generic with a side of burnout.
That’s where Chanel comes in. Nope, you don’t need to be a French cool girl or design couture to borrow their playbook. But you do need to know how to build a brand that commands attention without begging for it.
Because what if your brand whispered luxury instead of shouting value? What if people leaned in closer… because you’re speaking to their heart, instead of their head (or their wallet)?
This Dispatch unpacks what Chanel gets right (and wrong!), what you can steal (ethically, obvs), and how to translate timeless luxury moves into personal brand strategy.
Consider this your invitation to Chanel yourself—no pearls required.
What Chanel Does Brilliantly (And Why They’re Living Rent-Free in Everyone’s Head)
Chanel is the queen of consistency without being a bore—and that’s exactly why the brand lives rent-free in the minds of everyone from Vogue editors to TikTok stylists.
It repeats itself on purpose. Black and white. Pearls and tweed. Reimagining ballet flats and the 2.55 bag. The same elements in different combinations, season after season—but every look still makes you stop scrolling. That’s because the human brain craves repetition and surprise; when a brand shows up with a recognisable signature that’s just fresh enough to feel new, it hits that sweet spot of “I know this… but I’ve never seen it quite like this.”
But here’s the part no one tells you: iconic brands aren’t just consistent. They’re composed. Three elements, always.
One: the hard skill or product (like branding, or the classic 11.12 handbag).
Two: the obsession or interest that gives it emotional weight (luxury, storytelling, craftsmanship, French girl chic).
Three: the curveball—something unexpected that makes them unforgettable.
Mine? British wit that rolls its eyes at ignorable brands.
Chanel’s? The unapologetic tension between masculine tailoring and feminine sensuality.
That’s the part that makes people lean in closer.
So here’s your move: pick 2–3 signature elements for your brand. This could be a visual (like always using handwritten annotations), a phrase (like “can you imagine?!”), or a format (like always showing up via voice note). Commit to remixing them everywhere.
→ Think of it like a uniform for your brand presence: same structure, infinite vibes.
When people know what to expect from you and they’re still excited to see it, that’s when your brand becomes unforgettable.
Founder-Led Branding: The Secret Sauce No One Talks About
(Hint: It’s Not What You Think)
Chanel isn’t iconic because it says ‘luxury’—it’s iconic because it makes you feel it without a single word.
Let’s unpack this: legacy brands don’t just sell a product, they sell a persona. Chanel built hers by mythologising Coco as the origin, the muse, and the rule-breaker in pearls.
She didn’t just wear black—she took a colour associated with funerals and mourning and made it the ultimate statement of rebellion and effortless chic.
She didn’t just design jackets—she made women feel like they didn’t need permission to wear something practical instead of just pretty.
That myth? It’s been echoing through the brand ever since. And that’s what makes Chanel more than a fashion house. It’s a DGAF personality you aspire to embody.
So how do you steal that energy without sounding like a knockoff?
1. Mythologise your origin.
Start telling your story like a founding legend. Not “I’m a designer” or “I help clients.” No, absolutely not allowed around here. You’re the person who taught herself Canva on a cracked iPhone and still booked five-figure clients. You’re the coach who sold a mastermind with no list, just killer voice notes and a Google doc. Own the part of your story that makes you unrepeatable.
2. Build in tension.
Chanel always danced between masculine and feminine, structure and softness, private and iconic. You need a contradiction, too. Are you deeply strategic and wildly intuitive? Are your offers polished AF, but your captions sound like you’re texting your best friend? Good. That's the stuff that makes you interesting.
3. Say no to scale for the sake of it.
Chanel isn’t trying to be Amazon. They’re selective. They’re slow. They don’t launch daily. They make you wait. As a personal brand, you don’t need to be everywhere. You need to be intentional. One unforgettable experience is better than ten lukewarm lead magnets.
Case Study:
Chanel No.5 is the most famous perfume in the world… and they barely talk about it. They don’t change their brand ambassador every year to follow trends either. It became iconic not through ads, but through mystery: Marilyn slept in it. Coco wore it like armour. It became a legend you wanted to belong to, not a product you needed convincing to buy. That’s brand gravity—and you can build your own version through narrative, restraint, and the confidence to let people come to you.
So here’s the move: stop trying to be the loudest, most visible brand in the room. Be the one people remember when they walk out.
What They’re Not Doing (And How You Can Do It Better)
(Because Sometimes Icons Drop the Ball)
We love Chanel—but let’s be honest, they're not flawless.
And that’s exactly where your personal brand can slip in and steal the spotlight.
While Chanel is a master of mystique and legacy, it's also a little... aloof. The experience is exclusive, yes… but it’s not intimate. Try getting someone from Chanel to respond to a DM. That’s because Chanel isn’t designed to feel personal, it’s designed to feel untouchable.
That works when you’ve got 100 years of history and a war chest the size of Versailles. But for your brand? You don’t need to replicate that distance. You need to close the gap strategically.
It’s about creating just enough tension to spark aspiration—too much and you’re untouchable, too little and you’re the girl next door. But hit that sweet spot? That’s when they lean in and say: “here’s my credit card.”
Here’s how:
1. Ditch the pedestal. Create emotional proximity.
You don’t need to show people your morning oats or cry on camera, but you do need to make them feel like you see them. Share the story behind your latest offer. Write an email that sounds like a 3am voice memo. Luxury today isn’t cold, it’s personal and polished with a side order of “you can have this too”.
2. Inject humanity into the brand machine.
Chanel’s digital presence? 1Still pretty stiff. Meanwhile, smaller brands are eating their croissant with punchier emails, interactive launch experiences, and content that sounds like it was written by someone who actually enjoys life instead of moaning about their husband’s latest affair. You can do what Chanel can’t: be funny, be clever, be real. In your own way. Develop your voice. Write like hell and see what feels the most like you.
3. Move faster. Test louder. Launch smarter.
The upside of not having a legacy to “protect”? You get to try things. Chanel can’t test a spicy new angle without 14 layers of approvals. You? You can test it today. Your speed, your boldness, your agility—those are your unfair advantages. Use them.
Case Study:
Take Alémais—a buzzy Australian brand that’s blowing up not just because of the clothes, but the intimacy of its storytelling. Their Marrakech resort show wasn’t just about fashion. It was about culture, emotion, and connection. They posted real behind-the-scenes moments, stories of artisans, and lush visuals that felt immersive, not staged. That’s the edge: intimacy wrapped in intention.
So here’s your move: give people a sense of you while still holding your power. That blend of access + aspiration? That’s where loyalty lives. No oversharing involved.
You: That’s cool, Carolynne… but what about me, I’m a Coach/Service Provider/Creative… how can I use this in my brand?
Me: I gotchu. I’m giving you the insider scoop on real world applications for your brand. You ready for this?!
And that’s where we say goodbye to the free subscribers—and hello to the paid subscribers who get the afterparty, the strategy, and the transformation that turns pretty brands into powerful ones.
I’m such a tease… ;)
Join today for the price of a fancy matcha and shift your brand from being missable to Unignorable.