Chloé is a quintessential example of French chic. Read on to find out more about the label’s history, how to pronounce Chloé brand, and does Chloé ever go on sale?

“All I wanted was for Chloé to have a serene spirit, able to make people happy.” —Gaby Aghion, founder of Chloé

Renowned for its chic and feminine designs, Chloé is the French label that coined the concept of luxury ready-to-wear. That’s not all—Chloé also invented one of the first ever It bags, the padlocked Paddington bag.  

Long story short, Chloé revolutionized the world of fashion. Let’s take a look at the history of the label, from its beginnings in 1952, to the big names that helmed the maison throughout the years. And we’ll answer the question does Chloé ever go on sale?

But first—have you been pronouncing Chloé the American way, all this time? If so, here’s how to pronounce Chloé brand correctly: Clo-eh. Make sure you stress the second syllable, and you will sound perfectly French.

History of Chloé

Chloé was founded in Paris in 1952 by Egyptian-born designer Gaby Aghion and her business partner Jacques Lenoir. The label is named after a friend of Aghion’s, Chloé Huysmans, who she believed embodied youthfulness, modern femininity and glamour.

Aghion had arrived in Paris in 1945 with her husband, and joined the city’s Left Bank social circle, which included painter Pablo Picasso and poet Paul Éluard. She presented her first collection at the iconic Café de Flore, hub of artists, writers, and philosophers.

Advocating for modernity and simplicity in contrast to the formalities of 1950s haute couture, Aghion’s designs were chic yet effortless. She wanted to make fashion accessible to a wider audience—Chloé was the first label to offer luxury ready-to-wear pieces, which could be purchased off-the-rack rather than going through time-consuming fittings.

In 1966, a young Karl Lagerfeld was appointed creative director of Chloé, which at the time counted the likes of Jackie Kennedy, Maria Callas and Grace Kelly among its customers. Lagerfeld was the only male designer to have helmed the label—he was followed by Martine Sitbon, Stella McCartney, Phoebe Philo, Hannah MacGibbon, Clare Waight Keller, Natacha Ramsay-Levi, and current creative director Gabriela Hearst. 

Gaby Aghion died in 2014 at the age of 93, leaving behind a rich, inspiring heritage.

3 Iconic Chloé bags

Over the years, Chloé has created what seems to be an endless list of It bags. We have narrowed it down to three: the Paddington, the Faye, and the Marcie.

The Paddington

Created by Phoebe Philo, this slouchy padlocked bag was arguably the first ever It bag. When it was introduced in 2005, all 8000 pieces sold out before even making it to the stores! The Paddington was so sought after that the waiting list was endless, and it ended up being one of the most copied designs. When empty, the Paddington weighed three pounds—but who says an It bag has to be functional?

The Marcie

This bohemian saddle bag is a timeless classic and a celebrity favorite. Created in 2010 by Hannah MacGibbon, the Marcie is a spacious day bag, recognizable by the slouchy silhouette and the dangling leather tassel. Modern and effortless, it perfectly mirrors the spirit of the label. It is now available in a range of sizes and colors, including a mini version which can be carried on the shoulder or cross-body.

The Faye

Launched in 2015, this 70s inspired bag features a clean, geometrical design, a statement hoop and a chain detailing. The Faye is the perfect bag for the contemporary urban woman— it’s spacious and versatile, trendy and elegant, all at the same time. The Faye comes in a range of sizes, colors and materials, and retails for an average of $1600. Is it worth the splurge? Absolutely. And if you want to save up to 30% on the Faye and other Chloé bags, make sure you shop italist.com.

Other classics include the Tess, the Nile, and the Edith.

How to clean your Chloé bag

Now that you know the history, and how to pronounce Chloé brand …if you’ve invested in a Chloé bag, you want to make sure you treat it right! That includes storing it in a dust bag, avoiding it exposure to humidity and sources of heat, not overloading it, and… giving it a proper clean!

Here’s how you can clean your Chloé bag:

• Do not machine wash, bleach, tumble dry, or dry clean.
• Leather: to clean your leather Chloé bag, simply wipe it with a damp cloth. Use a waterproof spray and a leather conditioner regularly.
• Suede: gently brush the suede using a quality horsehair brush to remove dust and dirt. Make sure you treat your bag with a waterproof spray to prevent stains.

Does Chloé ever go on sale? 

Does Chloé ever go on sale? italist carries a large selection of Chloé bags for women as well as ready-to-wear and shoes at up to 40% off the retail price. How?

The prices you see listed on italist product pages are the Italian retail price, so even during non-sale periods, they’re lower than prices at other online shops or at offline retail stores in your region, a 40% savings on average.

Understand more about italist pricing.

About the Author

Alex English is the Head of Content Marketing at italist.com, building on a lifelong passion for fashion and luxury. After publishing a lifestyle blog for nearly ten years and obtaining an MBA in Milan at SDA Bocconi, one of Europe’s top business schools, he joined the italist team in 2019. His work since then has focused on upper-funnel messaging, brand storytelling, establishing italist as a thought leader in the space, and enriching the customer experience on the platform. Find him on LinkedIn.