This history of Chantelle  is a sweeping panorama of industry-changing lingerie innovations and revolutions.  It's one of the best-known French lingerie brands in the U.S., and yet Chantelle has deep roots in France that go back centuries.

In 1876, Francoise Auguste Gamichon founded a firm in Romilly, France, that was described as “a manufacturer of knitted fabrics for medical corsets.” Gamichon manufactured support hose, belts, and elasticized fabrics using material that included vulcanized rubber that stretched in two directions. In partnership with his nephew Paul-Maurice Kretz, they spearheaded a number of innovations that included a wholly new stretch fabric known as Kretz tulle that gave women – and their lingerie – unparalleled freedom. Eventually, the Chantelle girdle was launched and the rest is truly history.

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