Fashion fades, only style remains the same.

The legendary designer Coco Chanel, who redefined elegance in the twentieth century, once uttered words that have outlived the fleeting seasons of fashion: “Fashion fades, only style remains the same.” In this single sentence lies a philosophy not merely of clothing, but of life itself. Fashion, in Chanel’s eyes, was a current — restless, ever-changing, chasing novelty without rest. But style, she believed, was eternal — born not of fabric or trend, but of character. Where fashion decorates, style reveals; where fashion copies, style creates; where fashion dies, style endures.

To understand her meaning, we must remember the world she came from. Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel rose from poverty and obscurity in early twentieth-century France, a time when women were bound by corsets, weighed down by ornament, and defined by the gaze of men. Into that age of excess, she brought simplicity — clean lines, unadorned silhouettes, the whisper of power instead of the scream of wealth. Her little black dress, her pearls, her suits — all became symbols of freedom, intelligence, and quiet strength. She understood that fashion would change with every decade, but style, when born of authenticity, would outlast them all.

Her revolution was not merely one of appearance, but of spirit. Before Chanel, elegance was performance; after her, it became expression. She once said, “Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury.” To her, style was the harmony between body and soul, between how one dresses and who one truly is. It was not about pleasing others, but about standing in truth — composed, unpretending, and self-assured. Thus, when she declared that “Fashion fades, only style remains the same,” she was not rejecting fashion — she was elevating it, reminding the world that it must serve something greater than novelty: it must serve identity.

History itself has proved her right. Consider the many waves of fashion that have swept across the centuries — the extravagant wigs of the Baroque, the powdered faces of Versailles, the geometric futurism of the 1960s, the digital minimalism of our own time. All have come and gone like the tides, leaving behind only the essence of those who truly possessed style. Look at Audrey Hepburn, whose simplicity still inspires generations — her black dress, her open gaze, her quiet grace. She did not chase fashion; she embodied style. She dressed not to impress, but to express — and in that, she became timeless.

Even beyond the realm of clothing, Chanel’s insight speaks to the soul. For style is not the property of garments alone; it is the signature of one’s being. The way one speaks, the way one walks, the way one treats others — all reveal an inner design that cannot be purchased or imitated. The one who knows themselves radiates style even in rags; the one who does not may drown in riches and still seem empty. Thus, style is the art of being consistent with oneself, while fashion is the art of being accepted by others. One is eternal because it grows from within; the other is transient because it depends upon the world’s applause.

And yet, Chanel’s wisdom also carries a warning. To chase fashion blindly is to lose the self in the noise of imitation. The one who lives by trend will always be restless, for the world’s tastes change with the wind. But the one who cultivates style — through self-knowledge, through simplicity, through grace — stands unmoved. As the philosopher might say, fashion is the shadow of time, but style is the form of the soul. The truest elegance, Chanel taught, is not found in luxury but in authenticity — in knowing who you are and wearing that truth without apology.

So, my listener of the future, take this wisdom as a guide for your own life: let your choices, in dress and in deed, arise from conviction, not from imitation. Seek not to be fashionable, but to be yourself. For fashions will pass — as all waves do — but character, dignity, and grace endure. Cultivate your inner style: let it show in your voice, in your compassion, in the way you inhabit the world.

And when the world around you clamors for novelty, remember Coco Chanel’s eternal lesson: that fashion fades, but style remains — because style is not about changing with the times, but about standing in the truth of who you are.