Chanel and patriarchal India

The bouquets keep coming for Leena Nair, the global CEO of Chanel. On June 11, the Indian-born Nair was awarded the UK's Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) by Prince William, prince of Wales, in recognition of her work in retail.

- NAMRATA ZAKARIA

Nair has been making news ever since she was appointed the chief executive of Chanel in 2021. Especially so because she has no background in fashion. Chanel is among the most valuable luxury brands in the world: it ranks among the top three fashion labels globally, alongside Hermes and Louis Vuitton, and much ahead of Dior, Gucci and Cartier.

Thanks to Chanel, it is now well-known that Nair, 56, has had a terrific career in the corporate world. She previously worked with Unilever as their chief human resource head for their global office spanning 190 countries, becoming the first female and first Asian to do so. We also know that she comes from a simple but hard-working roots. She was born to a Malayali family in Kolhapur, Maharashtra. She had completed her bachelor's degree in electronics and telecommunication in Sangli, Maharashtra, and then wanted to study further.