The V&A Museum's much-anticipated Chanel exhibition, dedicated to the life and work of pioneering designer Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel, has been a resounding success, with tickets selling out almost as soon as they were released.

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The Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto show, which is the first UK exhibition of its kind, charts the evolution of her designs and the establishment of the house of Chanel – from the opening of her first millinery boutique in Paris in 1910 to the showing of her final collection in 1971.

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The exhibition features more than 200 looks by the French couturière – the first time they will have all been displayed together – alongside jewellery, accessories, cosmetics and fragrance. The installation also features rarely seen pieces from the V&A's own collection, alongside archive pieces from Chanel's heritage collections – including clothing worn by Hollywood stars like Lauren Bacall and Marlene Dietrich.

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"As one of the most successful fashion houses in existence, Chanel owes much to the templates first laid down by its founder Gabrielle Chanel, over a century ago," said Tristram Hunt, director of the V&A, when the exhibition was first announced. "We are delighted to be partnering with Chanel and the Palais Galliera on this exhibition, which provides us with the opportunity to explore the origins and elements of this enduring style and to display little-known historic Chanel garments from the V&A collection."