The French designer and entrepreneur shaped the fashion of her century like no other; Even during his lifetime, “Coco” became a legend as a style icon. In 1910, at the age of 27, she founded her first boutique “Chanel Modes” at 21 Rue Cambon in Paris. Coco Chanel celebrated her international breakthrough in 1923 with the perfume “No 5”. The uniforms of the world war served as a template for the typical Chanel style; with her line, she helped the emancipated and equal woman to express herself in fashion for the first time. Chanel abolished the corset and invented the “little black dress” in 1926, with which a pearl necklace was worn as the only ornament; for her, the mourning color became the epitome of timeless feminine elegance. She also established costume jewellery, shortened skirts to a scandalous length just below the knee and designed knitted swimsuits that ended at thigh length. Chanel thus asserted itself as a legendary personality of emancipation, whose popularity led to one of the most important fashion labels in the world…
Coco Chanel, actually Gabrielle Bonheur Chasnel, was born on August 19, 1883 as the second daughter of a street vendor in Saumur in Auvergne.
She was an illegitimate child. The mother, faking the marriage, had her daughter baptized in the father’s surname. Due to a spelling mistake in the baptismal register, the “s” in the name was overlooked and was not corrected later. Chanel grew up in poor conditions. When she was twelve years old, her mother died. The father, who received custody, placed her and her older sister in the care of an orphanage. Upon reaching the age of 16, Chanel was released from the orphanage. She first started working as a seamstress and later moved to Paris to perform in various nightclubs as a singer and dancer. Here she was given the stage name “Coco”, which after a while also became her nickname.
From 1909 she worked as a milliner in Paris. Her wish was to be able to start her own business as a milliner. A wealthy admirer provided her with the financial means in 1910, and so she was able to start making hats of her own design in the studio of a house. Her work sold so well that after a short time she was able to open her first hat shop in Paris. When she also designed dresses for customers, completely new, simple dresses with large-scale basic colors were created. Dresses by Coco Chanel became the noble luxury product of the Paris scene and as early as 1914 she opened the first boutiques in Deauville and Biarritz under her name. In 1916 one of her models appeared in the American magazine ”Harper”s Bazaar” with the subtitle “The Charming Chemise Dress”. From 1918 she launched pajamas for women, which had previously only been reserved for men. In 1919 she opened a fashion salon in Paris. Chanel showed herself not only as an outstanding fashion designer, but also as a first-class businesswoman.
However, she didn’t make her breakthrough with her fashion, but in 1923 with the perfume “Chanel No. 5”. This fragrance was also the first to be presented under the creator’s name. In 1926 she designed the first “little black dress”, with which a pearl necklace was the only piece of jewelry worn. For Chanel, black became the epitome of timeless feminine elegance; for her, the color of mourning was the absence of color, which only brings out “absolute beauty”. She made headlines in the early 1930s when she sympathized with the National Socialists. She was also accused of having some friendships with high-ranking German officers from that time. During the war, Chanel withdrew from business life and all activities from 1939 onwards. She used her time to design a new collection. The uniforms of the Second World War served as a role model and inspiration. Templates from this period still influence the typical Chanel style today. Her lover and early financier Arthur Capel married in England and died a few months later in a car accident on the Côte d’Azur. Chanel was also close friends with Pablo Picasso, Sergei Diaghilev, Jean Cocteau and Igor Stravinsky.
Numerous relationships failed in Chanel’s private life, including the connection with the Russian Prince Dimitri Pavlovich, whom she had met at the end of the war, and the friendship with the Duke of Westminster, Hugh Richard. It was not until 1954 that Chanel returned to professional life. Her wartime collection has now been produced. The success in the USA was overwhelming. It was here in particular that she caught the zeitgeist. This also marked the international breakthrough of the House of Chanel. For the first time in fashion history, women were equal in Chanel’s two-piece suits. Her suits of grainy soft mottled tweeds with patch pockets had a lasting influence on 20th century fashion. On October 11, 1965 she founded the “Fondation CoGa” with headquarters in Vaduz, Liechtenstein. At the same time, Chanel used the foundation as the sole heir to its assets. In 1969, her story was brought to the stage for the first time with a Broadway show. Katharine Hepburn was cast as Coco Chanel. The story was then filmed several times.
Coco Chanel died on January 10, 1971 in Paris at the age of 87 while preparing for another collection.
What is Coco Chanel famous for?
Coco Chanel was a fashion designer known for such now-classic innovations as the woman’s suit, the quilted purse, costume jewelry, and the “little black dress.” She also introduced the phenomenally successful perfume Chanel No. 5.
How did Coco Chanel die?
Coco Chanel died on 10 January 1971(1971-01-10) (aged 87).
Who was Coco Chanel?
Coco Chanel was a fashion designer known for such now-classic innovations as the woman’s suit, the quilted purse, costume jewelry, and the “little black dress.” She also introduced the phenomenally successful perfume Chanel No. 5.
Who was Coco Chanel married to?
Chanel never married and had no known children, but she looked after her elder sister’s son, André Palasse, following her sister’s suicide.