“To be irreplaceable, one must always be different.” – Coco Chanel
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Coco Chanel, renowned as a French icon who revolutionized women's clothing, was the founder of the luxurious and iconic Chanel brand. She created elegant styles and is famously credited as a designer who liberated women from corsets, constricting gowns, and fussy headpieces. Her revolutionary designs prioritized freedom of movement, mobility, and comfort in women’s fashion, leaving an incredible mark on the industry.
Coco Chanel once said, “Nothing is more beautiful than the freedom of the body,” and her designs positively lived by these words, resonating in the world of haute couture and luxury fashion.
Early life
Coco Chanel, born Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel in 1883 in France, had a traumatic childhood as an abandoned orphan. After her mother passed away from tuberculosis, her father, an itinerant peddler of goods who hated any kind of ties or responsibility and was rarely at home, sent her and her two sisters to a convent where she learned to sew. This skill would later become the foundation of her fashion empire.
At the age of 18, she left the convent for boarding school where she was trained as a seamstress. There, she discovered a new passion to pursue – the theatre. She took the stage name Coco and tried everything – acting, singing, and dancing.
During this period, while staying as a courtesan in Etienne Balsan’s chateau, she stole some of his clothes and started wearing outfits entirely of her imagination.
She felt an incredible sense of freedom and reveled in the new kind of attention she received. She began designing and making hats for herself and her friends, which attracted attention and soon found herself making more elaborate clothing.
The Start Of A Dream
In 1910, she opened her first hat store in Paris, Chanel Modes. Soon after, the boutique attracted immense attention, leading her to expand her business to Cambo, Deauville, and Biarritz.
People could not get enough of her rebellious style. By 1920, she had become one of the leading fashion designers in the world and the greatest trendsetter. Her clothes represented a new kind of woman—confident, provocative, and ever so slightly rebellious.
Iconic Creations
Coco wanted something else, something larger – a faster way to reach women of all classes. Therefore, she decided to create and launch her own perfume, one as distinctive as her clothes yet more ethereal, something like “a bouquet of abstract flowers.”
She named the perfume Chanel No. 5, which became the most successful and enduring perfume in history, making her a fortune.
One of the iconic creations of Coco Chanel includes the little black dress, or “LBD”, a simple, versatile, and affordable dress that became a timeless classic. CNN mentioned the suit as a game-changer. Notable women like Princess Diana, Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, and Jackie Kennedy, wore the Chanel suit.
Other iconic creations are Chanel suits featuring a collarless jacket with trim and slim straight-line skirts, revolutionizing women’s fashion, and a quilted handbag with a chain strap, which became the timeless Chanel 2.55 bag.
Later Life
During World War II, she withdrew from the fashion world due to controversy over her relationship with a German officer. However, she made a comeback greater than ever in the 1950s, reestablishing herself as the most important and iconic designer in the world.
Despite her passing in 1971, Coco Chanel’s legacy lives on. Her clothes had a distinctly masculine edge but remained decidedly feminine, giving women the sense that they were crossing some gender boundaries. Even after her death, the Chanel brand continues to make a statement about youth and modernity.
In conclusion, Coco Chanel’s impact on fashion is immeasurable.
Written By Surbhi Gole
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