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Fashion designer Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel was born on August 19,1883 in Saumur, France. She is famous for her timeless designs, trademark suits, and little black dresses. Chanel was raised in an orphanages and taught to sew. She had a brief career as a singer before opening her first clothes shop in 1910.
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She adopted the name Coco during a brief career as a cafe and concert singer 1905-1908. First a mistress of a wealthy military officer then of an English industrialist, she drew on the resources of these patrons in setting up a millinery shop in Paris in 1910.
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Chanel moves to Paris and starts designing hats for friends. She makes friends with artists and writers living in Paris. Her hat designs are clean and simple and are favoured among young women who are rejecting the elaborate hats that are in vogue.
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Chanel’s lover, Boy Chapel throws some money at her and she opens a hat shop on rue Cambon in Paris. She has a crisp white awning out the front of the shop with ‘Coco Chanel’ painted on it in black letters and this marks the beginning of the famous double ‘C’ Chanel logo.
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An important romance for Chanel began in the 1920s. She met the wealthy duke of Westminster around 1923, and the two started a decades long relationship. In response to his marriage proposal, she reportedly said “There have been several Duchesses of Westminster but there is only one Chanel”.
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In 1922 Chanel introduced a perfume, Chanel No. 5, which became and remained popular Pierre Wertheimer became her partner in the perfume business in 1924, and perhaps also her lover. Wertheimer owned 70% of the company; Coco Chanel received 10% and her friend Bader 20%. The Wertheimers continue to control the perfume company today.
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Chanel’s position as fashion leader is threatened by Italian designer Elsa Schiaperelli. Chanel’s designs are starting to be seen as frumpy and Elsa is cornering the popular youth market. Chanel’s classic designs are seen as boring and the whimsical and worldly ‘Schap’ is taking the fashion world by storm.
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Despite her great success, Chanel closed the doors of her salon in 1939, when France declared war on Germany. Other couturiers left the country, but Chanel endured the war in Paris, her future uncertain.
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In 1969, Chanel’s fascinating life story became the basis for the Broadway musical Coco starring Katharine Hepburn as the legendary designer. Alan Jay Lerner wrote the book and lyrics for the show’s song while Andre Prévin composed the music. Cecil Beaton handled the set and costume design for the production.
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Coco Chanel died on January 10, 1971, at her apartment in the Hotel Ritz. She never married, having once said “I never wanted to weigh more heavily on a man than a bird.” Hundreds crowded together at the Church of the Madeleine to bid farewell to the fashion icon. In tribute, many of the mourners wore Chanel suits.
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For it was Mademoiselle Chanel who popularised the suntan, the stripy sailor top, strands of pearls over a simple sweater, wide-legged trousers; indeed, all kinds of trousers for women. And a century after she first went into business, we have Coco to thank for releasing us from the constrictions of corsets and uncomfortable jackets into the freedom of cardigans and the simplicity of the little black dress.
