Chanel

Chanel

Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel otherwise known as “Coco Chanel” was a fashion designer of women’s clothes and the founder of the Chanel brand, which still continues as a popular brand today. She was given this nickname by local soldiers who went to watch her sing. Born in 1883 and dying in 1971 (living 87 years) Coco was from Saumur, France and traveled a lot throughout her life. She is known for her prestigious makeup, fragrance, and feminine standard of style. She is also known for her trademark suits and little black dresses. Coco is widely commented on as the greatest fashion designer to live.

Raised in an orphanage, Coco spent her time learning to sew. She started her career off by simply sewing at Aubazine for 6 years until she became a seamstress. She had a brief career in singing before becoming a licensed hat maker in 1910 until she finally opened a boutique name Chanel Modes. In 1913 she opened another boutique where she introduced deluxe clothing. The Chanel suit was launched and her first perfume was made taking her career to the next level in the 1920’s. She concentrated on trying to make the clothes more comfortable. MGM Stars brought her in twice a year to design costumes in Hollywood. Using the majority of her time on fashion, she never married or had kids. Chanel spent the rest of her life from 1945 on in Switzerland. She retired not long after, but at age 70 decided to come back into the fashion world deciding she had more to show. She made a new collection, which was bashed on by Parisians, because of her affiliation with the Nazis but was later cherished by British and Americans. She became lonely toward the end of her life with only one good friend until she passed in 1971.

Even though she died 45 years ago, her unique and exquisite makeup, fragrance, and fashion still lives on as a high end brand today. One impact she had was trousers on women. She wore them in a different style one day and people began to follow her trend until it later on became the only thing you saw women wearing. Even though being pale was in, Chanel got sunburned on a cruise and when she returned people admired her tan. The tan became a sign of wealth and beauty. She was one of the first designers to borrow ideas from menswear for women to wear. She designed a more feminine fit of the mans suit pairing a collarless jacket with a skirt. Chanel has forever impacted the fashion industry.