Coco Chanel was a highly influential figure in the fashion world. Despite facing both success and failure throughout her career, she believed that one’s appearance is shaped by nature in their twenties and by life in their thirties, but by the age of fifty, a person’s face reflects the life they have led. Starting from humble beginnings, Gabrielle Coco Chanel became the most influential designer of her time, creating stylish and comfortable clothing for women in the 1920s. Her legacy continued to generate significant financial benefits even after her passing.
Born on August 19, 1883, Gabrielle Chanel came from a destitute Auvergnate family. She would eventually become a prominent figure in the fashion industry, both in France and globally. When she was born, a nun at the convent hospital gave her the middle name Bonheur, meaning happiness. Despite her humble beginnings, Gabrielle had a natural talent for storytelling and enjoyed the company of friends. She often spun tales, although they were not always true (Current Biography 1). However, there was one particular story that hinted at her future career in fashion: she would frequently cut up curtains in the living room to create dresses for her dolls (1). It was an impressive way for her to prepare for a life surrounded by style and elegance.
In February, 1895, Gabrielle Chanel’s mother, Jeanne, died due to her frequent pregnancies. Her father, Albert, abandoned Gabrielle and her four siblings, leaving them in an orphanage at Aubazine. While the three Chanel girls, Julie, Antoinette, and Gabrielle, remained at the orphanage for six years, their two brothers, Alphonse and Lucien, became child laborers at the age of eight.
Gabrielle left the orphanage at eighteen with her sister, Julie, and they were placed in an institution in Moulins by their grandmother the following year. Antoinette joined them there the year after. In Moulins, Gabrielle began her journey into designing by working in a tailoring shop on Sundays along with her sisters.
The Chanel girls, also known as the Three Graces, caught the attention of army lieutenants who frequented the tailor shop. It was there that Gabrielle met her first love and had her first taste of fame.
The man’s name was Etienne Balsan. He not only was her first romantic interlude but also introduced her to a new world of riches and soon-to-be fame. Despite having a less than perfect voice, Gabrielle Chanel had always aspired to be a singer, although she seemed destined to be a fashion designer. She performed in bars around Moulins called caf-concerts (29). Her rendition of a popular song about a young Parisian lady who lost her dog at the Trocadro amusement park, with the dog’s name being Coco, earned her the nickname “Coco”. It was at one of these caf-concerts that Etienne and Gabrielle met, instantly attracted to each other and bonded over their love for the equestrian sport (29). He would soon become the catalyst for her ascent to the pinnacle of success.
Chanel found the hustle and bustle of social life in Moulins too overwhelming. Monsieur Balsan offered her his ground floor flat to escape, which she transformed into a studio (Chanel 6). Her friends were wearing her first pieces, but she was laughed at for using many pearls or dressing in stylish schoolgirl outfits. Nevertheless, the world was evolving, and Coco was on the right path.
When she moved to 21 rue Cambon in Paris in 1910, Chanel’s self-titled boutique became an instant success. Crowds flocked to her boutique, allowing her to expand her business and acquire numbers 27, 29, and 31 on the rue Cambon. This newfound success allowed Chanel to live a life of luxury, something she never believed was possible due to her difficult childhood. The years of 1911 and 1912 were the happiest times in her life, and her hats gained public attention when they were worn by Gabrielle Dorziat, a rising French actress, in the play Bel-Ami. Despite Dorziat initially wearing clothing from renowned couturier Jacques Doucet, Chanel convinced her to wear her hats in the production.
Gabrielle was still in the process of expanding her future global empire. It was no coincidence that the place where she grew and developed her own identity was Deauville in the North of France. Deauville was a cosmopolitan resort located near the English Channel, known for its combination of sea, horses, and wealthy individuals. It was a luxurious destination favored by the rich and famous, set within a rustic environment. (Chanel 7)
Chanel’s preference was to get a tan, exercise outdoors, and swim in the sea, and her style of clothing reflected this. Her designs were loose-fitting and flowing, suitable for both exercise and sports (7). These designs were intended for a type of woman who only existed in the imagination of the creator. This woman was an influential figure among men, interacting with them on an equal level. She would soon demonstrate that she could surpass their abilities. In an interview with the New York Journal-American (May 2, 1954), Chanel stated, “There are too many men in this industry who don’t know how to design clothes for women. They create clothes that are uncomfortable and restrict a woman’s movement.”(Current Biography 3). Gabrielle had a deep understanding of what would bring happiness to the women of her era, as she was one of them herself.
Chanel reached the milestone of turning forty in 1923 and commemorated this event by introducing her iconic perfume known as Chanel No. 5, as the number five held great significance for her. Additionally, she secured a long-term lease on the main-floor residence of the Count Pillet-Wills townhouse located on the rue Fauborg St. Honor. It was on this very street where Chanel had encountered her soulmate, Arthur Boy Capel, who tragically lost his life in a car accident while driving from Paris to Monte Carlo. Despite this heart-wrenching loss, Coco emerged even more resilient, shedding her protective exterior to confront her feelings of loneliness once again.
Coco Chanel adapted to the decline of Biarritz as a popular resort town by acquiring buildings on rue Cambon to make up for the lack of business. Additionally, she expanded her reach by opening a new branch in Cannes. Coco’s signature outfit consisted of a loose jersey cardigan jacket layered over a white shirt and a pleated skirt. She adorned her neck with fake pearls and other large jewels. However, during the early 1930s, she briefly worked with real stones, introducing semi-precious stones in elaborate settings. In 1929, Coco established her official accessories boutique within her couture house.
In 1935, Chanel was at the pinnacle of her career, with a workforce of about 4,000 employees and annual sales of around 28,000 designs worldwide. However, on June 6, 1936, her dressmakers initiated a strike (2). Chanel, displaying her no-nonsense demeanor, informed them that they would have to assume management of the business due to insufficient funds to pay for their services. She declared that she would continue to work as an unpaid stylist. The striking workers concluded that she needed additional funds and attempted to acquire some from the Socialist treasury. Unfortunately, this endeavor failed, and they subsequently declined to take over the shop, prompting Mlle Chanel to decide against maintaining its operations (2). After three weeks, the strike was canceled, and Chanel reopened the establishment.
Despite a significant reduction in output, Coco continued her successful work for another two years. However, in 1938, she made the decision to stop designing, potentially due to the emerging competition from Italian fashion designers Schiaparelli and Balenciaga. Nevertheless, Chanel continued to run her perfume business at 31 rue Cambon even after closing her couture houses. Although she stepped back temporarily, Chanel’s story was far from over as she would eventually make a comeback.
Chanel oversaw the renovation of her New York perfume showrooms in 1953. On February 5, 1954, at over seventy years old, Chanel returned officially, though the audience was not receptive (Chanel 14). A failure would not only disappoint her greatly, but also jeopardize the wealth of her empire: her perfumes.
One year later, Coco had regained her former reputation and successfully reclaimed her empire. The public embraced her original ideas, such as soft jackets without interlining, beautifully designed sleeves, silk blouses, gold chains, wrap-over skirts, quilted shoulder bags, and flat shoes (15). Known as the Chanel Look in the English-speaking press, this style conquered the world and marked a landslide victory. The new Chanel was portrayed as an older woman wearing a hat with dark pencilled eyebrows and dark hair, with a stern mouth and an upright figure (15). This was the image of the dressmaking goddess who resided at the Ritz opposite the rue Cambon since her comeback. On January 10, 1971, a Sunday, Coco Chanel passed away (15). However, her life and legacy would endure as the story of a woman who rejected her past to achieve the life she deserved and desired.
Following the passing of Gabrielle Chanel, her fashion house, salons, and studio remained unused for ten years. In 1983, Karl Lagerfeld became the design consultant for the House of Chanel (75) and revitalized it by opening a second boutique in Paris at 42 avenue Montaigne, marking the beginning of a new chapter in Chanels legacy.
According to Vogue, simplicity will be the ultimate luxury in the twentieth century’s history. Chanel, a tradition so powerful that it can barely rival its own aura, is recognized by the fashionable people of today as a testament to everlasting elegance. Gabrielle Chanel was an extraordinary individual who easily asserted that everyone was akin to her.
