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COCO CHANEL FASHION ICON AND ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL DESIGNERS OF ALL TIME

FULL NAME: Gabrielle “Coco” Bonheur Chanel

BORN: AUGUST 19, 1883, SAUMUR, FRANCE

DIED: JANUARY 10, 1971, PARIS, FRANCE

NATIONALITY: FRENCH

More than 100 years after Coco Chanel hit the fashion scene, her stylish designs and recognizable logo remain iconic all over the world.

FAREWELL TO THE CORSET

Voted one of the top fashion icons of all time by Time magazine, Coco Chanel was a game-changer in the world of women’s fashion. Before she made an impact with her designs, women squeezed themselves into corsets and super-feminine dresses. Coco was seen as revolutionary—bringing looser, more “masculine” clothes to women. She was one of the first women to wear pants, and the first to design pajamas and lightweight sportswear for women. Coco introduced the now-iconic “little black dress,” and her tweed skirt suits, costume jewelry, and simple yet elegant designs have become staples in the world of women’s apparel.

Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, stylishly posed, in 1920

AMAZING ACHIEVEMENTS
	GAME-CHANGER IN WOMEN’S FASHION
	INTRODUCED THE LITTLE BLACK DRESS, PAJAMAS, AND BELL-BOTTOM PANTS
Coco was the very first fashion designer to launch her own perfume.

ENDURING STYLE ICON

Born Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel, Coco had a difficult early life. She was born into poverty in France and was raised in a girls’ home at a convent, where she was taught to sew. As a young woman, she made her way briefly into the entertainment industry as a cabaret singer, where she picked up the nickname of “Coco.” In 1910, she was funded to open her own hat shop, before moving on to women’s clothing and, eventually, perfume—the first fashion designer to do so. She felt that in order for clothes to be luxurious, they ultimately needed to be comfortable. This included her large role in bringing pants into women’s fashion. Coco’s designs were loved by Hollywood royalty, including actresses such as Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly. Coco Chanel quickly earned a position at the height of contemporary fashion, and her place as a revered fashion icon holds firm to this day.

With the Great Depression, followed by World War II, even wealthy people’s ability to buy high fashion was in decline. Coco closed the Chanel stores in 1939. However, in 1954, at the age of 70, she made a grand return to the world of clothing—with the introduction of bell-bottom pants. Coco opened her first fashion store over 100 years ago, yet her name continues to be a byword for iconic style. Her designs and philosophy of fashion have greatly influenced generations of designers that followed. Her “CC” logo is now one of the world’s most recognizable trademarks.

Coco’s fashion house remains as popular today as it was during her lifetime. This boutique window, in Milan, Italy, displays some of the 2012 Chanel designs.