Names

The story of Coco Chanel. Biography of Coco Chanel – photos, quotes, career, personal life, success story. Little black dress

(French: Coco Chanel, real name Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel; August 19, 1883 – January 10, 1971) – leading French, one of the most important figures in the history of fashion. Founded the world famous.

Thanks to her jackets and little black dress, Chanel became a style icon that is still worshiped by women all over the world. “Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury”- Coco said.

Coco Chanel was born on August 19, 1883 in the small town of Saumur, in the center of France. The first part of the life of the legendary Chanel was far from fashion and.

After the death of her mother, her father, who worked as a peddler, placed the girl in an orphanage, where she lived from 1895 to 1900. Until 1902, Coco was raised among nuns, who taught her to sew. Chanel then worked at the Au Sans Pareil hosiery store in Moulins.

The girl received the nickname Coco when she tried to become a singer, performing in the Viсhy and Moulins cabarets. It was there that she met Etienne Balzan, an influential French aristocrat who later helped Chanel open her own business. He was in love with a girl, but she left him for his friend, Arthur Capel, nicknamed “Boy”.

Unfortunately, Coco's lover died tragically in a car accident, and she never married, although she had numerous affairs.

Coco Chanel opened her first store in 1910. He was located in Paris on Rue Cambon and specialized in the sale of hats. Later, Chanel stores appeared in Deville and Biarritz. Clothes were added to the hats.

The first clothing Coco created was a dress made from an old sweater. People asked where she got such a wonderful outfit, and she offered to make the same for them.

“My fortune is based on an old sweater that I wore because it was cold in Deville,” Coco Chanel said in an interview.

In the 1920s, Chanel's thriving business soared to new heights. She launched her own brand of perfume, Chanel No. 5. In 1925, the famous suits from Chanel appeared, consisting of a strict jacket and a tailored suit.

Chanel's projects were truly revolutionary; she was the first to borrow elements of a men's wardrobe for women's fashion. It was thanks to her that women were able to abandon uncomfortable corsets and fluffy skirts. Chanel primarily valued convenience and comfort in clothing.

Another revolutionary discovery of Chanel was. She showed the public that a color previously considered exclusively mourning could add elegance to an evening outfit.

Chanel was also a popular figure in the artistic circles of Paris. She designed costumes for the Ballets Russes and the Orpheus costume for Jean Cocteau. Among her friends was the famous artist Pablo Picasso, and she had a love relationship with the famous Russian composer Igor Stravinsky.

Another important romance began for Chanel in 1923, when she met the Duke of Westminster. This romantic story lasted for a decade. But in response to the voiced marriage proposal, Coco replied to her lover that there were several duchesses of Westminster, and Chanel was one.

The international economic crisis of the 1930s had a negative impact on Chanel's business, and the outbreak of World War II forced Coco to dismiss workers and close stores. Madame Chanel believed that war was not the time for fashion.

During the German occupation in France, Chanel began a relationship with German officer Hans Gunther von Dinklage. From him she received special permission to stay in her apartment at the Ritz. When the war ended, the public condemned Chanel for her relationship with a Nazi officer, regarding it as a betrayal. She had to leave Paris and spend several years in Switzerland. Then, for some time she lived in her country house in Roquebrune.

Chanel's return to the fashion world took place when she was already 70 years old. Critics were initially skeptical of the designer, but her feminine designs once again won the love of buyers around the world.

In 1969, the fascinating life story of the great Chanel became the basis for the Broadway musical Coco, in which Katharine Hepburn played the main role.

Coco Chanel died on January 10, 1971 at the Ritz Hotel. Hundreds of people came to Madeleine's church to say goodbye to the "style icon", many of them dressed in Chanel suits.

Awards:

1957 – Neiman Marcus Award in Dallas.
1963 – Sunday Times International Fashion Award in London.

Interview with Coco Chanel

What events in your early life sparked your interest in art?
Well, while living in an orphanage under the supervision of nuns, I learned to sew. They taught me basic seamstress skills, then I was already smart enough to understand the method. I really got my hand and focus on design at an early age, which is why I started getting famous clients so quickly.

What role did your mentors play in the further development of your activities?
My mentors were, first and foremost, nuns. They taught me everything they could teach me. Just this little knowledge helped me become who I am now. After all, it makes much more sense for store owners to hire someone who has basic sewing skills than someone who has no idea how to thread a needle. Working in stores gave me a lot of advantages, it allowed me to learn a lot and see how a store works before starting my own business.
I met people who had already achieved huge success in this industry. They showed me how hard they had to work to become who they are. This scared me the most. I thought that it would take me a lot longer to become popular, that it would be much more difficult for me... But, fortunately, everything turned out quite quickly and easily for me.

What was the art and fashion world like when you first started?
I grew up and studied in France, where fashion and clothing were a huge industry and of great importance. Everyone tried to stay on top. I opened my first store in 1910, and that's when I really took my first step into the world of fashion. I was on my own, I had a small hat shop in France... At that time, fashion was extremely popular, and small shops like mine were either always overwhelmed with orders, or always empty and dead. As I said, meeting many people brought customers to my store and attracted attention to it. Buyers recommended me to their friends, and, ultimately, this brought many customers to my studio. I think it was a great success for me to become so in demand after just starting a business. How have major cultural, economic and political events affected your work?
The economic crisis caused by the war in France forced me and many other owners to close our stores for many years. There were not enough funds to buy anything, and therefore there were no funds to create something new. I took a break from my job and became a nurse, which I did throughout the First World War. After that, during World War II, I ran into some trouble: I was accused of having an affair with a Nazi officer, which made my return to the fashion industry quite a challenge. Everyone considered me a “villain”, they thought that I was dangerous because I evoked associations with the Nazis. I assure you, I'm not a terrible person. In the end, I did regain my confidence, came back with a new style for women, and made my name known and important. What have been your greatest achievements and what methods have you used in your art?
I would say that my greatest achievement was creating the “little black dress”, which brought me great success. It has brought many benefits to women, especially working and career-oriented women. Observing people and subsequently experiencing this first-hand, I realized how expensive it is to change from your work suit to a more formal one when going to lunch, and then change again for lunch. To someone who does not understand the importance of these disguises, this will seem stupid. But, knowing the essence of the dress code and hand on heart, I can firmly say that it is very tiring. For a woman who has so many things to do during the day, this is a lot of pressure. But it is always important for her to look presentable. And this responsibility is of great importance for a woman; it provides self-confidence. A little black dress gives women such confidence. It gave them a lot of free time and saved them from numerous changes of clothes! You can go from work to lunch in it and feel amazing.
If we talk about my methods... My methods are not only about presenting myself as a businesswoman, I put myself in the shoes of every woman. I try to think about the needs of many women, how they want to look and how they want to feel in certain clothes. My goal is to create something beautiful and comfortable for women who are very busy and work hard. What key opportunities presented themselves to you that set the stage for turning points in your art and life?
I had a great opportunity to make costumes for the film “Rules of the Game” and many other films. This pushed me to new achievements. I had to think in a new direction, I had to help express a lot through the costumes, which allowed me to further develop my abilities as a . I learned a lot and learned a lot. This was the turning point in my design career. I am proud of my talent to be different and am glad that opportunities have arisen in my life to demonstrate this. Have you had to make any choices in order to become successful?
I decided to leave my vocal career. I didn't feel like there was a place for me in this area of art. Although many people liked my voice and wanted to help me succeed in this. But I decided to do something completely opposite. I decided on what I wanted deep down. I decided to risk everything I had at that moment and switch to realizing my dream. I knew that I would have to work hard and that the work would be hard. But I knew it was necessary to reach the top where I wanted to be.
When the war started, I was forced to close the store. I knew that he would not be able to work in conditions of such a powerful economic crisis. It was difficult for me to do this; I was not sure that the store had any future. I had no idea what I would do next. What challenges did you have to overcome to become an artist and creator?
I had to learn to eliminate thoughts of competition and not think about being criticized. After all, there were a lot of designers, and they didn’t want anything to do with me. In France, almost everyone is involved in fashion; a huge number of people are involved in this industry. Famous designers who had already achieved success were also not going to share recognition and public attention.
I also had to realize that no one would bring me anything on a silver platter, I had to achieve everything on my own. Even though I connected with people who could help, I had to work on my own to secure my future, to create something new and unique. I needed to make things that only I could provide to consumers, and that they wouldn’t get bored of after a week.

"I do not care what you think of me.
I don’t think about you at all.”
Coco Chanel

On August 19, the entire fashion world celebrates the 130th anniversary of Coco’s birth, and Passion.ru recalls the most significant facts from the life of this great woman, as well as her witty and very apt phrases, which have become aphorisms.

1. Gabrielle Chanel’s desire to engage in women’s clothing arose under the influence of many years of living in an orphanage - the children there wore dull, identical clothes, and when the girl had the opportunity to dress the way she wanted, she decided to make it her calling.

2. The craving for minimalism arose as a counterbalance to the splendor of the outfits of the ladies of the “demimonde”. For some time, Chanel lived with her patron on a street where there were many brothels, and in order to distinguish herself from their inhabitants, she began to wear strict, discreet suits and small hats.

3. Gabrielle Chanel did not gain her first popularity thanks to the creation of clothes. Her “debut” was ladies' hats. One of her close friends helped her open a hat shop where she sold her creations. Reaction to the product was mixed. Many accused Gabrielle of being too avant-garde. However, very soon ladies from all over France began to come to buy Chanel hats.

4. It is believed that Gabrielle Chanel received her nickname “Coco” during her turbulent youth, when she worked as a singer in a cabaret. She sang two songs in which chickens were mentioned ("Coco"), and supposedly this is why she was nicknamed "Chicken". However, there is another version: the father, with whom Coco Chanel practically did not communicate, called his daughter a chicken because of her small stature and thinness, and when Gabrielle decided to take a pseudonym for herself, she remembered her childhood nickname.

5. The prototype of the world-famous clutch was invented by Coco Chanel. Some people lose gloves and umbrellas, but she always left her reticules everywhere. In addition, according to her, due to the need to carry the bag in her hands, her hands began to ache. This great woman found a way out of the situation here too, inventing a small handbag on a long chain, which has already become a fashion classic - the Chanel 2.55 model.

6. Coco Chanel never parted with scissors; she always had them with her - in her purse or on a string around her neck. Once, at some reception, she literally shredded the outfit of one of her models, who came there wearing a dress from another famous couturier. At the same time, Coco said that now the outfit looks much more elegant. This episode was included in the film “Coco before Chanel” starring Audrey Tautou.

6. Coco Chanel did not accept patterns. She created her creations by wrapping fabrics around models and boldly cutting off the excess. However, she became the first couturier who, having a direct relationship with haute couture, released her clothing collection on an industrial scale.

7. Everything about a woman’s appearance was important to Coco Chanel, which is why her interests extended not only to clothes, but also to shoes, accessories, and hairstyles. However, there was something that occupied a special place in her life and in her activities - perfume. She created her first fragrance by mixing 80 components in free proportions. And she received an absolute masterpiece, which we know as Chanel No. 5.

True, there is an opinion that the author of these perfumes was not her, but a certain Russian perfumer who immigrated to France. He was developing the next collection and invited Coco to choose one fragrance option - Chanel gave preference to test tube number 5.

8. Coco Chanel valued freedom in everything - in movement, in choice, in worldview. She always acted as she wanted, and not as the public expected of her. She was not afraid to rid women of corsets, dress them in trousers and blazers, and forced them to cut off their long hair. Her courage was also evident in her romance with a handsome German officer who helped free her nephew from fascist captivity. She had to pay for her love with imprisonment and deportation from France.

9. For 14 long years, Coco Chanel was cut off from the fashion industry - first by the war, then by emigration and life in Switzerland, but all these years this great woman dreamed of a triumphant return to France.

And she returned. At the age of seventy, with his collection of timeless Chanel classics. She was booed. But Coco knew what she was doing. A year later, Paris again bowed at her feet. And it’s not surprising - couturiers come and go, but Chanel remains.

10. Coco Chanel played such a significant role in the formation of world fashion that Time magazine included her in the list of the 100 most influential people in the world.

28 Coco Chanel quotes about life and success

When taking care of beauty, you need to start from the heart and soul, otherwise no amount of cosmetics, alas, will help.
Old age does not protect from love, but love protects from old age.
If you want to have something you've never had, you'll have to do something you've never done.
If you were struck by the beauty of a woman, but you don’t remember what she was wearing, then her outfit was perfect.
A woman should be dressed in such a way that she would want to be undressed.
Perfume should be applied where you want to receive a kiss.
Be a chrysalis by day and a butterfly in the evening, for there is nothing more comfortable than a cocoon and more conducive to love than the wings of a butterfly.
Remember: you don't get a second chance to make a first impression.
You can get used to ugly appearance, but never to sloppiness.
In order to be irreplaceable, you need to change all the time.
Nothing ages a woman more than a too rich (luxurious) suit.
Fashion passes, but style remains.
It is much more difficult to disturb a woman who prefers light colors in clothes.
We make ourselves: if a woman is ugly at 18, it’s from nature, if at 30, it’s from stupidity.
Perfume says more about a woman than her handwriting.
The main thing for a woman is to work constantly. Only work gives courage, and the spirit, in turn, takes care of the fate of the body.
Everything is in our hands, so we don’t need to give them up.
Freedom is always stylish!
A woman should smell like a woman, not like a dried bouquet.
If a woman listens to her friends and not her man when it comes to fashion, she often becomes a laughing stock.
Men like women who are well dressed but not conspicuous.
Ruthlessly remove anything that is excessive.
To restrain yourself when it’s offensive, and not to make a scene when it hurts, that’s what a real (ideal) woman is.
Fashion has two purposes - convenience and love. Beauty comes when fashion achieves its goals.
The worse a woman does, the better she should look.
Fashion, like architecture, is a matter of proportions.
Women with good taste wear jewelry. Everyone else has to wear gold.
If you were born without wings, don't stop them from growing.

10 commandments of style from Coco Chanel

jackets This also gives a feeling of external and internal freedom.

Worship little black dresses.

Perfume is also clothing.

Perhaps no other couturier in the world has done as much as Mademoiselle Coco Chanel did for women. They tried to copy her, they still admire her, almost every lady has a little black dress in her wardrobe and tries to follow the precepts of the trendsetter of modern fashion. And all this happens because Chanel is always relevant.

Nadezhda POPOVA

Coco Chanel success story is the history of the formation of a new fashion style in the 20s of the twentieth century. A characteristic feature of this style was the “blacked-out” look, which became so widespread among fashionistas of the time that it was compared in its level of success to Henry Ford's new model cars. All cars then came off the assembly line only in black.

It is believed that the work of Gabrielle (real name Coco Chanel) was influenced by the business style of men. This is where the love for black came from.

Gabrielle Chanel

Gabrielle Chanel born in an orphanage in western France in the city of Saumur on August 19, 1883. Her mother was the daughter of a village carpenter, and her father was a market trader.

The shelter workers named the girl Gabrielle in honor of the nurse who helped her mother during childbirth. Gabrielle's mother died when the girl was 11 years old, and her father left her and two sisters in an orphanage at the monastery. It was there that the future fashion designer learned to sew.

When the girl turned 18, she left the monastery and got a job as a saleswoman in a clothing store. In her free time, she sewed hats and sang in a local cabaret. One of the songs in her repertoire was called "Ko Ko Ri Ko"(in Russian - "crow"). This is where the nickname Coco came from, which became her middle name.

The beginning of a success story

Coco Chanel's life changed when she met a wealthy man who owned a stud farm. With him she went to the capital of France, where opened its first store in 1910.

The main assortment of the store were hats, which she sewed herself. Due to the low price and excellent quality, her hats quickly gained popularity. Coco now has her own regular clients. A distinctive feature of her products was the strict adherence to fashion and the absence of any excesses in the form of bows and feathers.

In 1914 Coco Chanel opens a second store due to the great popularity of her products. The second store was opened in the very center of Paris - opposite the Ritz Hotel.

Merits of the fashion designer

Chanel stripped 19th-century fashion of movement-restricting clothing and corsets. Fashionistas of that time liked it.

She simply rejuvenated all the women who used her products - they became more attractive and younger. She made women's skirts, sweaters, trousers, jackets, and blouses. All this was in great demand, it was a revolution in fashion!

Coco Chanel's models became popular outside of Paris, and she had clients from high society. It was then that her famous women's suit of strict cut appeared - a black fitted dress, or a black jujube and jacket.

Chanel No.5

In addition to clothes, the Coco collection included aromaChanel No.5, which is still popular all over the world. At that time, the aroma of women's perfume consisted of the smell of one flower. Chanel also changed fashion in perfumery by creating a polyaroma consisting of 80 components.

Famous Chanel No. 5 fragrance was created in 1921 perfumer Ernest Beaux, a former perfumer of the royal court who fled Russia after the 1917 revolution. According to legend, Coco Chanel asked Mr. Beau to create “an artificial fragrance that smells like a Woman.” After experimenting, the perfumer presented her with ten scents to choose from, of which she chose the fifth - hence the name.

When World War II began, Coco remained in Paris, closed her shops and lived at the Ritz Hotel. They said that she had connections with the Germans. After 1945 she was arrested, but was soon released, and she left for Switzerland.

Return to the world of fashion

Coco Chanel returned to the world of fashion in 1954, when she was already 71 years old. She demonstrated in Paris a new style of women's clothing - practical, businesslike. However, she achieved her former glory and respect only after three seasons. Chanel suit became a status symbol for the new generation: made of tweed, with a narrow skirt, a collarless jacket trimmed with braid, gold buttons and patch pockets.

In 1957, Coco Chanel became the winner of the Fashion Oscar, as the most influential designer of the 20th century.

Gabrielle died alone and childless on January 10, 1971. In 1983, German fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld became the director of her company, he added a little eroticism to Chanel’s style...

“I don't like it when people talk about Chanel fashion. Chanel is all about style. Fashion goes out of fashion. Style – never”, Coco Chanel

Over almost a hundred years of existence, the Chanel brand has become synonymous with sophistication and femininity. The Chanel logo on a handbag or jacket buttons speaks for itself - you have met a successful, independent woman - a woman in the Chanel style. Coco freed the beautiful ladies from unnecessary clothes. She carried out an audit of the men's wardrobe in order to borrow creative ideas, redesigned the men's suit and “gifted” it to us women.

She invented the bell hat and introduced short women's haircut into fashion. She was the first in the world to produce artificial perfume. By offering the legendary elegant two-piece suits and dresses instead of corsets, she won success among the Parisian elite. Her famous little black dress made women feel as active, free and alive as men. Tight corsets, ruffles, voluminous hairstyles - all this constrained women, but Coco Chanel simply abolished it and created a completely different fashion, a new style...

There were many love affairs in her life, but none of them ended in marriage. Although, of course, marriage proposals were made to her more than once. One day, a famous duke proposed marriage to her, to which Chanel replied: they say, there are a dime a dozen different duchesses around, and she - Coco Chanel - is alone. For her, the meaning of life was her work. Here's what Salvador Dali said about her: “Coco Chanel told me that a legendary person is doomed to dissolve himself in a myth - and thereby strengthen the myth. She herself did just that. I made up everything for myself - family, biography, date of birth and even name.”

Early years of Chanel

The biography of Coco Chanel is full of secrets and mysteries. Her childhood could not be called radiant: she was born in a shelter for the poor. It is believed that the date of her birth was August 20, 1883, but Coco liked to confuse biographers by giving a completely different date - ten years later. Her mother was the daughter of a village carpenter, her father a market trader. Despite the fact that she was the second child in the family, her parents’ marriage was not registered (which was considered very bad form in those days). She received her real name Gabrielle in honor of the nurse who took her during childbirth.

At the age of eleven, little Gabrielle Chanel lost her mother - she died quite suddenly. After this, the father of the future fashion icon immediately handed over the children to an orphanage. Gabrielle Chanel never saw her father again. The years in the orphanage are perhaps the most terrible and unhappy memory of her life. That is why she simply erased several years of childhood from her life - as if they had never existed. But all the trials that she had to go through strengthened her character and gave birth to a desperate dream in her heart - to escape from poverty and become something more than a persecuted orphan.

Having become a young attractive woman, Gabrielle Chanel got a job in a women's clothing store, and in the evenings she worked as a singer in a cabaret. Her favorite songs were “Qui qua vu Coco” and “Ko Ko Ri Ko”, for which visitors nicknamed her Coco. So Gabrielle turned into Coco. But this was only the beginning of her transformation.

Chanel was not destined to become a great singer, but she was noticed by a retired officer, with whom she moved to live in Paris. Coco quickly became bored with life in the beautiful castle, and she told her lover that she dreamed of becoming a milliner. However, at that time there were a lot of milliners in Paris, so the man began to persuade her from a rash act.

After some time, she left him for a successful businessman, Arthur Capel. He became the love of her life. He suited her in every way: he was as purposeful, strong-willed and creative a person as she was. Arthur, unlike Coco’s former companion, was interested in her idea of a career as a milliner. And now Coco Chanel opens her first women's clothing store in Paris.

Coco Chanel: life as creativity

One day Chanel decided to ride a horse. After suffering for several hours in a row in an uncomfortable dress, she decided that completely different clothes were needed for riding. Taking pants from the jockey, she went to the studio and asked them to sew the same ones for her. The tailor’s surprise and indignation knew no bounds: how could this be, men’s clothing for women! However, Coco stubbornly repeated her order and left. A few days later she greeted shocked guests in a new outfit - wide, loose trousers. Despite all the eccentricity of the clothes, many ladies agreed that it was much more comfortable to ride a horse in this form. So in an instant, Coco Chanel became a trendsetter.

Simple shapes and clear lines that hide imperfections and highlight the strengths of the figure - this style instantly became a symbol of elegance. Much of what has become our everyday wardrobe today was created by the great Chanel. Women's trousers, plaid skirts, a women's sailor jacket, a handbag with a thin strap... During the First World War, Coco had already become known outside of France; every item created by Chanel was an object of desire for any fashionista - be it a hat, a tracksuit or even work clothes.

In 1921, Chanel No. 5 was released and became a favorite for millions of women of several generations around the world. By the way, if you didn’t know, Coco made the bottle of the legendary fragrance look like a bottle of Russian vodka. Where did the Russian theme of the French fragrance come from? The thing is that at that time Coco ordered several fragrances from a Russian perfumer, a Frenchman by birth, Ernst Beaux. From the presented beakers of aromas, she chose her favorite number - the fifth in a row, which included more than 80 ingredients, and added lily of the valley to it. This is how Chanel No. 5 perfume was born, which is associated with prosperity and wealth.

Around the same time, Coco Chanel’s beloved man, Arthur Capel, tragically died. Sitting on the side of the road next to a crumpled car, Coco burst into tears, and when she returned home, she painted the walls of her house black. Surprisingly, this immediately became another fashion trend: all of France began to select interior decor in black tones. A little later, Coco Chanel invented her little black dress, which literally became a symbol of the era of women's emancipation. Spiteful critics claimed that by choosing black for her creation, Coco wanted the whole country to mourn her lost love.

Recognition of the “little black dress” by Vouge magazine, compliments from Harpeer’s Bazaar magazine for a collection of accessories, a Fashion Oscar as the best designer of the 20th century in 1957 – this is only the smallest part of all the awards of the Chanel fashion house. Coco Chanel is the only woman on the list of one hundred significant people of the twentieth century, and the only representative of the fashion world.

Chanel retained the chiseled shape of her figure until her old age. Ideas for new outfits came to her even in her dreams, and then she woke up and began to create. Mademoiselle Chanel passed away on January 10, 1971, at the age of eighty-eight, in a suite at the Ritz Hotel in Paris, which was located across the street from the world-famous House of Chanel on Rue Cambon.

She left behind a huge cultural heritage, in which young designers today look for inspiration. After Coco's death, the Chanel fashion house released its first pret-a-porte collection and several fragrances. In 1983, the fashion house was headed by Karl Lagerfeld. With his vision of fashion and sense of style, without betraying the ideals and principles of Chanel, he elevated the brand to a new level. Lagerfeld is responsible for the pret-a-porte, haute couture and accessories collections.

In 1984, the Chanel fashion house released the Coco Mademoiselle fragrance in honor of its founder, and in 1987 the first watch collection appeared. Lagerfeld also developed a collection of Chanel glasses.

Today, Chanel boutiques dress women all over the world.