Coco Chanel
The brand Chanel has long had its reputation in the world of fashion, but few people know that it was Coco Chanel, who gave women bathing suits, pants, slacks, costume jewelry, and of course, Chanel No.5 .Her influence on the 20th century fashion was so great that she was the only person in the courtier field to be named in Time 100.The Most Important People of the Century. (Nikitine)
While Coco Chanel gained world recognition her early years, however, were anything but glamorous .Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel was born on August 1883 in Saumur, France. Little is known about her childhood, apart that she had five siblings: two sisters and three brothers and her father worked as a peddler .When she was 12 years old her mother died of tuberculosis. One week later, her father left the family, abandoning her at a provincial orphanage. For fix years Chanel was raised by the nuns, who taught her how to sew – a skill that would prove to be very useful in her future life. (Nikitina)
As soon as Gabrielle turned 18 she left the orphanage , she moved to a little town of Moulins (south of Paris) .At first, she learned the art of sewing during her six years at Aubazine, Chanel was able to find employment as a seamstress When not plying her needle , she sang in a cabaret frequented by cavalry officers. Chanel made her stage debut singing at a café-concert, a popular entertainment venue of the era. She was among other girls dubbed poseuses, the performers who entertained the crowned between star turns. It was during this time that she began to called “Coco” , which as Chanel later explained was a “ shortened version of coquette , the French world for ‘ kept woman’ “.(Chanel)
While she failed to get steady work as a singer, at age 22 Coco met Etienne Balsan , a young French textile heir who suggested that they lived together. Chanel agreed and moved to Balsan’s castle, where she first began designing hats as a hobby. While she enjoyed the beauties of the “rich life” that Etienne
While Coco Chanel gained world recognition her early years, however, were anything but glamorous .Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel was born on August 1883 in Saumur, France. Little is known about her childhood, apart that she had five siblings: two sisters and three brothers and her father worked as a peddler .When she was 12 years old her mother died of tuberculosis. One week later, her father left the family, abandoning her at a provincial orphanage. For fix years Chanel was raised by the nuns, who taught her how to sew – a skill that would prove to be very useful in her future life. (Nikitina)
As soon as Gabrielle turned 18 she left the orphanage , she moved to a little town of Moulins (south of Paris) .At first, she learned the art of sewing during her six years at Aubazine, Chanel was able to find employment as a seamstress When not plying her needle , she sang in a cabaret frequented by cavalry officers. Chanel made her stage debut singing at a café-concert, a popular entertainment venue of the era. She was among other girls dubbed poseuses, the performers who entertained the crowned between star turns. It was during this time that she began to called “Coco” , which as Chanel later explained was a “ shortened version of coquette , the French world for ‘ kept woman’ “.(Chanel)
While she failed to get steady work as a singer, at age 22 Coco met Etienne Balsan , a young French textile heir who suggested that they lived together. Chanel agreed and moved to Balsan’s castle, where she first began designing hats as a hobby. While she enjoyed the beauties of the “rich life” that Etienne
Cited: .”Coco Chanel.” en.wikepedia.org. Wikepedia, 10 2013. Web.10 Jan 2013. < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coco_Chanel> .”Arina Nikitina.” www.arinanikitina.com.com .Blog, 12 2012.Web.12 Nov 2012. <http://www.arinanikitina.com/coco-chanel-the-woman-who-changed-fashion> .”Coco Chanel.”2013.The Biography Chanel website.Jan 14 , 2013. < http://www.biography.com/people/coco_chanel_9244165>