Even though most people know Coco Chanel as a high-end fashionista, her childhood was “anything but glamorous.” She was born on August 19, 1883 in Saumur, France. Chanel’s mother died of tuberculosis when she was only 12 years old. Her father left the family, and took Chanel to an orphanage, where she lived for six years. There, she learned how to sew. Chanel left the orphanage when she turned 18 years old. She was singing in a club when …show more content…
she met Etienne Balsan, who gave her a job in a tailor shop.
While working in the tailor shop, Chanel began designing hats as a hobby.
Chanel stated, “My life didn’t please me, so I created my life.” She left Balsan’s shop and opened her own shop in Paris, named “Chanel Modes.” After gaining much attention, she opened stored in Deauville and Barritz, and started to make clothes. In 1921, Chanel created her first perfume, “Chanel No. 5”. Chanel explained, “It (perfume) is the unseen, unforgettable, ultimate accessory of fashion.”
In 1925, Chanel introduced the Chanel suit, which consisted of a collarless jacket and a fitted skirt. She combined elements of men’s fashion with her own style and gave the women on the 20’s comfortable and stylish clothes. Another popular design was Chanel’s “little black dress,” as everyone called it. The dress was made for evening wear, and was made in Chanel’s favorite color: black. Chanel “helped women say goodbye to the days of corsets and other confining garments.”
Chanel’s clothes allowed women break out of their confining homes and be accepted into the workforce. People followed her trends, whether it was the perfume she was using, the trousers she was wearing, how short she made her dress, or even her suntan. Chanel wanted to revolutionize women’s fashion, and she met her goal. Chanel once said, “A girl should be two things; classy and fabulous.” Everyone wanted to be like the one and only Coco
Chanel.
Coco Chanel died on January 10, 1971, but her name still lives on. “Coco Chanel created timeless designs that are still popular today.” Many well known celebrities wear Chanel today, as well as everyday people. Chanel was in the number one spot on the ranking of the top 45 luxury brands, replacing Louis Vuitton, which dropped to number seven. Chanel has a net worth of $12.7 billion.
Coco Chanel led fashion into the modern era during the 1920’s. By introducing the women’s suit, trousers for women, and many other unique clothing items, she helped women become comfortable in their own skin.