Coco Chanel:
The name Chanel is nearly synonymous with French couture fashion. Chanel was a pioneer in her time and was often
viewed as controversial. She had a modernist view and was famous for her men’s-wear styled fashions for women,
most notably the “Little Black Dress”.
Born August 19, 1883 in Saumur, France, Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel had a very humble childhood. She was the second
daughter out of 5 children, however there is some historical question of the legitimacy of her birth, as her parents
reportedly married the same year.
Coco was born in a poorhouse, which is similar to an orphanage, but for entire families who couldn’t support themselves,
and because of this the illiterate staff of the home recorded her name as Chansel instead of Chanel, which made tracing
records of her early life quite difficult when she rose to fashion fame. When she was 12 her mother died of consumption
(what we call TB now) and her father left all 5 children. Consequently she spent 7 years in the orphanage of a Catholic
monastery, where the nuns taught her to sew. This started her on the road to fashion greatness. She would spend her
vacations from school with other female relatives, who taught her to sew with much more style and flourish than the
nuns could, and when she turned 18 and left the orphanage for good, she took work with a local tailor. When asked about
her life later, she would often tell people that she was born in 1893 and that her mother died when she was 2 because of
the harsh opinion held of those who were poor or illegitimate at that time in France.
It was during her time working for the tailor that she met the first of several wealthy lovers, and ultimately financiers. She
met Étienne Balsan who introduced her to the good life, lavishing her with expensive gifts. Chanel’s first shop was
opened in 1913 and sold stylish coats and jackets. Though the business failed, it did not discourage her.
The name Chanel is nearly synonymous with French couture fashion. Chanel was a pioneer in her time and was often
viewed as controversial. She had a modernist view and was famous for her men’s-wear styled fashions for women,
most notably the “Little Black Dress”.
Born August 19, 1883 in Saumur, France, Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel had a very humble childhood. She was the second
daughter out of 5 children, however there is some historical question of the legitimacy of her birth, as her parents
reportedly married the same year.
Coco was born in a poorhouse, which is similar to an orphanage, but for entire families who couldn’t support themselves,
and because of this the illiterate staff of the home recorded her name as Chansel instead of Chanel, which made tracing
records of her early life quite difficult when she rose to fashion fame. When she was 12 her mother died of consumption
(what we call TB now) and her father left all 5 children. Consequently she spent 7 years in the orphanage of a Catholic
monastery, where the nuns taught her to sew. This started her on the road to fashion greatness. She would spend her
vacations from school with other female relatives, who taught her to sew with much more style and flourish than the
nuns could, and when she turned 18 and left the orphanage for good, she took work with a local tailor. When asked about
her life later, she would often tell people that she was born in 1893 and that her mother died when she was 2 because of
the harsh opinion held of those who were poor or illegitimate at that time in France.
It was during her time working for the tailor that she met the first of several wealthy lovers, and ultimately financiers. She
met Étienne Balsan who introduced her to the good life, lavishing her with expensive gifts. Chanel’s first shop was
opened in 1913 and sold stylish coats and jackets. Though the business failed, it did not discourage her.
Websites:
Coco Chanel
Coco Chanel
| ©2007 Wanda Pépin. All Rights Reserved. |
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gives newsletter
subscribers first
chance at these newly
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