The Goddess of Fashion – Coco Chanel

Coco Chanel once said “Fashion is always of the time in which you live. It is not something standing alone. But the grand problem, the most important problem, is to rejuvenate women. To make women look young. Then their outlook changes. They feel more joyous.”

Coco Chanel in her prime years

Gabrielle “Coco” Bonheur Chanel, born on 19^th of august 1883, she is a French fashion designer, who transformed and revolutionized women’s fashion. With tacky corsets which makes simple act of eating, breathing and walking difficult, and with long train like gowns.

She started her life as a poor orphan who learnt how to sew in the orphanage she was in. she was pursuing singing for a short period of time before she realized her true passion. She opened her first store in hat making in 1910. She then started her career in designing clothes and succeeded tremendously. She then launched her first perfume “Chanel no5”, under her name. She quoted

“A women who doesn’t wear perfume has no future”, this shows the importance she gave for perfume.

Coco Chanel first FragranceClassic Chanel Suit

Her trademark designs include Chanel suit, two tone pumps, little black dress, classic quilted purse and striped sailor’s shirt. A classic Chanel suit is  collar less and combined with a fitted skirted. She used elements from men’s clothes. She believed in comfortable clothes rather than clothes which took away freedom . The little black dress, her simple and yet sophisticated design was easy to manage and could be accessorized by pearls or any piece of jewelry.

Audrey Hepburn in Chanel’s Little Black Dress

She was criticized for her designs but in the end she was accepted by the people around the world for feminine, easy and well fitted clothes over the gaudy outfits which limits movement. She is remembered through  T.V shows and movies  such as “Coco before Chanel” and “Coco Chanel”  respectively.

I love her sense of design.  The classic little black dress and perfume Chanel no5 is every girls dream to own. Feminine yet with a modern edge, her name is untouched and an irreplaceable brand. Her life story is so inspiring of how she grew and the difficulties she faced as women.