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Gabreille Bonheur Coco Chanel , intelligent and chic, was a French fashion designer who

created menswear inspired fashions and expensive simplicity, changing the way women looked and

dress, making her a very important figure in the 20th

century. She was founder of the famous and

luxurious fashion brand, Chanel.

Chanel was born on Augest 19, 1883 (though she claimed that she was born a decade later) inLoire Valley, France. At age 12, her mother died from tuberculosis and her father abandoned the 5

children after because he needed to work and care for his relatives, and young Chanel was spent 6 years

in an orphanage of the Roman Catholic monastry of Aubazine, where she learnt how to sew.

When Chanel turned 17, she left the orphanage, moved to Paris and adopted the name Coco

during a brief career as a cabaret singer from 1905-1908. First a mistress of a wealthy military officer

then of an English industrialist, Coco Chanel drew on the resources of these patrons in setting up a

millinery (hat) shop in Paris in 1910, expanding to Brittany, Deauville and Biarritz. The two men also

helped her find customers among women of society, and her simple hats became popular.

She began living the rich l ife and began extending her couture by making selling fashionable

jackets and raincoats and working with jersey and introducing womens sportswear, creating short

skirts, sailor tops and blazers, and more relaxed, comfortable mannish looks where more women

during the World War I era came to accept that women were supposed to dress for themselves and not

for their men.

In 1920, she was introduced to world famous composer Igor Stravinsky, to whom she offered for

him and his family to reside with her; they were rumoured of having an affair.

In 1922 Coco Chanel introduced a perfume, Chanel No. 5, which became and remained popular

(though Marilyn Monroe really brought to fame in the 50s) , and remains a profitable product ofChanel's company. It was the first perfume to bear a designers name. Pierre Wertheimer became her

partner in the perfume business in 1924, and perhaps also her lover. Wertheimer owned 70% of the

company; Coco Chanel received 10% and her friend Bader 20%. The Wertheimers continue to control

the perfume company today.

Coco Chanel introduced her signature cardigan jacket in 1925 and signature "little black dress"

in 1926. Most of her fashions had a staying power, and didn't change much from year to year -- or even

generation to generation.

Chanels fame continued to grow throughout the 1930s, as Hollywood courted her services and

she nearly married one of the richest men in Europe, the Duke of Westminster. (In later years,explaining why she chose not to marry the duke, Chanel replied, There have been several Duchesses of

Westminster. There is only one Chanel.) Chanels confidence, some say arrogance, was hard won. Shed

worked her way up from literally nothing to become one of the most popular designers in the history of

fashion.

When World War II came, Chanel responded by shutting down her business and had an affair

with Hans Gunther von Dincklage, who was a Nazi officer and spy. In return, von Dincklage allowed

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Chanel to continue to reside in her beloved Hotel Ritz Paris and maintained an apartment at 31 rue

Cambon and built Villa La Pausa on the French Riviera.

Believing her career as a designer was over, Chanel stayed out of the public for the next decade

and a half, moving to Switzerland in 1945, relying on the sales of her perfume as her main source of

income. Then in 1954, at the age of 71 and came back to Paris and announced she was making acomeback. Depending on the source, Chanels return to the fashion world has been attributed to falling

perfume sales, disgusted at what she was seeing in the fashion world of the day or simple boredom.

Some say she became jealous of Christian Diors growing fame and returned to fight for her fashion

crown.

In Europe, her comeback was considered an absolute failure and only appuaded by the British.

(She did not have much success with the French because of her relationship with the Nazis.) Fashion

critics were less than impressed with her new line, which were casual chic. But in the United States,

Americans couldnt buy her suits fast enough. Both Europe and the critics soon changed their minds

because of Chanels success in America.

Chanel once again found herself at the forefront of fashion by following the same simple yet

fundamental idea with which she started: It is possible to be comfortable and chic at the same time.

While it did not destroy Dior, by the time of her death in 1971 at age 87, Chanels remarkable comeback

had earned her the title of the best designer of her time. And Her extraordinary influence on fashion

was such that she was the only person in the field to be named Time 100: The Most Important People of

the Century.

Chanel was always very quotable, here are a few of her quotes:

Success is often achieved by those who dont know that failure is inevitable.

A woman should be two things, classy and fabulous.

Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance.

Fashion is in the air, born upon the wind.

There are people who have money, and people who are rich.

Since everything is in our heads, we better not lose them.

Today, under the guidance of designer Karl Lagerfeld, and owners Alain and Gerard Werthiemer,

grandsons of Chanels partner Pierre Werthiemer, Chanel remains not only one of the oldest, but alsoone of the worlds most prestigious fashion houses still active. A tribute to her unique vision, the designs

of the woman who carried fashion into the 20th century promise to remain just as popular well into the

21st century.