THE 88 YEARS OF CHANEL

Coco Chanel . By Ida Rosenstein

BIBLIOGRAPHY1. Different like Coco, Matthews, Elizabeth 2007

2. Chanel : Her style and life, Wallach, Janet 1998

3. Coco Chanel: Encyclopedia of Clothing and

Fashion, 2005

4. The secret life of Coco Chanel, Justine Picardie

2010

INTRODUCTIONThe Chanel fashion house has been famous for many

years and still is today. It was started by an extraordinary

person by the name of Gabrielle “Coco” Bonheur Chanel.

She changed fashion for women, created the “little black

dress”, and had a string of romances, including one with a

millionaire and a Nazi spy. She started her life as a poor

orphan and died as a famous multi-millionaire fashion

designer. The story of Coco Chanel’s life is a true “rags to

riches” tale.

CHILDHOODCoco Chanel was born on August 19, 1882 in Saumur Fra

nce . Her full name was Gabrielle “Coco “ Bonheur Chan

el. She was the daughter of Albert Chanel and Jeanne

Devolle, with five siblings. Her father was an itinerant

salesman. Coco was just twelve when her mother died.

As for her father, he abandoned Coco and her siblings.

Coco was sent to an orphanage at Aubazine. Coco would

visit her grandparents. In 1900 she moved there

permanently and attended a convent school where she was

taught to sew by nuns.

STARTING BUSINESSCoco got an early start to her career. She sang at

stylish cafés. Coco got her nickname from the song

she sang, “Qui Qu’ a Vu Coco Dans le Trocodero”.

Coco would trim boater hats and was soon asked to

make copies. Chanel snuck into her first polo match,

where she met millionaire polo player, Arthur Capel,

otherwise known as “Boy”. He gave her the money

she needed to open up her very own hat shop on a

fashionable street in Paris.

STARTING BUSINESS CONTINUED

Coco opened up another shop with the help of Boy.

Chanel made drop-waist dresses, tailored pants,

black jackets and jewelry. Her style gave women

freedom and movement. Not only did she make

pants, but evening dresses too, including a black

sleeveless frock, with a white pearl collar. This was

known as “the little black dress”, which is still

popular today.

PERSONAL STYLE

Chanel cut her hair short in a “bob” style and wore lots of red lipstick

with a knee length loose drop waist dress. Her style was not like anyone

else’s compared to the tight corsets long poofy dresses and ruffled

petticoats of the time. When she walked down the streets she would

hear people whispering things like “why is she wearing men’s clothing”.

One day, Chanel borrowed one of “Boy’s” jersey sweaters. To not mess

up her neat flat hair, she cut it in the front trimmed it with a ribbon and

added a bow. The sweater inspired Chanel to use jersey for her new line

of clothing.

COCO’S DARK SIDEIn 1940, during WWII, the Nazis took over Paris. People left Paris,

including Coco. But, Coco also thought her business could be successful

during the war, so Chanel moved back to Paris. The Nazis had taken over

the Ritz Hotel, where Coco had her apartment. Coco had a romance with

a Nazi spy. She was asked by one of his commanders, to set up a meeting

with the British to talk about an end to the war. Coco met up with a

British man, who refused to the meeting. At the end of the war, Chanel

was arrested for helping the Nazis. Soon after the arrest, she was set

free. Everyone hated Coco for what she had done. So, Chanel moved to

Switzerland and closed her business.

LAST DAYSAfter 15 years in Switzerland, Coco wanted to design again.

She moved back to Paris, at the age of 70, an opened up her

business again. Coco did a fashion show that was hated by the

French and English, because she helped the Nazis during the

war. But the show was loved by the Americans. This made

her famous once again. Chanel’s fashion house soon became

one of the most famous fashion brands in the world. Coco

designed and ran her business until she died at the age of 88.

SUMMARYCoco’s life was not all sunshine and rainbows, but

she overcame her hard times to become a world

famous fashion designer. Coco’s style and design

was elegant and simple. Women wanted to look like

Coco and she made fashion comfortable and chíc. As

Coco said, “Luxury must be comfortable, or it is not

luxury”. Although Chanel died 42 years ago, her

business is a symbol of luxury and high fashion. Karl

Lagerfeld is now the designer for the House of

Chanel.

QUIZ

1. What was Coco’s first name?

A. Colette Chanel

B. Gabrielle Chanel

C. Molly Chanel

QUIZ

2. Who helped Coco pay for her first shop?

A. Her dad

B. The nuns

C. Boy Capel

QUIZ

3. What was the Chanel evening dress called?

A. Black evening dress

B. Midnight shine

C. The little black dress

QUIZ

4. What did Coco sell in her first shop?

1. Hats

2. perfume

3. shoes

QUIZ

5. Where did Coco move after the War?

A. Ponyland

B. America

C. Swizerland

VOCABULARY

Extraordinary: amazing , cool

Itinerant: traveling from place to place

Frock: dress

Jersey: a fabric they make t-shirts out of

Corsets: a piece of clothing to tighten the waist

AU REVOIR