The History Of Coco Chanel

History of Coco Chanel - Gabrielle (Coco) Chanel was the fashion designer who liberated women’s clothing, so I thought it was only right to say a few words about her.

Born into poverty - She was born in 1883 into a family of poverty in a French poor-house in Saumur, Maine-et-Loire, where her birth was registered the day after. It is said that the two employees from the poor-house who were sent to register the birth were illegitimate and could not spell Chanel which is the reason it is spelt Chasnel on her birth certificate. This did not upset Coco Chanel as in later years when she became famous it made it difficult for journalists to track her origins. Chanel would disguise her age telling people her birth date was in 1893 instead of 1883, making her ten years younger - a lady's prerogative!

Coco the designer was born - Gabrielle was her real name - Coco was a name she called herself while she worked in a cafe for a short while and a name of which she was fond.

From a hard beginning, she became a seamstress in a tailor's shop where she met a millionaire who lavished her with all the luxuries of life. While living with this man, Coco Chanel had a hobby which really interested her : making hats. It eventually led to her opening up her first shop in Paris selling hats, jackets and raincoats. Although this shop did not last long, she opened her second store in Brittany where her hats were bought by the rich and famous. It was this store in Brittany that really got the name Chanel known. Her third largest store was opened in Deauville.

Chanel was feminine - Chanel did not fight for women’s rights but she did think women should dress for themselves and not for their men. She also believed you could not leave the house without having on your hat and lipstick, making her very feminine.

The history of Coco Chanel designing clothes for comfort - Her chemise designs were popular, being simple, boyish , sexy and above all comfortable, and this brought an end to the unhealthy tight corsets women had been wearing for decades.

Simplicity - Chanel’s designs of simplicity were men’s clothing for women, such as trousers and skirt suits. Of course the timing was right for her as the 1st World War changed women’s clothing dramatically. Chanel once said, “Simplicity is the keynote to all true elegance.” She gave birth to the little black dress - a dress which is not so much fashionable but classical going through the ages. This is exactly what Chanel believed fashion to be : something that could be worn year to year, generation to generation. Out went the frills and in came tailored clothes; long hems were out as hems went up. All in all a different age was born.

Chanel No. 5 - Everyone has heard of, if not having owned, a bottle of Chanel No. 5. In 1921 this perfume was the first perfume to be named by the brand of the designer, making it quite special from a marketing point of view. Why did she call it No. 5 ? Simply because it was her favourite number. This has to be one of the most popular perfumes of all time, spanning over generations.

A Suntan - Up until the 1920s, a lady would not be considered a lady unless she had a pale complexion which meant carrying a parasol in the sun and certainly not sunbathing. Chanel changed this as it is said she fell asleep one day in the park and woke with a sun-tan. Chanel made the healthy sun-tan look fashionable and one which many seek today. Of course nobody knew of the dangers of the sun back in those days.

All in all the history of Coco Chanel pictures a remarkable lady