COCO CHANEL
Paris, France
Coco Chanel
Born: August 19, 1883, Saumur, France
Died: January 10, 1971, Paris, France
Full name: Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel
More about Chanel
-In the 1920s, she launched her first perfume and eventually introduced the Chanel suit and the little black dress, with an emphasis on making clothes that were more comfortable for women.
Early Life
-She was raised by nuns who taught her how to sew
-Had a brief career as a singer, where she got her nickname from singing in clubs in Vichy and Moulins where she got the name Coco.
-Chanel herself said it was a “shortened version of cocotte, the French word for 'kept woman,'”
Fashion Career
-She later added stores in Deauville and Biarritz and began making clothes
-in the 1920's she launched her first perfume, Chanel No. 5
-In 1925, she introduced the now legendary Chanel suit with collarless jacket and well-fitted skirt, emphasizing comfort, by taking pieces of mens clothing
-Ended corsets and other confining garments
Ready to wear
Closed fashion during war
Lagerfield took over fashion house