Coco Chanel
By: Keely Adams
Biography
Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel was born on August 19th, 1882. As a young girl her mother died and her dad left her and her four siblings. Her and her two sisters were sent to a boarding school while her brothers were placed on a farm as laborers. Growing up wasn't easy for Coco because she didn't have parents to provide for her and she lived in unreasonable conditions and was in poverty. She left the boarding school as soon as she was old enough and got a job at a local boutique as a seamstress. It didn't take long for her to become very skilled and have lots of costumers. It is said that she got the nickname Coco because, one night while she was at a local diner she was asked to come up on stage and sing in between shows. People say that she sang of a girl who lost her dog Coco, thus the nickname Coco was born. She met a man named Etienne Balsan who had a passion for horses. As their relationship grew, Coco then too became an expert horsewoman. She used her passion for fashion and incorporated it into her liking for horses and started making hats to wear while riding. Women at horse shows were soon seen wearing these hats and people took a liking to her unique style. This is where her fashion designing really began.
Impact
Coco not only made an impact on the fashion world but, she also made an impact on the way women dressed. Women in the 20's wanted to stand out and be unique and her clothing helped women express themselves through the way they dressed. Coco designed clothing that was stylish yet comfortable to wear unlike most clothing in the 20's. She set many trends such as wearing pants and loose fitting things. Her perfume Chanel No. 5 was the most popular perfume in the world. Her impact to the fashion world still holds strong today and her clothing line continues to be a success.
Chanel No. 5
Coco's perfume "Chanel No. 5" became the most popular perfume all over the world in the 1920's. Not only did she have an impact on how women dressed, she also had an impact on the perfume they wore too.
The House of Chanel
The House of Chanel is the famous boutique that started it all. Here is where she first started making and selling her clothes.
Hats started it all
Coco first started designing hats. She did this by making them simpler and more elegant.
Coco - Inside CHANEL
Video Questions
- What did she pretend her dad left to do?
- What was the name of her first love?