Coco Chanel
Fashion Entrepreneur
"Success is often achieved by those who don't know that failure is inevitable."
Early Life of Coco Chanel
Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel
Born August 19th, 1883 in Saumur, France
Chanel's mother died at an early age
Put in an orphanage by her father at the age of 12
Taught to sew in the orphanage by nuns
Died on January 10th, 1971 in Paris, France
Coco Chanel as an Entrepreneur
1910 - Chanel opened her first shop on Paris's Rue Cambon
- Started only selling hats
- Added stores in Deauville and Biarritz
- Began making clothes
1922 - Chanel launched her first perfume, Chanel No. 5
- Fragrance was backed by Theophile Bader & Pierre & Paul Wertheimer
- Chanel only received 10% off the profits
1925- Chanel introduced legendary Chanel suit and Little Black Dress
- Stressed the need for comfort over constraints
- Helped women clothing move away from corsets
- Began designing costumes for plays
During WWII Chanel fled to Switzerland to escape controversy of an affair
1954 - Chanel returned to Pairs
- Expanded her industry by making pea jackets and bell-bottoms
1969 - Broadway made a musical of her life
After opening her first shop in 1910, Chanel's fashion industry thrived into an empire that is still around today.
Chanel's fashion industry was such a success because nobody had seen fashion like it before.
Entrepreneurial Traits
- Passion for life in general
- Creative in her designs
- Independent of others
- Positive
- Assertive, Direct
- Outgoing
- Confident in herself