How did Coco Chanel become famous? Coco Chanel history

She turned the world of fashion and changed the concept of femininity. Despite her origins, high society bowed to her. This woman never married, and men were trophies for her. According to her, she managed to fall in love only once. Personal Coco Chanel is one of the components of her success in the fashion industry. There was a place for both practical hobbies and true love.

The real name of the style icon is Gabrielle Boner Chanel. The future celebrity was born on August 19, 1883. Her parents were not officially married, her father Gabriel worked as a market trader, and little Chanel spent all her childhood among the market stalls. When the girl was 12 years old, her mother died in a difficult childbirth. The father separated the brothers and sisters: he gave his sons to farm families, and his daughters to an orphanage.

Gabrielle's teachers were strict nuns. It is not surprising that the girl dreamed of a different life: she did not like the gray uniform that she had to wear every day, and the need. But Chanel firmly believed that she could achieve fame and recognition. The only joy for her was the holidays, during which she went to her aunts. It was one of them who began to teach her niece how to not only sew, but decorate clothes.

When Gabrielle turned 18, she was given a choice: either become a nun or start an independent life. The girl chooses the second. She moves to the city of Moulin and enters the Boarding School for noble maidens on a charitable basis. Therefore, she is treated differently than girls from wealthy families. After two years of training, Gabrielle was ready to start an independent life.

She is taken as a seamstress in the studio: the owner liked the way she deftly managed with a needle and thread. But Gabrielle understood that neither fame nor recognition awaited her there. Chanel makes acquaintances with military officers, of whom there were many in this town. They invite a girl and her aunt to a variety show. Soon Gabrielle herself performed there. In her repertoire there were only two songs, thanks to which she received the nickname - "Coco".

Soon, an attractive young girl liked the wealthy officer Etienne Balsan. Coco was not at all worried about his reputation as a womanizer and the presence of a constant mistress. Chanel accepts his offer to move in with him at the estate.

In the house of Etienne, Coco met the richest and most influential people of our time. She became more confident in herself and was not afraid to do what she wanted. And most of all, the girl wanted to change the world of fashion. At that time, only men could be fashion designers, who pulled women into tight corsets, tight bodices, dressed in long dresses with many frills. Coco was guided by the motto of simplicity and convenience.

She made a real sensation when she appeared at the races not in women's clothes, but in Etienne's shirt and his friend's blazer. The women were shocked, but they admired the courage of the girl. Then Koko decided that it was time to "liberate" women from the captivity of multi-layered and long skirts and corsets. Balsan supported her passion for fashion and allocated a corner in the estate in which she made hats for the girlfriends of his comrades. But Chanel wanted more - she dreamed of turning the fashion industry around. In this she is helped by Etienne's friend, and later by her lover, the English captain Arthur Capel, who was known among friends as "Boy".

The exact circumstances of their first meeting remain unknown. Chanel herself told several different versions this event. But no matter how they met, this meeting turned out to be fateful for Mademoiselle Chanel. Capel saw purposefulness and ambition in the girl, so he supported Koko in all her endeavors. After some time, Chanel leaves Etienne and moves in with Arthur.

Capel decides to help her make her dream come true, and together with Balsan (with whom Coco kept in touch) they open a Chanel hat shop. Simple yet elegant, Coco's hats have been a hit with French women who are tired of wearing hats that look like fruit baskets. In 1913, with the financial support of Capel, Coco opens a ready-made dress shop. Her collection was distinguished by simplicity, elegance and, most importantly, practicality. Coco Chanel became the first female fashion designer and received public recognition.

The First World War, and time for haute couture became inappropriate. Millions of men went to the front, and all their work fell on the fragile female shoulders. But Coco understands that this is her chance to gain independence and put the House of Chanel on its feet.

Feminine frilly dresses have become impractical and even dangerous in work at the machines. It's time for Chanel style: comfortable and practical. But in war time it was difficult to find quality fabric, but there was a lot of jersey. And this was a real breakthrough in Coco's career: her collection for women, made of jersey, was an incredible success.

Just as her job as a fashion designer took off, so did her romance with Boy. Once he gave them a weekend in the city of Biarritz, where the richest people gathered at that time. Coco opens a new Chanel boutique there in 1915. Now the House of Chanel has gained independence, and fame has come to Coco.

In 1918, a peace agreement was signed between the countries, and the war ended. The Chanel house prospered, and a period of complete happiness was to come in Coco's life. But in the same year, Capel informed her of his intention to marry the daughter of a wealthy lord. This news was a blow to Chanel. After his marriage, their relationship continued. But in 1919 Boy Capel died in a car accident. The news of his death finished off Coco. She later admitted that she loved only Capel.

It is believed that it was the mourning for her beloved that prompted Chanel to create the famous little black dress. At that time, it was not customary to wear mourning for a person with whom a marriage was not registered. Chanel added a string of white imitation pearls to the dress, and later this look became a real top of the style.

Chanel decides to achieve recognition and respect in the highest circles. To begin with, she invents herself new biography, the stories of her childhood are new each time. The fashion designer opens his famous House of Chanel in front of the luxurious Ritsa Hotel. Koko herself moves to live in this hotel. After Capel, she had an affair with the Duke of Westminster, through which she made acquaintance with influential people, among whom was Winston Churchill.

She had an affair with Stravinsky, as well as with the Russian prince Dmitry. It is thanks to these relationships that Slavic elements appear in her collections. Later, the prince introduces her to the perfumer who created the famous Chanel No. 5 perfume.

But her most scandalous relationship was with German officer and spy Baron von Dinklage. During her nephew was taken prisoner by the Germans. To free him, she went to meet with von Dinklage. The nephew was released, and Chanel became the mistress of the German baron.

Later, the fashion designer participated in the Anglo-German negotiations, which were secret. The Germans, knowing about her acquaintance with Churchill, wanted with her help to convince him to sign a peace agreement. The operation was called "Fashion Hat", but was unsuccessful. After France was liberated from the invaders, Chanel remembered her connection with the Germans. She was arrested, but the reasons for her release are still unknown. In 1944, Coco Chanel left for Switzerland, where she lived until 1953.

In 1954, the famous fashion designer returns to high world fashion with their old clothes. Society is at a loss, but her collection is a success. The whole world is talking about Coco Chanel, and everyone admires her sense of style. January 10, 1971 Coco Chanel dies of a heart attack at the Ritz Hotel where she was staying.

This woman has revolutionized the fashion world. She showed everyone that dressing stylishly does not mean being pretentious, and you can remain feminine even in men's clothes. The meaning and the most precious thing in her life was her brainchild - the fashion house of Chanel, which she dreamed about as a little girl. Coco Chanel's personal life was not always strewn with roses, but she had a chance to experience happiness and fall in love with a man who supported her in everything. Coco Chanel is one of the most influential women of the 20th century.

coco chanel

Real name Gabrielle Bonre Chanel, fr. Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel.

French fashion designer who founded the Chanel fashion house and had a significant impact on European fashion in the 20th century.

She brought the fitted jacket and little black dress into women's fashion; of accessories, the most famous were a bag on a chain and large bijouterie - primarily camellia brooches and artificial pearls. Her perfume "Chanel No. 5" became the perfume bestseller of the 20th century.

She was born in Saumur in 1883, although she claimed to have been born ten years later in Auvergne. The mother died in a difficult childbirth. When Gabrielle was barely twelve, her father left her with four siblings; the children were then in the care of relatives and spent some time in an orphanage.

At the age of 18, Gabrielle got a job as a salesman in a clothing store, and at free time sang in a cabaret. She performed with the songs Ko Ko Ri Ko and Qui qu'a vu Coco, thanks to which she received her nickname - Coco. During one of these speeches, Gabriel was noticed by officer Etienne Balzan - she moved to live with him in Paris, but soon went to the English industrialist Arthur Capel, known among friends by the nickname "Fight".

In 1910, Chanel opened a hat shop in Paris - within a year it moved to 31 Rue Cambon, opposite the Ritz Hotel, where it is located to this day.

Chanel and her friend Misia Sert were the last to visit Diaghilev on the eve of his death on August 19, 1929. They also paid for the funeral on the island of San Michele, since neither the deceased nor Lifar, who was with him, had money with him.

In 1939, with the outbreak of war, Chanel closed the fashion house and all her stores. In June 1940, her nephew André Palace was captured by the Germans. Trying to rescue him, Chanel turned to her old friend, German embassy attache Baron Hans Gunther von Dinklage. As a result, Andre Palace was released, and the 56-year-old Chanel entered into a relationship with von Dinklage. According to a file kept at Vincennes, Chanel was "the mistress and agent of Baron Hans Günther von Dinklage" in 1942-1943.

In November 1943, Chanel was looking for a meeting with Winston Churchill - she wanted to convince him to agree to the principles of secret Anglo-German negotiations. Gabrielle discussed the matter with Theodore Momm, who was in charge of the textile industry in occupied France. Momm passed the proposal to Berlin, the head of the Sixth Directorate, which controlled the foreign intelligence service, Walter Schellenberg. He found the offer interesting: Operation Modelhut (with German? -? "Fashion Hat") made it possible to travel unhindered to Madrid (where Chanel intended to meet Churchill) with a pass valid for several days. The meeting, however, did not take place - Churchill was ill, and Chanel returned to Paris with nothing.

At the end of the war, Chanel remembered all her contacts with the Germans. She was labeled an accomplice of the Nazis, she was accused of collaborationism and arrested. In 1944, on the advice of Churchill, she was released, but on the condition that she leave France. Chanel had to leave for Switzerland, where she lived until 1953.

In 1954, 71-year-old Gabriel returned to the world of high fashion, presenting her new collection. She achieved her former glory and respect only after three seasons; rich and famous women became regular visitors to her shows. A tweed suit "from Chanel" - a narrow skirt and a lace-trimmed collarless jacket with golden buttons and patch pockets - gained popularity and became a symbol of its owner's success.

In the 1950s and 1960s, Chanel collaborated with various Hollywood studios, she dressed such stars as Audrey Hepburn and Liz Taylor. Among her clients was US First Lady Jackie Kennedy.

House of fashion "Coco Chanel"

The first workshop of a young Frenchwoman Coco appeared in Paris in 1910. Thanks to the patronage of the English industrialist Capel, Chanel received the necessary funds and patronage. Lover, friend and sponsor Arthur Boy Capel paid the costs of creating a Chanel Models workshop, and two letters C appeared in the House logo.

In 1913, a Chanel boutique was opened in the resort town of Deauville. Wealthy clients snapped up sailor suits, straight cropped skirts with pockets, straw hats with ribbons, bathing suits.

The center of the rich public in 1915 was the resort of Biarritz on the Atlantic coast of France, where the designer invented practical clothes that were relevant in wartime - jersey dresses were incredibly successful.

In 1919, the concept of modern clothing proposed by Coco Chanel was recognized in Europe and overseas. Knitted sweaters, trousers and cardigans made the woman more self-confident and free to move.

Having opened a network of boutiques, Coco followed not only the timely updating of collections, but also the financial side of the business, she personally communicated with clients, moving in aristocratic circles: among her acquaintances and admirers were Prince Dmitry Romanov and the Duke of Westminster.

A haute couture accessories boutique in Paris opened in 1929. Coco launched the iconic 2.55 rectangular handbag on a long chain - for the first time women could carry the bag comfortably by hanging it over their shoulder.

Can be considered a long dash in the history of the House on the rue Cambon World War II and Chanel's departure to Switzerland. In 1954, Chanel returned to Paris, opened a boutique and presented a new collection. It took her several years to regain her former positions.

The classic perfume Chanel No. 19 became a farewell gift to the couturier - at the age of 88, Gabrielle Chanel died of a heart attack, leaving no official successors.

In 1983, German designer Karl Lagerfeld took over the legendary brand. The creative 1986 Haute Couture collection brought him the Golden Thimble and established Lagerfeld on the throne of the Chanel empire.

The master retained the style of the founder of the brand, but shortened the skirts, revealing women's knees (Coco avoided this). Lagerfeld has always managed to follow the main laws of the Chanel empire: practicality and luxury.

And love stories: Coco Chanel

In her youth, Chanel started light and short novels, but her home love she met much later. This happened at the moment when Coco Chanel was tired of the status of an eternal lover and decided to start an independent life, not depending on men. Then her home was the garden outbuilding of a rich man, and Gaby made plans to become a famous milliner. The man did not want to support Coco in her endeavors, and the woman moved to Paris, where she met Arthur Capel, a friend of her old friend.

For both Arthur and Coco it was love at first sight. Capel was the heir to a wealthy industrialist, women went crazy for him: Arthur was tall and slender, handsome. Chanel at that time was about thirty, but it was difficult to call Coco a beauty: rather, a woman with unusual appearance and refined manners. Gabrielle conquered Arthur with her elegance, originality and charm. Within a few weeks, they began to live together, renting an apartment. Arthur became the only man who fully supported all Chanel's undertakings, helped her with all available means. Thanks to Arthur, Chanel was able to open fashion stores in several cities in France, was able to enter higher circles society and get to know the right people, which made Coco a famous milliner. For Capel, the glory of a playboy stretched, but after meeting with Gabriel, he broke off relations with all his mistresses. Chanel became famous and successful woman, Paris idolized her, and Arthur admired his beloved and never envied the fact that now they were presented not as "Arthur Capel and Coco Chanel", but as "Coco Chanel with her friend."

However, happiness could not last forever, and Chanel realized that Arthur could never propose to her. Despite the dizzying success, Chanel was not the kind of woman who could be a great match for Capel. The lover wanted to reach heights in society, was very educated and smart, and Koko was brought up in an orphanage. Another problem was that Arthur belonged to an old Jewish family, and in those days in France, even if a person was a millionaire, he was not recognized if noble French blood did not flow in his veins. Arthur needed to marry an aristocrat in order to be made "fit" into the cream of society. Even Coco, with her popularity, faded against the backdrop of sophisticated Parisians.

For a while they were still trying to save the relationship, but soon Gaby found out that Arthur had two mistresses. She did not say anything about this to Capel, and he did not leave Coco, realizing that she was not ready for this. One fine day, Arthur was found a "lucrative match", and he immediately introduced her to Gabrielle. She silently approved of Capel's choice and sewed it for the bride. wedding dress. This relationship ended: Arthur got what he had been striving for all his life, Koko - fame and recognition, and in addition to this - a tormented heart. Chanel went headlong into work, and after a few months she was able to overcome depression, but after some time she learned the terrible news: Capel died in a car accident.

Facts from the life of Chanel

After the death of Coco, the Chanel fashion house was going through difficult times. Its revival began in 1983, when fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld took over the house. In 2008, in honor of the 125th anniversary of the birth of Chanel, he presented the design of a commemorative 5 euro coin with her image. gold coin(circulation of 99 pieces) is valued at 5,900 euros, and one of the 11,000 silver coins can be purchased for 45 euros.

Mademoiselle Chanel was a somnambulist. During one of her bouts of moonwalking at the Ritz, she not only cut a suit out of a bathrobe, but also attached a flower cut from a white towel to the lapel.

Mademoiselle had her own ideas about what a woman's scent should be. According to legend, perfumer Ernest Bo (an immigrant from Russia, by the way) made a mistake with the concentration of aldehydes - as a result, a complex fragrance consisting of more than 80 ingredients was obtained. Thus ended the era of mono perfumes. The iconic fragrance Chanel No.5 is still one of the top ten best-selling perfumes in the world today.

Chanel was the first and only couturier who managed to find the right answer to eternal question"What to wear?": small black dress- a universal outfit for almost all occasions.

The number "5" was Coco Chanel's favorite number. Perhaps she was superstitious, but much in her life is connected with this particular figure. And the Chanel No. 5 fragrance got its name for a reason. It was the fifth scent that Chanel liked at the time of creation.

Chanel never drew sketches, she worked "live" - ​​on fashion models, because she believed that the dress should move, and instead of a pencil, she used only tailor's scissors and pins. For her, “a pair of scissors and a few precise hand movements were enough for luxury itself to emerge from a pile of shapeless matter.”

Coco Chanel loved pockets. She was sure that women's things lack pockets, this men's suit detail. And she brought them not only to clothes, but also to accessories. The main detail in handbags from Chanel to this day is pockets!

Coco has never been married (they say that she refused the Duke of Westminster under the pretext that there could be as many duchesses as you like, and there is only one Mademoiselle Chanel. - Approx. Woman.ru) and basically did not finish the demonstration of the collection with a wedding dress.

Initially, it all started as a hobby. Coco began by creating hats that later won the hearts of the aristocrats of Paris. Many of her hats were too fancy and innovative for the time. And only later, the innocent hobby of designing unusual things turned into a life's work.

A bottle of Chanel No. 5 is sold every 30 seconds in the world!

Every morning, Coco Chanel, who basically spent the night at the Ritz, returned to her apartment after making a preliminary call: she asked her assistants to make the salon smell of Chanel No.5 perfume by the time she arrived. “Customers will come to the smell,” she was sure. Mademoiselle began her working day in the trail of her favorite fragrance. The iconic fragrance Chanel No.5 is still one of the top ten best-selling perfumes in the world today.

Chanel No. 5 was presented to the public on May 5 (May is the fifth month), 1921. Accident? Coincidence?

Coco Chanel (Coco Chanel), as surprising as it may seem, entered the list of the 100 most influential people on the planet throughout the history of mankind. Indeed, this fragile woman brought so many things into our lives, without which we now cannot imagine existence. Her influence in the fashion world is simply colossal!

Coco started out as a knitwear seller. Did you know that before becoming a legend, Koko was an ordinary clerk in a small knitwear shop?

Before coming to own salon, every morning Mademoiselle called and asked the apartment to spray her with Chanel No. 5 perfume. Her favorite smell improved her day and attracted new customers.

Many women dream of reducing their real age, but in those days, not everyone even thought of it. But Koko did not like generally accepted rules and norms. According to rumors, this amazing woman was able to knock off her real age by as much as 10 years!

Vogue recognized in 1926 that the LBD, or little black dress, was as popular as the Ford.

Quotes and aphorisms

When caring for beauty, one must start from the heart and from the soul, otherwise no cosmetics, alas, will help.

Men like women who are well dressed but not conspicuous.

You can get used to an ugly appearance, never to slovenliness.

Everything is in our hands, so there is no need to lower them.

Ruthlessly remove anything that is excessive.

A woman should be dressed in such a way that she wants to undress.

Be a chrysalis by day and a butterfly by night, for there is nothing more comfortable than a cocoon and more lovable than the wings of a butterfly.

Restrain yourself when it hurts, and not make a scene when it hurts, that's what a real (ideal) woman is.

Freedom is always stylish!

In order to be irreplaceable, you need to change all the time.

Nothing ages a woman like a too rich (luxurious) suit.

Old age does not protect against love, but love protects against old age.

Fashion has two goals - convenience and love. Beauty arises when fashion achieves its goals.

A woman who prefers light colors in clothes is much more difficult to get out of balance.

The main thing for a woman is to constantly work. Only work gives courage, and the spirit, in turn, takes care of the fate of the body.

If you want to have what you never had, you will have to do what you have never done.

If you were struck by the beauty of some woman, but you do not remember what she was wearing, then her outfit was perfect.

The worse things are for a woman, the better she should look.

If you were born without wings, don't stop them from growing.

Perfume says more about a woman than her handwriting.

Perfume must be applied where you want to get a kiss.

Fashion passes, style remains.

Fashion, like architecture, is a matter of proportion.

Remember, you won't get a second chance to make a first impression.

We make ourselves: if a woman is ugly at 18, it is by nature, if at 30 it is from stupidity.

Women with good taste wear jewelry. Everyone else has to wear gold.

Pants make a woman free.

A woman should smell like a woman, not like a dried bouquet.

If a woman listens to her friends in matters of fashion, and not to her man, she often becomes a laughing stock.

Jackets should be soft, like jackets. This also gives a sense of external and internal freedom.

Photo

The legendary woman, the woman of the era, the style icon Coco Chanel was born on August 19, 1883 in France. She was the second child of Jeanne Devol and Albert Chanel. Koko's parents were not officially married. The mother died in childbirth, and the girl was named Gabriel after the nurse who helped her to be born.

Gabrielle did not like to think about her childhood, because there were few happy moments in it. The family lived in poverty, the father did not need children: when Gabriel was 11 years old, he left them. For some time, the sisters were taken care of by relatives, and then the girls ended up in an orphanage at the monastery. Koko never saw her father again.

She understood that she would not have any future after the orphanage, but she still dreamed of a brilliant future, a rich life. Becoming famous, Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel once said that she hated the orphanage uniform that she had to wear, in which all the girls were faceless. Then she had a dream - to dress women beautifully.

The monastery gave Chanel a recommendation, and she got a job as a sales assistant in a lingerie store, and in her free time she sang in a cabaret. The girl dreamed of becoming a ballerina, singer, dancer, went to auditions, but unsuccessfully. She got her nickname "Coco" because she sang the song "Ko Ko Ri Ko" many times in a cafe.

At 22, Coco Chanel moved to Paris, she dreamed of becoming a milliner, but she had no experience. Five years later, the girl met a like-minded person who helped her take the first steps in her career.

Career

Arthur Capel was young and successful businessman Chanel's ideas interested him. In 1910, Coco had her own hat shop in Paris, and in 1913 she opened a second shop in Deauville. With the advent own business the girl gave vent to fantasy, the lack of experience did not bother her. She became both a designer and an entrepreneur.

At first, Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel invented hats and sold them to famous Parisians. The number of her clients grew every day. Soon she already entered the aristocratic society, rotated among famous directors and artists, writers, actors. This is probably why her signature style in clothes, accessories and perfume was elegance.

The famous thread of pearls is an elegant timeless decoration, the fashion for which was established by Coco Chanel. In 1921, she released the famous perfume "Chanel No. 5". The Russian emigrant Ernest Bo worked on the fragrance. It was the first perfume with a complex smell that did not even remotely resemble the smell of famous flowers.

Two years later, Coco introduced the fashion for a tan. She vacationed on a cruise and then showed off her beautiful tan in Cannes. Secular society immediately followed suit.

Her little black dress is still part of the basic wardrobe of any woman today. Chanel was the first to offer women trouser suits and showed that men's style looked feminine and elegant. She herself rarely appeared in trousers, she believed that dresses better emphasize her perfect figure. And the figure and appearance of the fashion designer were really perfect.

By the age of 50, she was rich and famous. The collections created during this period are characterized by freedom and imagination. When the Second World War began, Chanel closed all the salons, because during the war people were not up to fashion. In September 1944, she was arrested for allegedly having a relationship with a German army officer, but she was released a few hours later.

Coco Chanel went to Switzerland and lived there for 10 years. Her fame is a thing of the past, collections of new designers appeared on the catwalks of Paris. Fashion house "Dior" was a resounding success and did not leave a chance to Chanel. But Koko decided otherwise. In 1953, she opened a salon in Paris.

At that time she was 70 years old, and a few months later the House of Chanel appeared in the fashion capital. Critics did not spare the fashion designer, but she ignored their attacks. In 1954, Coco introduced elegant rectangular handbags with a long chain handle, saying that she was tired of wearing purses and constantly losing them. It took three years for Coco Chanel to triumphantly return to the fashion Olympus and make her style dominant.

Personal life

There were many novels in her life - fleeting and long-lasting, but Coco never got married, did not give birth to children, although she dreamed about it.

At 22, she became the mistress of Etienne Balsam, a retired officer, and also very wealthy. He bred thoroughbred horses. Chanel lived in his castle, enjoyed luxury and thought about what she would do. Then she met the Englishman Arthur Capel, they had an affair.

In 1924, fate brought Coco Chanel to the Duke of Westminster, richest man England. Their relationship lasted 6 years, during which time the duke married and divorced twice. He offered Chanel a hand and a heart, to which she replied:

"There are many dukes and duchesses in the world, but Coco Chanel is one."

The status of a mistress haunted the fashion designer all his life. She outlived all her lovers, but never became happy in her personal life. The meaning of her whole life was work. Coco Chanel saw ideas for new costumes in her dreams, woke up and got to work. A woman to a ripe old age was hardworking.

Death

Coco Chanel died of a heart attack on January 10, 1971 in the suite of the Ritz Hotel, opposite the world-famous House of Chanel. She was 88 years old.

By this time, her fashion empire was bringing in $160 million annually in revenue, but only three outfits were found in the wardrobe of the famous designer. These were the kind of outfits that a queen would envy. The famous fashion designer was buried at the Bois de Vaux cemetery (Switzerland, Lausanne).

Today, perhaps you will not find someone who does not know the famous perfume Chanel No. 5. Many people have heard about Coco Chanel , but only a few know her biography and.

This talented woman has come a long way, she fell, but got up and went forward again.

The success story of Coco Chanel is very difficult and I suggest getting to know this amazing woman.

The difficult story of the charming Coco Chanel

The real name of the famous trendsetter Gabrielle, and Coco(fr. coco chanel, real name Gabrielle Boner Chanel, fr. Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel date of birth August 19, 1883, Saumur - January 10, 1971, Paris) is her pseudonym.

She was born in a family of simple and not too rich French merchants. The girl was illegitimate child had sisters and brothers.

Gabrielle's mother died when the baby was only 12 years old. I must say that the girl's father did not want to be engaged in her upbringing and decided to send all his children to an orphanage.

After that, the baby never met her father.

The girl always hoped that one day her father would come and take her away, but the miracle never happened.

Gabrielle in the orphanage continued to live in her own world, she dreamed that someday she could become successful.

When the future trendsetter was in an orphanage, she had to constantly wear a standard black uniform. It was this form that became the prototype of the famous little black dress.

At the age of 20, Gabrielle left the orphanage, she never remembered the time she spent here again. The girl got a job in the city Moulin She became a lingerie sales assistant.

In parallel with this, Chanel was engaged in tailoring a nursery, as well as women's clothing. The entrepreneur who hired her was very pleased.

It is necessary to mention that Gabrielle's resting place was one of the cabarets, in which it was allowed to sing songs. Beloved for the future great woman became a song "Soso", as a result of which Chanel got her famous nickname.

The first man with whom Coco decided to live together was a rich man Etienne Balsan. She thought that life would change dramatically, thanks to a rich roommate. But for Etienne Chanel became only a mistress (and then for a short time), and not a beloved woman.

Three years later Gabriel I met a friend of this man. Englishman Arthur Caple(had the nickname Boy) helped Coco Chanel for the first time in his life to know what real luck is.

The case was crowned with success, after a while Gabrielle opened her first atelier. It was then that Chanel discovered a woman entrepreneur in herself and began to realize her plans.

This lady was able to change attitudes towards designers not only in France, but throughout the world: she became part of high society.

Innovations in the fashion world Coco Chanel

The entrepreneur from Koko turned out to be successful, but it did not last very long. During the war, the trendsetter closed her shops, but she continued to love her job.

A little bit later famous woman will offer his clients different new things. It was she who brought into fashion women's trousers, simple blouses, which appearance were similar to shirts, straight skirts to the knees.

The fashionistas refused puffy dresses and long skirts, and preferred simple things from Coco Chanel.

Perfume is an invisible, but unforgettable and unsurpassed accessory. He announces the appearance of a woman and continues to remind her when she is gone.

AT 50s her style became popular not only in France, but throughout Europe. This lady suggested not to style her hair in intricate hairstyles, but to make short and stylish haircuts.

To innovations from Chanel you can include a women's suit, and a flirty hat, and high heels, and handbags on a chain, and perfumes that are now popular "Chanel No. 5" .

She herself dressed the way she liked, recommended that other women do the same.

example Coco followed by those ladies who were successful, independent and self-confident.

Social circle of the popular Chanel

It should be noted that Chanel had many admirers and lovers. But she could not find her soul mate with whom she could live until old age.

Koko visited herself more creatively, and work became her main and main meaning of life. Many famous men wanted to meet Chanel because they were curious about how a simple woman could become so successful.

She was familiar with the great Pablo Picasso, with a talented composer Igor Stravinsky, with famous playwright Jean Cocteau. Koko had an affair with a Russian prince Dmitry Diaghilev.

He helped the trendsetter feel life in a new way, to some extent contributed to the success of Chanel.

Among Mademoiselle's friends was Salvador Dali, and politician Winston Churchill, and Marlene Dietrich, and other famous people.

Coco Chanel managed to become a rich, successful, respected woman. She created simple, but so elegant and feminine things. Could become a good entrepreneur and one of the brightest French personalities.

Chanel died of a heart attack in 1971, at that time she was 87 years old. After her death, her fashion house experienced not the most better times, but again began his work under the direction of Karl Lagerfeld.

Today, there are various legends and rumors about Coco Chanel, but still this woman is an icon of style. She has made such a big contribution to the fashion industry, she has given all of herself to the work she loves.

The legendary woman spoke of...

Everything is in our hands, so they can not be omitted.

This quote should become the main one for entrepreneurs and for all successful people.

Here is such a story. How do you like this little success story? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Aphorisms and quotes by Coco Chanel in pictures

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With respect and faith in success - Nikolay Yakimenko

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Concept Fashion House Chanel is that people always know what they will get. No surprises, surprises or daring styles, classic (now classic) and elegance contained in simple shapes- this is the postulate that the brand adheres to to this day. How did it all start?

The history of the Chanel fashion house began with a small hat salon, or rather, with a very difficult relationship young, daring and very talented Gabrielle Chanel with Etienne Balzan, in country house which gathered the entire Parisian elite, who loves to hunt and have fun. Coco began to quietly demonstrate her talent as a fashion designer, making hats for noble ladies.

By the way, his first hat salon Mademoiselle Chanel opened in a house where there was already a clothing store, so she was not allowed to go beyond the hat industry. But three years later she had a real store specializing in sportswear. These clothes were simple, unlike those worn by her contemporaries: lush and luxurious. This is exactly what Coco Chanel insisted on: dresses should be, above all, comfortable.

During the First World War Chanel opened another store across from the Ritz Hotel in Paris, selling flannel jackets, straight linen skirts, shirts, long sweaters, and suits with jersey skirts. At a time when the financial situation of everyone was very precarious, it was inexpensive materials, like jersey, that became a real salvation, both for the fashion designer and for her customers.

By 1915 the name Chanel was known throughout France. It was a symbol of simplicity and practicality. She created most of the models on the basis of men's clothing, and this, in general, was her breakthrough.

Coco Chanel renowned for her meticulousness. Following the fashion trends of the 1920s, she created a dress studded with beads, and her two- or three-piece suits became the new “uniform” for daytime outings.

In 1921, the very spirits that we still have not forgotten about saw the light. They were named after a loved one and lucky numberChanel: 5. And it is today that this creation of perfumer Ernest Bo turns 90 years old.

In 1924 Chanel presented its first collection of jewelry, consisting of a pair of pearl earrings, including white and black pearls. The following year, her famous cardigan appeared, and in 1926, that same little black dress, without which no modern fashionista can imagine her wardrobe. At the same time, a tweed suit was also introduced, inspired by a trip to Scotland.

In 1932 Coco Chanel presented a collection of diamond jewelry, two elements of which "Fountain" and "Comet" were again brought to the public in 1993. And since 1939 Fashion house Chanel focused only on jewelry and perfumes. Koko took a long vacation.

Chanel returned to Paris in the 1950s, when the world was ruled Dior with its feminine style and new look, which appealed to the taste of the hungry for elegance female half population. And Coco was able to adequately accept the challenge, having received an Oscar in the world of fashion for the 1957 collection, an award in Dallas.

Until his death in 1971 Chanel continued to work. For example, from 1966 to 1969 she designed uniforms for airline stewards. Aristotle Onassis Olympic Airways(replaced Pierre Cardin).

After the death of the founder of the company, many people became at the helm, in particular, Yvonne Dudel, Jean Cazobon and Philippe Guibourge. Coco's long-term colleague Jacques Wertheimer also tried to run the house, but they say that he was more interested in horses than in a fashion house.

And finally, in 1983, at the head of the company appeared Karl Lagerfeld. He made a real revolution of the fashion house, shortening the skirts, making the design of clothes more modern. By the end of the 1980s, 40 more Chanel boutiques had opened in the world.

And what is the Chanel brand for you?

Katya Baranova ,etoya.ru

Photo: hprints.com, flickr.com, 1920s-fashion-and-music.com, sartamexicana.blogspot.com, hatsnow.net, 2ndtake.co.za, milkywayjewels.com, internetstones.com, retro-housewife.com, askmissa.com