Coco-Chanel

By María Teresa Larín

Chanel, a name, a brand, a legacy.

“Everyone marries the Duke of Westminster. There are a lot of duchesses, but only one Coco Chanel.”

Coco Chanel is a well-known woman who experienced a tormented early life through several social changes and a life full of controversy, but now she is an icon in the fashion industry and her legacy will be everlasting.

Coco Chanel was born in August 19, 1883, in a charity hospital run by the Sisters of Providence in Saumur, France. Her birth certificate revealed that she was the illegitimate daughter of Albert Chanel and Jeanne Devolle. A nun named her Gabrielle, which means power and strength in Hebrew.

Gabrielle was the second of five siblings; her father was an itinerant street vendor who was described as irresponsible and Casanova. Albert and Jeanne got married several years after Gabrielle was born. He mistreated his wife and even though, he knew she was sick with asthma, Jeanne was compelled to work. In February 16, she was found death. Jeanne was 33 years old.

Albert sent Gabrielle and his two daughters (Julia, Antoinette) to the Convent of Aubazine where Gabrielle learned how to sew, to embroider, to iron immaculately. At 18, she was transferred to Notre Dame, where she lived in a boarding house until 21 years of age, but Alphonse and Lucien, Chanel’s brothers, ran worse luck to be handed to a cruel peasant family. Albert Chanel was a closed chapter in Gabrielle’s life.

Gabrielle started to work as seamstress and learned how to make hats. There are various stories about how she acquired the name Coco. She was invited to a Café-concert, and she was impressed and decided to start a career as singer, she got hired in Moulins pavilion, "La Rotonde", although she was not a good singer her repertoire was limited to two songs and she had great acceptance interpreting the singsong “Qui qu'a vu Coco” which means who has seen Coco? From that came the nickname Coco, that she took forever because it sounds good before her last name.

Coco Chanel met Etienne Balsan, a young, weathy playboy, who awoke her first romantic illusions, she was invited to Royallieu, a XIII century castle, where she discovered luxury, servants, fine dining, salons, jokes and parties. Etienne taught her how to ride a horse, how to behave as a lady and so on.

Chanel designed and ordered pants to the village sailor. She was not afraid to be original and innovated. Dresses and overelaborated hats of the Belle époque were not her style. By that time, Etienne abandoned her concubine and decided to show Coco to the public. She visited frequently Royallieu and met Arthur Capel an English socialite, friend of Etienne, famous Polo player, he handled successfully The Coal mines of Newcastle and he got together with the highest financial groups of London and Paris.

One night, Chanel expressed her ideas about opening a little atelier in Paris, Etienne though that it was a bad idea but Capel encouraged her by saying “you have talent “why don’t you explode it?” Etienne pretended to help her and he even lent his bachelor apartment in Paris as soon as possible Chanel moved in and started her hat business. It went so well that in 1910, financed by Capel, she established her first Mansion Chanel and she started a relationship with Capel.

In 1913, Coco opened a fashion house in an exclusive resort of Deauville, the center of aristocracy at that time, and this time she dared to include female clothes and these were completely innovated and functional. She eradicated the suffocating corset of the belle époque, her style was a triumph and her profits tripled.

World War I started, Coco and Capel’s business went fine. In June, 1915, Coco opened in “Biarritz” a Fashion House where the whole Spanish world went. In 1916, she was the first one to introduce fabrics like the jersey into women’s fashion.

In Paris, she became friend of Marie Sophie Olga Godebska Natanson Edwards, best known as Misia, daughter of the sculptor Ciprien Godebski. Misia was surrounded by dancers, painters, sculptors, poets and writers. Misia introduced her into a world full of geniuses that Coco met. In an intimate conversation Coco confessed her only desire to Misia “My greatest desire is to get married” , but after eight years of relationship and a miscarriage, Capel was distant and unexpectedly he announced his break up with Coco.

Chanel’s world was collapsed. The break-up occurred in the peak moment of her creativity, she was designing white satin pants for her clients that became popular, the war ended and the first outbreak of women’s liberation emerged. The Simple and elegant style of Chanel was accepted from New York to Buenos Aires and in an enraged moment as an act of revenge she trimmed her beautiful, long, black hair into a manly style. Immediately women imitated her hair cut.

Her business was successful and she decided to move into a bigger shop unit, she bought a dark blue Rolls-Royce and ordered to be upholstered in black and launched a fashion trend with many followers.

In 1919, Capel died in a car accident, Coco was included in his will.

Coco started an innovating stage using rabbit’s fur in her designs and it was an overwhelming success. Several romances occurred during Chanel´s life but all of them were unsuccessful probably because the variety of problems that she faced during her childhood.

The Chanel´s Emporium was established and every single woman in the world was surrendered to Chanel´s jewelry, designs, and fragrances. The Chanel trademark provides confidence and freedom to women around the world and through history.

The jewelry collection of Chanel named Bijoux de Diamants was executed exclusively in diamonds and platinum and consolidated her as a brilliant jewelry designer. Every creation was unique but Chanel was the only one who inspired in the opulence of her collection the costly jewels of the aristocracy, she was able to combine imitations with real jewels and she used to say: "It's disgusting to walk around with millions around the neck because one happens to be rich. I only like fake jewelry … because it's provocative."

Coco introduced the Chanel suit and pulled skirts from ankle to above the knee. The moralists were petrified and in 1921, one of the most important events of her life occurred: The launched of her perfume Chanel N°5. A fragrance elaborated by Coco Chanel and the perfumist Ernest Beaux, the acceptance was immediate and the perfume became a classic.

Coco was 80 years old and her perfume was still number one in sales, although she was a millionaire, she worked until the day of her death. As an announcement of a sad day, morning came gray, in January, 1^st, 1971 Coco Chanel´s maid heard a cry and went to help her and found her covered in tears. –“They are killing me”- Coco complained. –“Who mademoiselle?”- Asked the maid and there was not answer to the question, because the last words of Coco Chanel were:-“see? This is how you die” and she left this world and a glorious legacy in fashion.

Through the metaphorical journey we called “life” Gabrielle “coco” Bonheur Chanel created an unbreakable fashion emporium and an everlasting legend about her controversial life; and still some mysteries and stories remain unknown.