The woman everyone knew as Coco

"Fashion fades, only style remains the same"

Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel (better known as Coco Chanel to all of you) was a French fashion designer and fonder of world famous brand 'Chanel.' 'Coco' whom apparently got her nickname from the popular song 'Ko Ko Ri Ko', was born on 19th August 1883 in France. She was born to Jeanne and Albert Chanel, being 1/6 children, however when she was twelve years old, her mother died of Bronchitis, and herself along with her brothers and sisters were either sent of to work or to a convent. She was bought up and taught to sew by Catholic nuns. When Coco was eighteen, she left the convent and went to live in a Catholic building house. 

"A girl should be two things. Classy and fabulous"

"I freed the body"

and with a snip of her scissors, she did!

Chanel found her first employment in seamstress having learnt sewing at such a young age, and in between sewing she sang in a cabaret, which some say helped her become so confident pursuing her in to the possible business women that created her worldwide success. In 1913, Chanel opened her first boutique were she specialised in leisurewear, and also became a licenced hat maker in 1910. She introduced loose, jersey fabrics, long strings of pearls and a feminine take on sailor suits. She liberated women from the constraints of the "corsested silhouette" and universalized the acceptance of the sportive, casual women as the feminine standard. A Chanel suit of 1923 became famous for it's flattering cut and simple fabric, and the suit as well as her handbags is still seen as a vestige purchase for women. 

"Where should I apply perfume? A young lady asked. Where you want to be kissed"

Chanel extended beyond just couture clothing and designed jewellery, handbags and fragrance throughout the years. Her most famous, and arguably the most popular scent in the world, Chanel No 5 was introduced in 1922 and was one of the first perfumes to mix natural and artificial essences.  She also became well known for her costume jewellery, introducing the design of fake pearls to mix with real stones in the 1920's. Coco Chanel's apartment, in Paris, is now home to the ground floor shop, haute coutre workrooms in the attic and Karl Lagerfield's (who has designed Chanel since 1983) study. Chanel, being such a businessminded women, never married but had many relations throughout her life. She died on 10th January 1971 at the age of 88, in her Ritz Hotel in Paris. 

"Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening."

+I do not own any of these photos