Women's Day is just around the corner, internationally celebrated tomorrow, on March 8th. This year, in 2024, it's impossible not to mention the self-made empress, Coco Chanel, whose company celebrates its centenary since its debut in the annés folles, the roaring twenties, at the world's fashion capital. She played a significant role in shaping Paris as the epicentre of fashion during the early to mid-20th century. Coco Chanel's innovative designs and revolutionary approach to fashion challenged the conventions of her time and helped establish Paris as the global capital of haute couture and luxury fashion.
The challenges of growing up as an orphan and the triumphs of a successful entrepreneur merged to form an extraordinary persona: bold, liberated, and ahead of her time. Deep bonds of friendship, fiery romances, and an insatiable hunger for knowledge, and wanderlust soul all contributed to shaping her character.
Embracing a wardrobe liberated from convention and excess, infused with masculine elements, she crafted a visionary allure that transcends eras, simultaneously timeless and strikingly contemporary. From effortlessly pairing pearls and diamonds with iconic fragrances emerged her distinctive style — that of a trailblazing woman, a pioneer whose lifestyle and diverse interests laid the foundation for the values of the fashion house she established, remaining an enduring muse for women everywhere.
"I am the only volcanic crater in the Auvergne that is not extinct," quipped Gabrielle Chanel, in a playful nod to her fiery spirit. One of the defining characteristics of the designer's temperament was her refusal to be confined by societal norms, particularly those imposed by men. This duality lies at the heart of her persona: fiercely independent in both her personal and professional life. While initially supported financially by Boy Capel, who played a pivotal role in establishing her Parisian hat shop in 1910 and the Deauville boutique in 1912, Gabrielle made it a point to reimburse him entirely. It was a matter of principle and almost a survival instinct: she resolved never to rely on anyone and to safeguard her freedom at any cost.
Fuelled by this unyielding desire for autonomy, she acquired the Bel Respiro villa in Garches near Paris and commissioned the construction of the La Pausa villa in Roquebrune Cap-Martin on the Riviera. And, of course, there was 31 rue Cambon in Paris, where she established her living quarters. By epitomizing freedom and independence, she set a profound example for women everywhere.
Her inaugural hat boutique, established in 1910, swiftly became a buzz in the streets of Paris, marking the genesis of her enduring legacy. Sensing the burgeoning allure of seaside resorts, she astutely expanded her reach, inaugurating a second boutique in Deauville just two years later. In Biarritz, another rising star in the fashionable circuit, she unveiled her couture house in 1915, solidifying her presence in the realm of high fashion. It was at 31 rue Cambon in 1918 that Gabrielle Chanel firmly planted her flag.
In 1921, she revolutionized the fragrance industry with the launch of N°5, a scent that defied convention with its distinctive trail and elegantly crafted bottle, marking the debut of perfumery by a fashion designer. Ever the trailblazer, in 1937, she boldly stepped in front of the camera to spearhead her own advertising campaigns, setting yet another precedent in the industry. Her foray into fine jewellery with the "Bijoux de Diamants" collection in 1932 sent shockwaves through the staid world of haute jewellery, once again showcasing her ability to render the old-fashioned obsolete. Gabrielle Chanel's indomitable spirit and astute business acumen positioned her as a pioneer among women entrepreneurs, establishing the first independent and international fashion empire, a testament to her unwavering intuition and foresight.
In the 1930s, we encounter her clad in trousers and a sailor's shirt, her short hair tousled by the breeze. Gabrielle had long defied convention, revelling in the joy of individuality. In the 1920s summer, she embraced Venice’s Lido outdoors , punctuated by a plethora of sports and leisure activities she enthusiastically pursued: golf, skiing, yachting, fishing, and more. Among these, horseback riding held a special place, a passion ignited in 1906 with Étienne Balsan, continued with Boy Capel, a notable polo player, and the Duke of Westminster.
These pursuits not only filled her days with pleasure but also inspired her to craft a wardrobe ahead of its time, though not yet labelled sportswear. "I invented the sports dress for myself," she declared, "not because other women engaged in sports, but because I did." Her designs emerged from her lived experiences, from the life she led, reflecting the spirit of the era.
Jersey, the sailor shirt, the tweed suit and jacket, knit twin sets, the little black dress, the two-tone pump, the shoulder bag in quilted leather, pearl necklaces. Gabrielle Chanel not only crafted an aesthetic but also forged a grammar of style, an enduring benchmark in the modern wardrobe. Her vision of a wardrobe characterized by simplicity, refined lines, and, crucially, freedom of movement to accommodate women's daily lives, sparked a series of innovations.
Pioneering the creation of a perfume in 1921, she possessed an instinct that propelled her to global success, affirming, "Perfume is luxury." For her fine jewellery, she dared to strip away excess, embracing lighter settings and inventing unconventional ways of wearing jewels, even adorning the hair. Her departure from the traditional reverence of precious gems was a remarkably modern vision. In her communication with women, Chanel was equally pioneering. When she ventured into Hollywood to dress American actresses in 1931, she recognized the power of cinema in shaping fashion, asserting, "It is through cinema that fashion can be imposed today." This forward-thinking approach underscored her ability to anticipate and adapt to the evolving landscape of culture and media, when cinema was a newborn.
"It was the artists who taught me rigor," declared Gabrielle Chanel, a figure who transcended mere patronage to become a muse and, at times, a true Pygmalion. A multifaceted talent, she adorned the worlds of theatre, ballet, and cinema with her costume designs, all while immersing herself in literature and nurturing a fervent passion for Baroque, Byzantine, and Slavic cultures.
Deep bonds of friendship flourished with a cadre of artists, with Misia Sert, her closest confidante, serving as her gateway to a
realm of perpetual creativity. Their orbit intersected with luminaries such as Diaghilev, Cocteau, Stravinsky, and Dali. Not content with mere admiration, Gabrielle Chanel provided financial support to Diaghilev's Ballets Russes and lent her sartorial expertise to his ballet "Le Train Bleu" (The Blue Train). For Cocteau, who hailed her as "the greatest dressmaker of her era," she crafted costumes for his plays "Antigone," "Orphée," and "Œdipe Roi." She welcomed Stravinsky to her Bel Respiro villa and bolstered his musical endeavours.
Salvador Dalí found solace and inspiration in her La Pausa villa for over six months in 1938, as he prepared an exhibition of paintings for New York the following year. Dancer Serge Lifar, sculptor Jacques Lipchitz, and painter Picasso numbered among her intimate circle, alongside poets Pierre Reverdy and Max Jacob, and writer Paul Morand, whose book "The Allure of Chanel" drew from her life and love with Boy Capel. "By some miracle, she applied to fashion rules seemingly reserved for painters, musicians, poets. She imposed the invisible, she ennobled silence amidst the clamour of high society," remarked Jean Cocteau. Gabrielle, an artist among artists.
"Books have been my best friends," Gabrielle confided to Paul Morand one day. They were her constant companions, from her early days reading Psalms at Aubazine Abbey to her later years at Rue Cambon, where her apartments were adorned with shelves groaning under the weight of literature. Amidst this literary bounty, one could often find an open book resting near a pair of glasses, awaiting her return. The classics found a prominent place in her collection: Sophocles, Homer, Plutarch, and Virgil stood alongside Rabelais, Dante, Shakespeare, and Montaigne. La Bruyère, Molière, and Cervantes shared space with Rousseau, Voltaire, and Pascal. Proust, Brontë, Stein, Dostoevsky, and Tolstoy added depth to her library, while poets such as Rilke, Baudelaire, Apollinaire, Verlaine, Cocteau, Max Jacob, and Reverdy whispered their verses from the pages.
Gabrielle possessed a keen eye for talent and had a knack for bringing people together, pioneering the concept of networking long before its time. In 1936, she played a pivotal role in connecting the young Luchino Visconti with director Jean Renoir. Recognizing Visconti's passion for cinema and his potential, she facilitated an introduction between the two, leading to Visconti's appointment as assistant director under Renoir. Several years later, Visconti, in turn, enlisted Gabrielle's help in launching Franco Zeffirelli's career in French cinema. Seeking entry into the world of French film, Zeffirelli was introduced to influential figures such as Brigitte Bardot and Roger Vadim by Chanel, thus setting the stage for his future success as an Italian director.
To Gabrielle Chanel, the pursuit of knowledge, exploration, and nurturing her soul and creativity through the arts was a guiding principle throughout her life. She had a profound passion for painting, sculpture, architecture, and history, with a particular affection for Slavic culture, fostered during her time with Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich. This admiration translated into her collections, with Russian-style blouses, pelisses, multicoloured cabochons, and Byzantine crosses becoming signature elements.
Accompanied by José Maria Sert, husband of her close friend Misia, she embarked on journeys through Rome and Venice, where she was captivated by the beauty of churches and the grandeur of Baroque art. Influences from antiquity and a reverence for gold naturally found their way into her stylistic repertoire.
At home, Gabrielle surrounded herself with Chinese Coromandel lacquer screens—she owned about thirty, a testament to their rarity—which served as a wellspring of inspiration. The eclectic blend of influence
s in her residences, without concern for strict stylistic coherence, became a wellspring of creativity. From rock crystal balls to opulent mirrors, from muted colours to bronze accents, and from the fusion of Eastern and Western elements, Gabrielle Chanel's distinctive style emerged as a testament to her boundless curiosity and appreciation for beauty from diverse cultures and eras.
Gabrielle Chanel was a trailblazer in fashion, breaking down traditional codes and challenging gender boundaries to pave the way for a classic future in the industry. Her audacious spirit knew no bounds as she fearlessly incorporated elements from menswear into her designs, transforming tweed into a hallmark of sophistication and elevating humble jersey knit into a privileged material. From designing beach pyjamas to creating dresses that defied conventional waistlines, she redefined femininity on her own terms.
Unafraid of bold decisions, Gabrielle famously declared, "These colours are impossible. I’m just going to dress these women in black." Her transgressive approach extended beyond her fashion choices to her personal style and demeanour. With her short hair, sun-kissed skin, and inspiration drawn from the attire of racetrack attendees, she embodied a sense of modernity and freedom. Her iconic handbags bore the quilted effect reminiscent of the jackets worn by racing enthusiasts. Gabrielle's zest for life knew no bounds as she enthusiastically engaged in various outdoor pursuits such as skiing, yachting, and horseback riding. These activities not only inspired her but also laid the groundwork for a wardrobe that anticipated the rise of sportswear.
Luck and superstition also played a significant role in Gabrielle's life. She carefully curated symbols and omens, imbuing them with meaning and incorporating them into her designs. From the significance of the number five, which inspired her iconic perfume, to the lion symbolizing her astrological sign of Leo, and the star motif that adorned her creations, each element held personal significance for her. In every aspect of her life, Gabrielle Chanel embodied liberation, embracing freedom of expression, defying conventions, and forging her own path with unparalleled determination and style.
When Gabrielle Chanel embarked on creating her first perfume, N°5, she faced the task of selecting from various work samples. She ultimately chose the fifth sample presented to her. When asked about its name, she responded with a stroke of serendipity: "I'm presenting my collection of five dresses on May 5th, the fifth month of the year. Therefore, we will give it the number that it's wearing, and the number 5 will bring it luck. “Luck played a significant role in Chanel's life, as noted by Jean Cocteau in a note to her. This belief in luck and good fortune was manifested in her appreciation for symbols, such as the ear of wheat, cast in bronze on a coffee table base by goldsmith Robert Goossens in her Rue Cambon apartment or painted by Salvador Dali. Despite her firm belief in shaping her own destiny, Chanel remained attuned to signs and symbols throughout her life.
Her birthday, August 19th, inspired another legendary fragrance, N°19. The lion, representing her astrological sign Leo, was a recurring motif in her possessions, taking up residence in her apartment at 31 Rue Cambon. Not only that astrological sign, the animal's symbolism varies across different cultures and contexts, but they are generally revered for their strength, courage and leadership qualities. These are key in terms of her empire and legacy left to generations of women whom she shaped their design and paved their way. Her designs were born out of her lived experiences, reflecting the essence of a life lived to the fullest. . The symbol of the star, originally found in the floor tiles of Aubazine, remained a constant presence and was later transformed into a flamboyant diamond star in her jewellery collection "Bijoux de Diamants," presented in 1932.
However, media does not justice of her legacy. Different parts of her story can be seen on “Coco Before Chanel” (Anne Fontaine, 2008), “Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky” (Jan Kounen, 2009), “The Return” (Manuel Carballo, 2013), “Once Upon a Time (Karl Lagerfeld, 2013), and “Coco Chanel” (Christian Duguay, 2008). The films seem to reduce her instead of powering her achievements in a patriarchal society either with her love life or including a few aspects of her empire, while eliminating other pieces of information-an enormous legacy does not suit 90 minutes- or even paints her in negative light.
Recently due to her portrayal in the Apple TV+ series “The New Look” (2024-), she has become the word of mouth on social media. The show depicts her as a Nazi-supporter. There are sources that she definitely collaborated with the Nazis even a romantic involvement with a German military officer, Hans Gunther von Dincklage. After the war, Chanel faced accusations of collaborating with the Nazis, but she was never officially charged or prosecuted. Other sources mention how she helped the French Resistance.
It's worth noting that fashion brands, including Chanel, have faced criticism in the past for cultural appropriation or insensitivity in their designs or marketing. As awareness of these issues has grown within the fashion industry, there has been a greater emphasis on promoting diversity, inclusion, and cultural sensitivity in fashion collections and brand representations. One notable example occurred in 2017 when Chanel faced backlash for its "Boomerang" accessory, which was criticized for appropriating Indigenous Australian culture. Additionally, in 2019, Chanel faced criticism for its use of traditional Mexican designs in a runway show held in Mexico City. Some observers accused the brand of appropriating Mexican culture without proper acknowledgment or respect for its origins.
In addition, accessibility issues within the luxury fashion industry requires a concerted effort from brands like Chanel to prioritize inclusivity, affordability, and diversity in their practices and offerings. This might involve initiatives such as expanding size ranges, improving physical accessibility in stores, featuring diverse models in marketing campaigns, and exploring more affordable product lines or pricing options.
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