COCO CHANEL | Draw My Life
Summary
TLDRCoco Chanel, born Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel, revolutionized fashion in the 20th century with her elegant yet simple designs. Overcoming a challenging childhood, she rose to prominence, opening her first store in Paris in 1910. Her innovative creations, including Chanel No. 5 perfume, defined a new era of women's fashion. Despite setbacks, including World War II controversies and a temporary retreat from the industry, Chanel's legacy thrived with endorsements from iconic figures like Audrey Hepburn. Her timeless style continues to influence fashion, proving that elegance and comfort can coexist.
Takeaways
- 👗 Coco Chanel was a pivotal figure in fashion and the 20th century, known for her innovative and elegant designs.
- 🏡 Born in 1883 in Saumur, France, to a street vendor and a peasant, Chanel faced a challenging childhood and was orphaned at 11.
- 🧵 At the orphanage, she learned essential skills like sewing, embroidery, and ironing, which were foundational to her later career.
- 🎤 Initially aspiring to be a singer, she transitioned to fashion after realizing she lacked a strong singing voice.
- 💍 Meeting Etienne Balsan and later Arthur Capel significantly influenced her entry into high society and her fashion business.
- 🎩 She started her fashion journey by making hats, which gained popularity at social events, leading to her first store in Paris in 1909.
- 👚 Known for her simple and comfortable yet elegant designs, she broke away from the opulent fashion trends of her time.
- 💼 With the support of Arthur Capel, she expanded her business, opening stores in Deauville and Biarritz, and eventually in the US.
- 🚗 Tragedy struck in 1919 with the death of Arthur Capel, her long-term partner and supporter.
- 🌺 In 1921, she created the iconic Chanel No. 5 perfume, which became a massive success despite initial contractual challenges.
- 👑 She had a high-profile relationship with the Duke of Westminster, choosing her independence over becoming a duchess.
- 🎬 Her venture into Hollywood was less successful, as her designs did not align with the extravagant tastes of the film industry.
- 🌐 During WWII, she closed most of her stores and faced accusations of Nazi collaboration, which she and her house denied.
- 🇫🇷 After the war, she was interrogated but released, and she retreated to Switzerland for a decade before her fashion comeback in 1954.
- 🔝 In her later years, she regained her status as a fashion icon, with celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor and Audrey Hepburn endorsing her style.
- 💎 She ventured into designing jewelry and costume jewelry, expanding the Chanel brand beyond clothing and perfume.
- 🏙 Towards the end of her life, she became more reclusive, and her health declined, leading to her death in 1971 at the Ritz Hotel in Paris.
- 🕊 Coco Chanel's legacy endures, having demonstrated that elegance and practicality can coexist, offering women freedom in fashion.
Q & A
Who was Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel more commonly known as?
-Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel was more commonly known as Coco Chanel.
When and where was Coco Chanel born?
-Coco Chanel was born on the 29th of August 1883 in Saumur, a little village in the northeast of France.
What were the early life conditions of Coco Chanel like?
-Coco Chanel's early life was rough, living under very precarious conditions. Her mother died when she was 11, and her father decided to give his children up for adoption.
What skills did Coco Chanel learn at the orphanage of the Congregation of the Sacred Heart of Mary?
-At the orphanage, Coco Chanel learned how to sew, embroider, and iron.
What was the significance of the relationship between Coco Chanel and Etienne Balsan?
-Etienne Balsan was a socialite and rich heir who Coco Chanel fell in love with. Their relationship allowed her to be around high-class society, which was a new opportunity for her.
Who was Arthur Edward Capel and what was his role in Coco Chanel's career?
-Arthur Edward Capel was an English captain and one of Coco Chanel's life partners. He believed in her talent and helped fund her first stores in Paris.
What was the impact of Coco Chanel's designs in the early 20th century?
-Coco Chanel's designs stood out for breaking with the opulence of the times, creating a line of simple and comfortable clothes while maintaining elegance.
What was the significance of Chanel No. 5 in Coco Chanel's career?
-Chanel No. 5 was Coco Chanel's first perfume, which was a total success and played a significant role in her business, although she had to fight for control over its commercialization.
What happened to Coco Chanel during the Second World War?
-During the Nazi occupation in Paris, Coco Chanel lived in the Ritz Hotel with German high officers, which led to accusations of her collaborating with the Nazis, although she and the Chanel House always denied any implication.
What was the reason for Coco Chanel's temporary exit from the fashion world?
-Coco Chanel closed all her stores except for the main boutique during the Second World War, stating that 'THEY WERE NOT TIMES FOR FASHION'. She then lived in Lausanne, Switzerland, away from the fashion world for ten years.
How did Coco Chanel make her comeback in the fashion industry?
-Coco Chanel made her comeback in 1954 by re-opening her High Fashion House. Gradually, she regained her position in the fashion world with the support of great personalities like Elizabeth Taylor, Grace Kelly, Maria Callas, Audrey Hepburn, and Jackie Kennedy.
Outlines
👗 The Life and Rise of Coco Chanel
This paragraph outlines the early life and career of Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel, a pivotal figure in fashion history. Born in 1883 to a humble family, Chanel faced hardship early on, including her mother's death and her father's decision to place her in an orphanage. Despite these challenges, she learned valuable skills such as sewing and embroidery. As an adult, Chanel's ambition led her to work in fashion and perform in cafés-concerts. Her relationships with influential men, particularly Etienne Balsan and Arthur Edward Capel, played a significant role in her ascent in society and the establishment of her first fashion stores. Chanel's innovative designs, which favored simplicity and comfort over opulence, quickly gained popularity, leading to the expansion of her business and the launch of her iconic perfume, Chanel No. 5.
🏛 Controversy and Comeback of a Fashion Icon
The second paragraph delves into the later life of Coco Chanel, including the controversy surrounding her alleged collaboration with the Nazis during the occupation of Paris. Despite accusations, Chanel and her fashion house denied any involvement. Post-war, she faced interrogation but was eventually cleared. Chanel retreated from the fashion scene for a decade, living in Switzerland, before making a triumphant return in 1954. Her comeback was marked by endorsements from high-profile personalities and the introduction of new products, such as 'Pour Monsieur' and a line of jewelry. However, her later years were marked by isolation and declining health, culminating in her death in 1971. The paragraph concludes by acknowledging Chanel's lasting impact on fashion, emphasizing her philosophy of combining elegance with comfort and pragmatism.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Coco Chanel
💡Fashion
💡Innovation
💡Elegance
💡Chanel No. 5
💡High Society
💡World War II
💡Collaboration Accusations
💡Comeback
💡Isolation
💡Legacy
Highlights
Coco Chanel was a highly influential figure in fashion and 20th century history.
Born in 1883 in Saumur, France to a street vendor father and peasant mother.
Had a challenging childhood, with her mother dying when she was 11 and her father giving her to an orphanage.
Learned sewing, embroidery and ironing skills at the orphanage.
Moved to Moulins for a job with a local dressmaker and started performing in music shows.
Initially aspired to be a singer but returned to dressmaking after realizing she lacked a good singing voice.
Met socialite Etienne Balsan at age 23, moved with him to the Royallieu Castle.
Met life partner Arthur Edward Capel in 1908, who believed in her talent and helped fund her first stores.
Opened her first hat store in Paris in 1909, followed by a second store in Deauville in 1913.
Coco Chanel's designs were known for their simplicity, comfort and elegance, breaking from the opulence of the time.
Opened a store in Biarritz in 1915, repaid the money Arthur invested in her.
Launched her first fashion collection in 1916, established a fashion house with over 300 employees.
Expanded to the US market, selling her designs in major stores.
Suffered the loss of Arthur Capel in 1919, a significant setback.
Created the iconic Chanel No. 5 perfume in 1921, with a distinctive bottle design.
Faced a legal battle over the distribution rights of her perfumes due to an unfavorable contract.
Had a 10-year relationship with the Duke of Westminster, Hugh Richard Arthur Grosvenor.
Traveled to Hollywood in 1931 to design for stars like Gloria Swanson and Marlene Dietrich, but her designs were not well received.
By 1935, faced competition from other designers like Elsa Schiaparelli.
Closed all but her main boutique during WWII, citing it was not a time for fashion.
Accused of collaborating with the Nazis during the occupation of Paris, but always denied the allegations.
After the war, was interrogated but released, then lived in Switzerland for 10 years away from fashion.
Made a comeback in 1954, gradually regaining her status in the fashion world.
名人如Elizabeth Taylor, Grace Kelly等成为她风格的代表。
推出了男士香水“Pour Monsieur”和自己的珠宝及服饰珠宝系列。
晚年开始隐居,身体日渐衰弱,1971年1月10日在巴黎丽兹酒店因心脏病发作去世,享年88岁。
Coco Chanel对时尚界及几代人的着装风格做出了巨大贡献,证明了优雅可以与舒适或实用相结合,为女性在服装和着装方面提供了更多自由。
Transcripts
Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel, better known as Coco Chanel, was a woman of a great importance
not only in the history of fashion, but in the history of the 20th century.
She was born on the 29th of August 1883 in Saumúr, a little village in the northeast
of France.
Daughter of Albert Chanel, a street vendor, and Eugenie Jeanne Devolle, a peasant.
She had an older sister, Julia Berthe, and four younger siblings: Alphonse, Antoinette,
Lucien and Augustin, who died soon after being born.
Her first years of life were rough.
They lived under very precarious conditions, and when she was only 11 years old, her mom
died of bronchitis.
Her dad decided to give his kids in adoption.
The boys went with a host family of peasants and the girls to the orphanage of the Congregation
of the Sacred Heart of Mary, in the Monastery of Aubazine, in the CENTER of the country.
There, she learned how to sew, embroider and iron.
When she turned 18, she was sent to a religious boarding school in the town of Moulins.
She soon found a job helping a local dress maker, and during her free time she started
going to Cafés-Cabaréts, where she participated in small music shows.
She wanted to become a singer, and she moved to the touristic town Vichy to try some luck.
However, she would soon forget about that artistic project when she found out she didnt
really have a good voice, so she decided to go back to her old job.
But a new door opened for her when she was 23 and met a socialite and rich heir called
Etienne Balsan.
They fell in love and moved together to the Royallieu Castle , in the north of Paris,
where Coco had the opportunity to be around people from the high classes in society
The relationship came to an end, but in 1908, Coco met one of her life partners, the English
captain Arthur Edward Capel.
Even tho they never made their relationship official, they were very close to each other.
Arthur believed so much in Coco’s talent that he helped her fund her first stores in
Paris.
She started making hats for fun, which she later on showed in social events such as horse
racing.
Her creations called so much attention that in 1909 she opened a store in the city.
In 1913, she opened a second one in Deauville, in the Coast of Normandy, where she also sold
casual luxury clothes.
Coco Chanel’s designs stood out for breaking with the opulence of the times, creating a
line of simple and comfortable clothes, tho keeping their elegance.
When in 1915 she opened a new store in the luxurious coastal city of Biarritz, next to
the Spanish border, she earned enough money to give back the money her couple had invested
on her.
In 1916, she presented her first collection, published in the Vogue magazine, and soon
after, she established her fashion house, with more than 300 employees – she started
selling her clothes in the big stores in the US.
But in 1919, she suffered a hard setback when Arthur Cape, with whom she had been together
for about 10 years, died in a car accident.
In 191, Coco created her first perfume, Chanel Number 5.
Based in jasmine, the bottle was also designed by Coco herself, finding inspiration in the
dresser bottles Arthur used.
It was a total success, and she soon signed its distribution with Pierre Wertheimer, director
of the Bourjois Perfume and Cosmetics House.
However, the conditions of the contract were quite abusive, and Coco had to fight for years
to have the control of the commercialization of her fragrances back.
Thanks to her contacts, she accessed the high classes of the British society, where she
met the duke of Westminster, Hugh Richard Arthur Grosvenor.
She was in a relationship with him for 10 years.
When, years later, she was asked why she never married him, she would answer: “THERE HAVE
BEEN LOTS OF DUCHESSES OF WESTMINSTER.
BUT THERE IS ONLY ONE CHANEL”.
In 1931, she took a new LEAP in her career when she traveled to Hollywood and signed
a contract with the METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER to dress the great stars of the times, like Gloria
Swanson, Greta Garbo or Marlene Dietrich.
However, her designs didn’t really convince the cinematic mecca – they were looking
for something more sumptuous, and Coco herself left, disgusted by their bad taste.
By 1935, her company had 4 thousand employees, but she started losing her first place in
the fashion world with the emergence of other designers such as Elsa Schiaparelli, who presented
clothes full of festive and surreal details.
In 1939, when the second world war started, she closed all her stores except for the main
boutique – according to her, “THEY WERENT TIMES FOR FASHION”.
And here comes a controversial time in her life.
During the Nazi occupation in Paris, she lived in the Ritz Hotel, with the German high officers.
This, along with her influences with politicians, soliders and the high scoety led to accusations
of her collaborating with the Nazis.
However, both Coco and the CHANEL HOUSE always denied any type of implication.
After the war, she was interrogated by a RESEARCH COMMITTEE and set free.
The following ten years she lived in Lausáanne, Switzerland, away from the fashiond world,
until she decided it was time to come back, and in 1954, she re-opened her High Fahion
House.
Little by little, Coco Chanel was able to come back to the OLYMPUS OF FASHION.
Great PERSONALITIES such as Elizabeth Tylor, Grace Kelly, Maria Callas, Audrey Hepburn
or the first US DUCHESS Jackie Kennedy became AMBASSADORS of her style.
She created new parfumes such as “Pour Monsieur”, Chanel’s first Men Fragrance, and she also
TOOK THE LEAP to working with precious metals, designing her own line of jewels and costume
jewelery.
However, towards her last years, she started to isolate herself and become weaker and weaker
– the age – and she turned into a lonely person only accessible TO her closest friends.
In the beginning of 1971 she was working in her Spring Collection, when she suffered a
heart attack.
She died on January 10th in the Ritz Hotel in Paris, where she had been living for 30
years.
Coco Chanel’s great contribution to the FASHION WORLD and the looks of several generations
is evident.
She proved elegance can go hand TO HAND with comfort or PRAGMATISM, providing women with
lots of freedom when it came to clothes and DRESSING.
We are sure her style will be out there in the shop windows for a long long time.
تصفح المزيد من مقاطع الفيديو ذات الصلة
Audrey Hepburn's Sons Share Glimpse Inside Her Final Days
15 Things You Didn't Know About GUESS
THE ALEXA DEMIE STORY | DOCUMENTARY
Mula sa Basahan Naging Pangrampa | Rags to Runway in Filipino | @FilipinoFairyTales
‘Daughter of Hong Kong’: the life and times of Cantopop icon Anita Mui
МІРЯЮ ДЕШЕВИЙ ОДЯГ 👗| очікування/реальність
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)