Different Like Coco

"INNOVATION! One cannot be forever innovating. I want to create CLASSICS."

- Coco Chanel


I like fashion, but I am by no means a fashionista. Coco Chanel's life and style fascinates me for the ingenuity of how she redefined the modern woman. She lived and thrived at a very eventful time in human history and her influence is addictive and inspiring. For all these reasons and more, I aspire to own a vintage Chanel collectible at some point in my life. It will be my symbol of an uninfluenced belief in one's self and abilities just like the jersey tops and tapered pants that are at home in almost every woman's closet these days.

You may not be aware that Coco Chanel's spirit resides in every woman's closet. A favorite black evening dress, a knee length pencil or A-line skirt, tapered ankle length pants, or a comfortable jersey top - all symbolize the almost a century old vision of an artist and innovator. Chanel's simple and realistic designs were the result of her own experience and commitment to her beliefs rather than influence or trend during the time she lived.

Gabriel Chanel was born on August 19, 1883 in Saumur, France to poor parents. Her mother died when she was young and her father left her in an orphanage with her sister. Her life began as an out of the ordinary experience and remained so until the end. She learned sewing from nuns in her orphanage and thrived on her free spirit, her quest to learn and create, and her strong will to be independent.

Chanel received her nickname "Coco" during her singing days at the Moulins club in Paris. It was also at Moulins where she met Etienne Balsan, a French socialite, who instantly fell in love with her free spirit and invited her to accompany him. She was introduced to the Parisian high society by Balsan and created her first hats and lounging clothes for women while living in his home. As she spent more time in the high society she realized that the women she met lacked self-expression and self-consciousness - two things Chanel was never afraid to embrace. She simplified the ostentatious feather hat to a simple snug fitting straw hat embellished with a single feather or flower and caught the attention of Balsan's friend Emilienne D'Alencon, an artist and courtesan. Emilienne became Chanel's first client and when she wore Chanel's hat to a famed horse race, Chanel instantly became a curiosity and thus, revolutionized an important aspect of a woman's outfit and identity.  Chanel also crafted her own clothes from easily available materials. She wore her own creations confidently and comfortably. She was not afraid to be different.

During her time with Balsan she was introduced to the love of her life, Englishman Arthur "Boy" Capel, who helped her finance her early fashion business. She opened doors to her first store, "Chanel Modes," sometime around 1910. Competition was the nature of her business but her perfectionist attitude and dedication helped her survive through challenging times, competitors, and World War II. What set her apart was that she first cut all her creations in pure muslin and designed her clothes directly on the bodies that would wear them. Chanel was never influenced by the frivolities of society and her designs came out of her constantly changing life and the lives of women around her. One of her favorite expressions was, "Every day I simplify something because every day I learn something." Her classic perfume, Chanel No. 5, which contains over 50 ingredients, still remains the highest selling Chanel item. 

The spirit of Chanel Couture is carried on by Karl Lagerfeld today who is dedicated to Chanel's simplicity and blends it with his creativity to introduce new designs that make ripples in the world of art and fashion every year. Chanel's aphorism,"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" sums up why she is remembered as a fashion icon, and a symbol of self-expression. 

Even today, Chanel's life remains as fascinating as the price tag on the smallest Chanel evening bag. Though most of her admirers may never own one of her brand creations, her timeless sweaters, casual jackets, collar less suits, and "the little black dress" will continue to inspire designers, artists, and writers in the world of fashion and beyond. Her controversial and intriguing life story appears in over one hundred book titles including a recently published children's book, "Different Like Coco." Episodes of her life story have also been enacted in musicals, plays, and movies since the last century and continue to inspire and entertain audiences today.

"In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different." 

- Coco Chanel

Further Readings: 

• The Gospel According to Coco Chanel: Life Lessons from the World's Most Elegant Woman - by Karen Karbo 
• Chanel's Biography