CHANEL, "Coco"
Gabriel Bonheur.
French designer
A woman of ambition and determination, Gabrielle Chanel, nick-named "Coco," rose from humble
beginnings and an unhappy childhood to become one of this century's most prominent couturiers,
prevailing for nearly half a century.
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In contrast to the opulent elegance of the belle epoque, Chanel's designs were based on
simplicity and elegance. She introduced relaxed dressing expressing the aspirations of the
20th-century woman, replacing impractical clothing with functional styling.
Chanel's early years tend to be vague in detail, being full of inaccuracies and contradictions,
due to her deliberate concealment of her deprived childhood. It is generally accepted that Chanelgained some dressmaking and millinery experience prior to working in a hat shop in Deauville, France.
Using her skills as a milliner she opened shops in Paris, Deauville, and Biarritz with the financial
assistance of a backer. Chanel was an astute businesswoman and skilful publicist, quickly expanding
her work to include skirts, jerseys in stockinette jersey, and accessories.
Chanel, recognized as the designer of the 1920s, initiated an era of casual dressing, appropriate
to the occasion, for relaxed outdoor clothing created to be worn in comfort and without constricting
corsets, liberating women with loosely fitting garments. Her style is that of uncluttered simplicity,
incorporating practical details. She dressed the modern woman in clothes for a lifestyle.
In 1916 Chanel introduced jersey, a soft elasticated knit previously only used for undergarments,
as the new fashion fabric. Wool jersey produced softer, lighter clothing with uncluttered fluid lines.
She made simple jersey dresses in navy and grey, cut to flatter the figure rather than to emphasize
and distort the natural body shape. The demand for her new non conformist designs by the wealthy was
so great and the use of jersey so successful that Chanel extended her range, creating her own jersey
fabric designs, which were manufactured by Rodier.
Highly original in her concept of design, Chanel ceaselessly borrowed ideas from the male wardrobe,
combining masculine tailoring with women's clothing. Her suits are precise but remain untailored,
with flowing lines, retaining considerable individuality and simple elegance. Riding breeches,
wide-legged trousers, blazers, and sweaters were all taken and adapted.
A major force in introducing and establishing common sense and understated simplicity into
womenswear, Chanel's coordination of the cardigan, worn with a classic straight skirt, has become a
standard combination of wearable separates. Chanel produced the cardigan in tweed and jersey
fabrics, initiating the perennially popular "Chanel suit." It usually consisted of two or three
pieces: a cardigan style jacket, weighted with her trademark gilt chain stitched around the inside
hem, a simple easy-to-wear skirt, worn with a blouse, the blouse fabric coordinated with the jacket
lining. Her work offered comfort and streamlined simplicity, creating clothes for the modern woman,
whom she epitomized herself. The key to her design philosophy was construction, producing traditional
classics outliving each season's new fashion trends and apparel. Whilst other designers presented
new looks for each new season, Chanel adapted the refined detailing and style lines.
Her colours are predominantly grey, navy, and beige, incorporating highlights of a richer colour
palette. Chanel introduced the ever popular "little black dress," created for daywear, eveningwear,
and cocktail dressing and a firm fixture in the fashion world today.
Attentive to detail, adding to day and eveningwear, Chanel established a reputation for extensive
uses of costume jewelery, with innovative combinations of real and imitation gems, crystal clusters,
strings of pearls, and ornate jewelled cuff links, adding brilliant contrast to the stark simplicity
of her designs. The successful development of Chanel No. 5 perfume in 1922 assisted in the financing
of her couture empire during difficult years. An interesting aspect of Chanel's career was the
re-opening of her couture house, which was closed during World War II. After 15 years in retirement,
Chanel relaunched her work in 1954 at the age of 71, re-introducing the "Chanel suit," which has
formed the basis for many of her collections and become a hallmark. The look adopted shorter skirtsand braid trimmed cardigan jackets.
Despite her work and individual style, Chanel craved personal and financial independence, and was
ruthless in her search for success. She was unique in revolutionizing the fashion industry with
dress reform and in promoting the emancipation of women.
Her influence has touched many American and European designers, who continue to reinforce her
concept of uncomplicated classics that inspire many contemporary designers' ready-to-wear
collections a homage to Chanel's essential modernist styling and her legacy to the world of fashion.
Extract from “Contemporary Fashion”, written by Richard Martin. Detroit: St. James Press, 1995.
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