Coco Chanel

Gabriel Chanel was born in 1883 in a poor family, where the mother was constantly ill, and his father often allowed himself to "take a walk." When the mother died, none of his relatives, even her father, did not want to engage in the upbringing of Gabriel and her two sisters, so the girls were sent to a shelter at the monastery. At the age of 18, Gabriel had a choice: to stay in the monastery, or, having left him, continue education in some other institution. She left the monastery to study in the boarding house of the town of Moulin.

Chanel firmly decided not to return to the beggarly past, therefore she strove for another, luxurious life with all her might. The marriage was not for her, because the girl tried to earn money with her labor, which meant independence and freedom for her. In the afternoon, Gabriel worked with a needle in her hands, and in the evening she sang on the stage of Cafeushantan. She received the nickname "Coco" thanks to one of the songs of her repertoire.

For Chanel, the heir to the dynasty of textile industrialists began to take care of. She was struck by the luxury of the life structure in the highest circles. However, the outfits of the ladies seemed to Gabriel too sophisticated and complex (they were dresses with corsets draped fabric meters). Then Coco Chanel began to create her own direction in fashion, relying on the style of the clothes of her male friends.

She used absolutely everything: shirts, jackets, ridges for riding, ties, scarves. And Coco transformed all these elements of men's clothing into a comfortable female. She also simulated hats that enjoyed tremendous success among famous actresses. It was then that Chanel paid attention and seriously became interested in her design ideas.

Having met in 1912 with the heir to the Dynasty of English Carletfuls, Arthur Kapel, Koko was able to move from the town of Balsan to Paris, where she opened her store. And very soon, Rue Cambon, where the boutique was located, began to be associated in wide circles with the name Chanel . Now Gabriel was a business woman.

Soon two more boutiques opened, where models such as flannel jackets, knitted tunics, straight skirts were sold. Then, dresses, elegant beige ensembles of dresses and coats, evening dresses made of black tulle, decorated with black amber, began to appear in the stores - in a word, a full wardrobe for urban fashionistas. Coco carefully made sure that every detail of her models looked perfect. Chanel has always adhered to one main direction. She firmly believed that the clothes were created, first of all, in order to be comfortable for those who wear it, and not look defiant-exciting.

Coco Chanel released her first bottle of Chanel No. 5, when she was forty years old. And even here, when choosing a bottle design, she did not change her style, choosing an elegant modest form. Chanel achieved what she dreamed about in her youth - she bathed in luxury. Meet with artists and aristocrats, went fishing with the Duke of Westminster, played cards with Winston Churchill. Her apartment, located above the proprietary boutique on Rue Cambon, was the standard of grace and ideal taste.

But in difficult times, in 1929 - 1933, Coco's affairs did not matter. The situation complicated the situation and the impending Second World War. The proposal of Chanel to the Hollywood producer S. Goldwin to “wear” the stars of his studio for million. They rejected, and the sales of the aroma of Chanel No. 5 were steadily falling. And then Chanel decided to close her business, dismissing all the workers. Meanwhile, men began to dictate fashion again, and those images in women's clothing that Coco tried so hard to expel from the catwalk in the 20s returned again.

At the age of 70 years, Gabriel decides to return to the world of fashion. She again opens her boutique on Rue Cambon, and soon the first collection is released over the past 15 years. In the fashion trends of the 60s, the ideas of the distant 20s were repeated, but no one could see them besides Chanel. Soon she completely regained her rights in the fashion industry. Shoes with a closed sock and an open heel, handbags on a chain and decorations of artificial stones diverged around the world. Each fashionista wanted to be dressed "from Chanel."

In 1971, Coco Chanel died in her suite at the Paris Hotel. She was 87 years old. The income of the Chanel house was $ 160 million a year. This business was continued by Karl Lagerfeld, but the Chanel collections of the late 90s looked as if they had returned to their origins - to light fabric and an elegant simple cut.