Early Life

Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel was born in 1883 in Saumur, France. Her childhood was marked by hardship—her mother passed away when she was only six, and her father abandoned her and her siblings.

Chanel spent much of her youth in the care of relatives. She adopted the nickname Coco during a short career as a café and concert singer between 1905 and 1908.

From Milliner to Designer

With the help of wealthy patrons, Chanel opened her first millinery shop in Paris in 1910, later expanding to Deauville and Biarritz.

Her simple hat designs quickly won favor among fashionable women. By 1912, she had established herself as one of Paris’s rising designers.

Rejecting the restrictive corsets of the era, Chanel introduced clothing that emphasized comfort and elegance—simple suits, jersey dresses, and women’s trousers.

Her relaxed styles, short skirts, and clean lines stood in stark contrast to traditional fashion, and her own mannish wardrobe inspired many of her designs.

Iconic Creations

In 1922, Chanel launched her now-legendary perfume, Chanel No. 5, in partnership with Pierre Wertheimer, whose family still controls the perfume business today.

She went on to introduce timeless designs such as the cardigan jacket (1925) and the little black dress (1926)—pieces that remain fashion staples across generations.

Legacy

Though her reputation suffered during World War II due to her relationship with a Nazi officer, Chanel staged a remarkable comeback in 1954.

Her Chanel suit, pea jackets, and bell-bottoms for women once again redefined modern style.

Coco Chanel worked until her passing in 1971, leaving behind a fashion empire now carried forward by Karl Lagerfeld and beyond.