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With the onset of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week (NYC) approaching in just a mere two (2) days, I thought I would blog about one of the most influential designers of (arguably) all time: Coco Chanel.
Chanel thought and acted differently. She was the epitome of elegance, but she didn’t earn this title by becoming attuned to societal standards. She didn’t pay attention to the rules of traditional fashion, made confident and bold decisions, and contravened societal norms.
Coco (Gabrielle) Chanel was raised in France in a convent, where she learned to sew and discovered her love for fashion. She began her fashion career in 1910 when she was 27 years old, selling hats… Chanel is now worth 1.5 billion dollars. Chanel’s legacy is marked by her boldness. She effortlessly led innovation in fashion for women, took risks, and was an inspiration to many. What did Chanel leave for us women?
Trousers. Pants are one of Chanel’s most iconic gifts to women’s fashion. Women during this time did not wear pants unless they were working in the place of men during WW1. On a beach trip she decided to wear sailor’s pants instead of her bathing suit. This revolutionized how women thought about the traditionally male clothing item; making them less work-oriented and more fashion forward.
The Little Black Dress. In 1926 Vogue published a Chanel design: a simplistic and classic sheath black dress with long sleeves. It became a staple for women’s fashion… the LBD is timeless.
Costume Jewelry. In the 1930’s she wore big pearls, glass beads, and any large jewels she could find. She wore larger earrings, larger necklaces, and transformed traditional jewelry into the expressive and voguish accessory that it is today.
Materials. A classic emphasis on black and white, tunics, tweeds, jersey fabric, and embroidery. She utilized menswear to design comfortable and free-flowing suits, cuff-links, and caps.
Attitude and independence. Chanel never married and lived her life unrestricted by societal standards. She had many muses she attributed her work to, but once said “I never wanted to weigh more heavily on a man than a bird” when asked about marriage. She thought differently, pushed the boundaries, stayed true to herself and identity, and rebuffed traditionalism. Then again, she said, “elegance is refusal.”
Chanel thought and acted differently. She was the epitome of elegance, but she didn’t earn this title by becoming attuned to societal standards. She didn’t pay attention to the rules of traditional fashion, made confident and bold decisions, and contravened societal norms.
Coco (Gabrielle) Chanel was raised in France in a convent, where she learned to sew and discovered her love for fashion. She began her fashion career in 1910 when she was 27 years old, selling hats… Chanel is now worth 1.5 billion dollars. Chanel’s legacy is marked by her boldness. She effortlessly led innovation in fashion for women, took risks, and was an inspiration to many. What did Chanel leave for us women?
Trousers. Pants are one of Chanel’s most iconic gifts to women’s fashion. Women during this time did not wear pants unless they were working in the place of men during WW1. On a beach trip she decided to wear sailor’s pants instead of her bathing suit. This revolutionized how women thought about the traditionally male clothing item; making them less work-oriented and more fashion forward.
The Little Black Dress. In 1926 Vogue published a Chanel design: a simplistic and classic sheath black dress with long sleeves. It became a staple for women’s fashion… the LBD is timeless.
Costume Jewelry. In the 1930’s she wore big pearls, glass beads, and any large jewels she could find. She wore larger earrings, larger necklaces, and transformed traditional jewelry into the expressive and voguish accessory that it is today.
Materials. A classic emphasis on black and white, tunics, tweeds, jersey fabric, and embroidery. She utilized menswear to design comfortable and free-flowing suits, cuff-links, and caps.
Attitude and independence. Chanel never married and lived her life unrestricted by societal standards. She had many muses she attributed her work to, but once said “I never wanted to weigh more heavily on a man than a bird” when asked about marriage. She thought differently, pushed the boundaries, stayed true to herself and identity, and rebuffed traditionalism. Then again, she said, “elegance is refusal.”
