Name: Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel, August 19th 1883 - January 10th, 1971
Otherwise known as 'Coco'
Known for: how about everything we recognize as modern fashion today? Yeah, that should pretty much cover it.
I swear I thought I’d already posted this. As in to the point of searching frantically through the Icon post history to check. I must have just dreamed it.
Oh well, it was really only a matter of time before my memory went.
Anyway, without further ado, let's get on with it, shall we?
Although sadly not all of us can afford the luxury of owning a Chanel suit, what we must remember is that Mme Chanel has touched each of us in a number of much more subtle ways. Without her, we might not have the now iconic Little Black Dress. Or the trouser. Or the jersey dress. Opera length pearls worn with a simple shift dress would not be the epitome of chic. I could go on and on about how Chanel forever changed the face of fashion but I think you get the idea…
There are some arguments that she was not the original, that she used men of wealth and position to get where she was. Perhaps there is some truth in that. However when you consider that she started life as an abandoned orphan, started out making clothing from material that no one had ever considered before and paid back every cent of any money she ever borrowed from one of her male lovers, I’m willing to look past that. And if she did indeed use men to her advantage, well then, I’m okay with that too. It’s not like men haven’t been doing the same – not for money, perhaps, but a variety of other things like sex, status, revenge – for centuries.Instead, I would much prefer to focus on her achievements and contribution to fashion and beauty. And how I can get my hands on a vintage Chanel suit.
No comments:
Post a Comment