Name at birth: Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel
Designer Coco Chanel gave the world the little black dress, Chanel No. 5 perfume, and the revolutionary notion that style could be both classic and casual. Coco -- a nickname meaning "little pet" -- was raised in an orphanage, where she learned to sew. In 1910 she began selling hats from her own shop, and by the 1920s her fashion business had expanded to include a couture house, her own textile factory and a line of perfumes that included the famous No. 5. Chanel took women's fashions away from stiff corsets and introduced casual, practical clothing that borrowed fabrics and attitudes from men's fashion. She was the first to introduce black as a fashion color; her versatile, semi-formal "little black dress" became a Chanel trademark and an enduring fashion standard. During and after World War II Chanel's popularity waned, and her love affair with a Nazi officer sent her into a form of self-imposed exile in Switzerland for nearly 15 years. She made a comeback in 1954 and her designs became some of the most popular in the western world, especially in the United States. After her death the Coco Chanel Company was directed, among others, by designer Karl Lagerfeld.
FAQs
When asked why she did not marry the Duke of Westminster, she is supposed to have said: "There have been several duch*esses of Westminster. There is only one Chanel." During Chanel's affair with the Duke of Westminster in the 1930s, her style began to reflect her personal emotions.
What made Coco Chanel famous? ›
What is Coco Chanel known for? Coco Chanel was a fashion designer who ruled Parisian haute couture for almost six decades. She is known for the Chanel suit, the quilted purse, costume jewelry, and the “l*ttle black dress”—all now-classic innovations.
Who inherited Coco Chanel's fortune? ›
The Wertheimer fortune dates back to 1920s Paris when Pierre Wertheimer funded designer Coco Chanel. His grandsons, brothers Alain and Gerard Wertheimer, control Chanel and are worth about $96 billion. The brothers own three vineyards in France and Napa Valley, and breed and race thoroughbreds.
Did Coco Chanel have kids? ›
Chanel was never married and had no known children, but she looked after her elder sister's son, André Palasse, following her sister's suicide. On January 10, 1971, Coco Chanel died at the Ritz Hotel at the age of 87 from a heart attack. She was buried in Lausanne, Switzerland.
How many husbands did Coco Chanel have? ›
Coco never married, which for a woman at the time was already a focus of curiosity, but that does not mean that her life was deprived of great passions that transformed her.
How old was Coco Chanel when she died? ›
She was 87 years old. The death of Coco, as she was known the world over, was announced by close friends. They said that her death came peacefully and that nothing in recent days had in dicated she was in bad health.
When did Coco Chanel come out? ›
Opening her first shop on Paris's Rue Cambon in 1910, Chanel started out selling hats. She later added stores in Deauville and Biarritz and began making clothes. Her first taste of clothing success came from a dress she fashioned out of an old jersey on a chilly day.
What makes Chanel so special? ›
Using knitted jersey to create her first garments, the fabric's fluidity and suppleness made it perfectly suited to the streamlined aesthetic and freedom of movement which Gabrielle Chanel sought to achieve. It quickly became a stylish and practical choice within the luxurious world of haute couture.
How much of Chanel did Coco own? ›
Their business deal established the Parfums Chanel company, a parfumerie of which Wertheimer owned 70 per cent, Bader owned 20 per cent, and Chanel owned 10 per cent; commercial success of the joint enterprise was assured by the Chanel name, and by the cachet of la "Maison Chanel", which remained the sole business ...
Who owns the Chanel brand now? ›
Alain Wertheimer is the chairman of Chanel, the French luxury brand. He owns the company with this brother Gerard, who oversees the watch division. His grandfather Pierre Wertheimer founded it with Gabrielle (Coco) Chanel, the company's namesake.
Born in dire poverty to unwed parents on this day, Aug. 19, in 1883, she was shuffled off to an orphanage and raised by Catholic nuns after her mother died. Smart and unsentimental, she made the most of her hardship, gathering her experiences like fabric for future designs.
Who did Coco Chanel leave her estate to? ›
Coco Chanel's last words to her maid Celine were “You see, this is how you die.” She died in her bed at the Hotel Ritz at 9pm on the 10 January 1971. She left her fortune and most of her estate to her nephew André Palasse, who lived in Switzerland, and his two daughters, who lived in Paris.
Did Coco Chanel speak English? ›
Her last month in Paris Chanel went to her office in company with her English teacher. She speaks a little English, and understands far more than you'd suppose. She took only one of her Paris representatives with her, a Frenchman who also speaks but little English.
What did Chanel name her baby? ›
Chanel welcomed her daughter, Bowie Breeze, with boyfriend Dom Fenison in November 2022. She exclusively told Us at the time that she was “overjoyed” by her “healthy” baby's arrival, gushing, “She is perfect in every way to me and her daddy and we are so grateful to have her in our lives.”
Who is Chanel pregnant by? ›
Later that month, Chanel took to Instagram to reveal they were expecting a girl. Chanel and Dom became parents in November 2022 when the MTV star revealed Bowie was born. "After many hours in labor I ended up giving birth to my baby girl via c-section.
