Coco Chanel

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You've most likely come in contact with one of Coco Chanel's products or a product that has been inspired by one of her own ideas. Coco Chanel revolutionized the fashion industry forever changing women's fashion while conquering her personal hardships and challenges along the way. Coco Chanel was born in Samur, Maine-et-Lorie, France on August 19, 1883. Her mother, Jeanne Devolle got married to Albert Chanel when Coco was one year old. At an early age of 12, Coco's mother died along with her father's abandonment. Chanel and her four siblings were left alone and soon got split up (Aronson). Coco went to live at an orphanage in Aubazine where her passion for sewing garments began. Coco's rough upbringing did not stop her; she began to make her living sewing and performing at local coffee shops where she later got the nickname "Coco" (Lange). Chanel was the first designer to incorporate jersey materials into women's clothing. She is best known for her "Chanel suit", No. 5 perfume, and the "Little Black Dress". Chanel's brand was rapidly growing and her newest fragrance, No. 5 eventually became the financial base for her entire empire. It changed the perfume corporation from that point on and the perfume is the most popular perfume to date (Lange). After much trial and error, Chanel's couture designs were finally featured in Harper's Bazaar magazine in 1915 and later in 1917 (Aronson). The Chanel name flourished until economic depression hit during the 20^th century along with World War II. These combinations lead Chanel to close her business in 1939. Chanel's comeback was in 1954 where she held an astonishing fashion show (Oprah). Chanel died at age 87 while she was taking a nap in her apartment in the Ritz on Sunday, January 10, 1971 (Aronson).  A hero must possess multiple characteristics. A hero is an individual who has worked hard for a goal in their life or where they want to go. They must be a person who has a strong and well-rounded back round that has shaped them into the person that they are now. And a hero is an inspirational person who has helped many people thought their legacy making many fans view that person as their idol. Coco Chanel is more than just a famous fashion designer, she has overcome multiple hardships in her life. She is also a hard working individual who gave women a voice with their own fashion style and individuality during a tough era.

Coco Chanel's hard working lifestyle is one of her main attributes that lead her to an amazing success. At only the age of 19, with the help of her nuns from catholic school, Chanel was employed as a seamstress in a lingerie shop (Aronson). "Her skill with a needle and thread earned her repeat customers, and her reputation as a gifted seamstress grew" (Aronson). Coco knew she had a special gift. She worked hard for something she wanted in life by taking her future into her own hands. Slowly, as she earned more customers, her name started to become more familiar and the Chanel brand was being born. Not much later, Coco was transformed into a strong and hardworking independent woman. "Chanel relocated her Parisian boutique to 31 Rue Cambon in 1921 without the help of a financial backer. She no longer needed one, since her dresses were selling for thousands of dollars apiece and she had 300 people under her employ" (Aronson).At this time Coco knew the direction her business was bound to go. At such a young age, she had already conquered multiple barriers in life and was becoming a wealthy designer all on her own. Coco's drive and hard-working attitude paid off as it soon lead her to remarkable success (Aronson). Clearly, Coco had a vision and her hard work and effort she put into everything she did lead to her success.

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Coco Chanel faced multiple hardships in her life, but she found a way to overcome them, ultimately leading to her self made success. At the young age of twelve, Coco's father abandoned his four children and wife. Following, her mother passed away (Lange). "Penniless and a ward of the state, Chanel was sent to a convent orphanage in Aubazine where she was raised by nuns" (Aronson). Clearly, Coco did not have a joyous upbringing yet her strength and willpower eventually led her to her success.Most children would take the situation hard, while Coco found the use of the nuns to her advantage. Coco's time at the orphanage was rough; she was lonely with no parents or siblings.  "In reality, during the six years of her residence there, she slept in the unheated dormitory and sat at the table with the other destitute children who had no family to pay the tuition" (Dow and Noce).Her childhood was very depressing and sad. But that did not stop her; she later turned her life around as she went from poverty to wealth. Unlike most people, Coco took what was an unfortunate situation and turned it upside down(Dow and Noce).

Coco Chanel chose to stand out as she made her main goal to give women more wearable and comfortable clothing unlike most designers at the time. Chanel's creations were made to ensure convenience and comfort for the woman wearing it (Aronson). "Chanel's new designs emphasized straight flowing lines with plain colors.Chanel later explained that the problem stemmed from the fact that men had taken over women's fashion design, and men, declared Chanel, did not know how to make clothing for women" (Dow and Noce). Coco did not let the current trends of her time decide what women could or could not wear! She took the initiative and designed her own looks to accommodate the average women. Chanel's styles were different yet practical (Aronson). "She took what was simple and common, distilled the beauty she found there, and, with the guarantee of her own good name, sold it to a century of women whose changing needs it so well served" (Lange).Her revolutionizing ideas was not only a creativity outlet, she greatly helped women by changing the ways of "everyday clothing". Coco's simple yet very effective women's designs were what sparked a revolutionary way of fashion that has been a big part of the fashion industry still in today's world of fashion. Even with her own challenges in life, Coco made her priority helping women (Aronson).

Coco Chanel is not only one of the most famous and well known fashion designers of all time, but she also changed the world of fashion forever while at the same time conquering her hardships in life with a strong, driven attitude which inspired a number of women to look up to her as a role model and hero. Coco Chanel inspires me in many ways. She broke through the traditional forms of women's clothing at her time and she is the main contribution of changing women's reason through their clothing. She is also very inspirational, as she overcame poverty and a rough childhood. She knew from the beginning that she was set apart from everyone else and their opinions and that it's important to follow your instincts and try your hardest to achieve your dreams. She also created her own personal forms of fashion that multiple designers obtain the same concepts still today. Coco Chanel is my hero and I look up to her as an inspiration. Her ideas and designs appear in everyday life, even if you do not realize it. She changed the fashion world forever with her passionate and strong attitude, she set out for something she strongly believed in. Her story is not just an inspiration but a legacy that will continue on, forever.

Works Cited

Aronson, Jamie. "Coco Chanel." Coco Chanel (2009): 1. Biography Reference Center. Web. 30

Apr. 2012.

"Blonde Episodes: Coco Chanel." Blonde Episodes: Coco Chanel. Web. 17 May 2012. .

"Coco Chanel." Business Leader Profiles for Students. Ed. Sheila Dow and Jaime E. Noce. Vol.

2. Detroit: Gale, 2002. Gale Biography In Context. Web. 6 May 2012.

Lange, Pavlin, and Lange Pavlin. "Coco Chanel." Great Lives From History: The Twentieth

Century (2008): 1. Biography Reference Center. Web. 30 Apr. 2012.

"Sweetology." : What You Can Learn from CoCo Chanel and Other Winners! Web. 17 May 2012. .

"The History of Coco Chanel - Oprah.com." Oprah.com. 2012. Web. 03 May 2012.