Qui qu'a vu, Coco?

The trends for practical and functional clothing were the most prominent during the war, and there was one designer who would skyrocket to the forefront of fashion for her new and innovative way to create a new look which fit in with the trends - Gabrielle Chanel.


(Source: houseswithhistory.wordpress) Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel - she had quite an elegant, grtaceful look to her face naturally, as her clothes did.

Sent to a convent as a child, she learned the art of sewing there and found employment as a seamstress after leaving school. However this was not her passion and she sought a career on stage - singing cabaret in cafes, during which she found her nickname 'Coco' from the song 'Qui qu'a vu Coco?'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGhwcodklwY A clip from the movie 'Coco before Chanel' based on Gabrielle Chanel's life - when she worked as a cabaret singer.


Her fashion career started in Milinery, when she opened her own store in Paris called Chanel Modes. In 1913 she opened her own store selling deluxe casual leisure clothes out of jersey, a material only used for men's boxers previously. The clothes were clean-cut and minimalistic, with simplistic and yet still chic shapes. The clothes were sporty and comfortable whilst still offering a feminine edge - the outfits were made mostly of two key pieces (such as a sailor blouse and skirt) in stretch fabrics to offer a contemporary, inexpensive take on clothes. She  was modernising fashion.

(Source: wikimedia) Gabrielle Dorziat wearing a Chanel hat - the shape is simple but the plumage of the feather adds an opulent detail for an outlandish luxurious look.

(Source: designboks.bk) To the far left you can see Coco Chanel wearing the iconic sailor blouse, which she pioneered and started a trend that would last for many years to come - in the middle Audrey Hepburn wears the breton stripes, as ia James Dean, in the far right. I love how this has evolved to become one of the staple items in any great capsule wardrobe, and is still popular today.

 Jersey went from being a heavily unused material to being THE material to use in fashion - nowadays we wear it on most casual clothes without even thinking about it but back then this material seemed luxe.


(Source:whatgoesaroundnyc.com) One of Chanel's jersey leisure suits; it's so relaxed but yet feminine at the same time, giving an altogether clean and elegant look.


(Source: evolutionbtg.blogspot) The iconic Chanel jersey tweed suit; it has become a timeless classic which has been reworked in so many ways, for example the co-ord trend which was so big in 2012/13 and especially in Lagerfeld's Chanel shows, in which he updates the look slightly to give a wearable, contemporary look.


(Source: fashionbombdaily.com) Karl Lagerfeld's take on the traditional Chanel suit.

Almost overnight more mainstream manufacturers were copying her styles for the wider public to wear - dressmaking patterns were released for her look, making it accessible to everyone; the chanel waif was taking over.

(Source: 1920s-fashion-and-music.com) An illustration for a Chanel inspired pattern in the 20's - everyone could wear the Chanel look, even if they couldn't afford it/

After the war in 1921, she collaborated with Ernest Beaux on her debut perfume, Chanel No.5. It is one of the biggest selling perfumes in the world and made Chanel one of the richest designers in history. She designed the bottle herself, inspired by a whiskey decanter at one of her former homes which she always said she wanted to recreate.

(Source: intheseams.com) - the original Chanel No.5 perfume bottle - it really does look like a whiskey decanter, and the perfume colour represents that too. A genius idea - take something iconic and make it a worldly known object. I salute you, Madame Chanel.