Altering the World of

Luxury and Fashion

By Kristen Nelson


hat does it take to be
great innovator? In
other words, how do
you make a difference the world can
see? Coco Chanel was not a likely
candidate for changing the world.
Born in the depths of poverty, she
spent most of her childhood as an
orphan in France. Desperately
deprived yet self-reliant, she learned
extreme independence from her time
in orphanages. It was during this time
that she also acquired the skill of
sewing. She picked up the name Coco
from her brief career as a singer and
the name affectionately followed her
into her clothing career.
1

She opened up her first shop in
1910 selling hats and later she opened
a couple of clothing stores. Her first
big break, however, came in 1917
when she
fashioned an old
jersey shirt to
keep herself warm.
At the time
womens fashion
required extreme
lengths and
restrictive corsets.
Coco did not
understand why
women could not be comfortable and
fashionable.


In the 1920s she took her
career to new heights with the
introduction of Chanel No.5, which
was the first scent to feature a
designers name. Chanel exquisitely
described perfume as the unseen,
unforgettable, ultimate accessory of
fashion. . . . that heralds your arrival
and prolongs your departure.
2
Her
fresh view on womens fashion
revolutionized traditional attitudes of
her day and inspired a wave of luxury
and comfort for women worldwide.
Aside from the famous Chanel
collarless jacket, Coco is probably best
known for her little black dress.
Although black was a color
traditionally worn for mourning
Chanel showed the world that it could
be chic and sexy. The dress is now a
staple to every womans wardrobe.
Her legacy of fashion not only lives on
with her thriving fashion lines, but
with her iconic ideals that inspired the
world of fashion to change forever.


1
"CHANEL, Coco." (n.d.): Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia. Web. 11 July
2014.
2
Coco Chanel Biography. Biography.com. Web. 11 July 2014.
W
Luxury must
be comfortable,
otherwise it is
not luxury.
-Coco Chanel