The making of a fashion icon

COCO CHANEL

By

Kerry Porter

Student number: s209089445

Date: 12 April 2010

KCT2000

Gina Estherhuyzen

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Chanel can be classified as one of the most recognisable brands in fashion world
wide. Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel, the creator of the exquisite label had only her
biggest influences and different approach of life to blame for the immense success of
the brand Chanel. This essay will centre around the main topics of discussion which
will include, the social, cultural, economical, creative and athletic influences of
Chanel’s time

Social and cultural influences

Templeton (N.d: Par 5) claims that Chanel, Born in 1883, and raised in a French
orphanage grew up to revolutionise woman’s fashion and liberate it from its
restrictions, (Historical firsts: The history of Coco Chanel 2006, Par: 2) explains that
Chanel learnt to sew at a young age and later getting a job as a seamstress which
she left at the age of 17 to earn more money as a cabaret singer. This is where she
acquired the nickname “Coco”.

According to (Chanel, Coco 2002: Par 4) during this time Chanel met Etienne
Balsan, a calvaryman from a wealthy French family. Balsan invited her to visit his
racing horse farm where Chanel willingly accepted and stayed. (Chanel, Coco 2002:
Par 5) goes on to explain that during this time Chanel began to make a name for
herself within Balsan's social circle, she began to envision herself as a professional
milliner with a shop in Paris. Balsan put off her attempts to convince him to finance
her idea, but then in 1914 she met Arthur "Boy" Chapel, a wealthy aristocrat claims
Templeton (N.d: Par 6) who became her lover for quite some time. Kriek (2000: Par
3), explains that it was Capel helped Chanel open her first shop in Paris in 1913
selling hats and a limited line of garments.

Athletic influences

(Chanel, Coco 2002: Par 4) comments that during Chanel’s stay at Balsan's farm
she became an expert horsewoman, and was introduced to a social group that was
well above her. Templeton (N.d: Par 6) explains that the beautiful women dressed up
so glamorously yet they were always astounded at Chanel’s simple self created hats.
Through these women Chanel first began to draw attention as a fashion designer,
primarily at first as a hat designer. When the women appeared at the racetrack with
copies of Chanel's hats, the tabloids took note and wrote of the new styles.

Economical influences

Kriek (2000: Par 3) explains that Chanel developed a dedicated clientele as much of
her clothing was made from jersey due to her not having money and it being a low
cost fabric. It proved to be a choice of fabric both unusual and inspired, suited to her
uncluttered styles. Women began to leave their corsets behind and freed themselves
for the practical activities made necessary by World War Two. Chanel took great
pride as a woman in designing for other women, and continued to use jersey fabric
long after she became wealthy.

Chanel found and interest in looser fitting clothes as one night she proceeded to tear
up a corset that her sister was wearing in order to let her body breathe. Comments
Templeton (N.d: Par 6)

Creative influences

Chanel was one to wear loose boyish clothing. Yet she always looked smart and
appealing. Chanel was fascinated with different fabrics. Such as jersey which led to
one of her signature moves when she established the first jersey dress. Dunn and
Kerbes (1999.Par 3) claims that Chanel’s unique clothing styles embodied more than
just an appearance in fact it contained a message about women. Chanel celebrated
women and their freedom, equality and ability to express themselves through what
they wore. Chanel was a strong believer that clothing for women should be of a
masculine stature. Chanel set a precedent for the coming of women’s liberation. She
created a way of life with the brand Chanel.

(From Coco Chanel to Hermes Accessories Lead Couture 2008: Par 6) reports, that
Chanel insisted on highlighting the importance of accessories such as handbags,
perfumes and jewellery.

L.G & J.C (1999: Par 16) reports that Chanel believed that all body movement began
in the back, and that everything is in the shoulders. Coco catered to women of all
body types, slim or heavy. She made her clothes so that women could cross their
arms, play golf or even bend over to tie their shoes.

As Kriek (2000: Par 4), puts it: “Chanel's own lifestyle fuelled her ideas of how
modern women everywhere should look, act, and dress. Her own slim boyish figure
and cropped hair became an ideal, as did her tanned skin, active lifestyle, and
financial independence”. Throughout her career, Chanel succeeded in binding and
selling her own personal attitude and style, making her a key negotiator of women's
taste throughout the twentieth century.

What made Chanel different was the pure fact that she had a notion that style could
be both classic and casual. According to Dunn and Kerbes, (1999.Par 1) Chanel is a
name synonymous with simplistic style and undeniable class with influences ranging
from menswear to horse racing events. Chanel had a strong belief that women
should dress simply. Chanel said, "I make fashion women can live in, breath in,

feel comfortable in and look younger in”. Dunn and Kerbes, (1999.Par 1) writes
that although she passed away in 1971, her incontestable influence on fashion and
women’s role in society will continue to exist for many years to come.
References

Chanel, Coco 2002 [online]

Available: www.novelguide.com/a/discover/bls_02/bls_02_00283.html

[08 April 2010]

Dunn, J. & Kerbes, J .1999. Coco Chanel and Fashion. [online]

Available: transcriptions.english.ucsb.edu/archive/topics/infoart/chanel/

[07 April 2010].

From Coco Chanel to Hermes Accessories Lead Couture. 2008 [online]

Available: www.thefreelibrary.com/From+Coco+Chanel+to+Hermes+Accessories+Lead+Couture-
a01073861482

[08 April 2010]

Historical firsts: The history of Coco Chanel. 2006 [online]

Available:

http://www.girlawhirl.com/culture/history-of-coco-chanel .aspx.

[07 April 2010].

Kriek. J, 2000. Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel (1883–1971) and the House of Chanel [online]

Available:

www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/chnl/hd_chnl.htm

[08 April 2010]

L.G & J.C 1999 The Influence of Coco Chanel [online]

Available:

www.richeast.org/htwm/CHANEL/CC.HTML

[08 April 2010]

Templeton, S. (No date). Coco Chanel [Online].

Available:

www.webwombat.com.au/lifestyle/fashion_beauty/coco.htm

[07 April 2010].