On this day in 1883, a star was born in Saumur, Southern France. Her name is none other than Gabrielle Bonheur “Coco” Chanel. Mademoiselle Chanel brought us the legendary little black dress, the structured Chanel suit and jacket, strands of pearls, tanned skin, practical pants for women and of course, Chanel No. 5. Undoubtfully, she is one of the most influential and innovative fashion designers up to date.

Gabrielle adopted the name “Coco” when she was a singer in cafes between the years of 1905 and 1908. Chanel began her fashion career by designing hats in Paris in 1908 and opened her first haute couture salon in Biarritz in 1916. Her first fabrics included wool jersey known for its comfort and fitting nature. She loved to mix imitation jewels with real jewels, especially when designing the famous strands of pearls. Mademoiselle Chanel had many lovers some of which included her great love Arthur “Boy” Capel, who was a wealthy English polo player and an affair with a German officer and a spy during the World War II named Hans Gunther von Dincklage.

Here are some of my favorite Chanel quotes.

“Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury.”

“The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.”

“A woman has the age she deserves.”

“Don’t spend time beating on a wall, hoping to transform it into a door.”

“Elegance does not consist in putting on a new dress.”

“Elegance is refusal.”

“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.”

“I don’t know why women want any of the things men have when one the things that women have is men.”

“Jump out the window if you are the object of passion. Flee it if you feel it. Passion goes, boredom remains.”

“Since everything is in our heads, we had better not lose them.”

“There are people who have money and people who are rich.”

“There have been several Duchesses of Westminster but there is only one Chanel!”

Truly, there is only one Chanel. And although, she did not like to be called a “genius” because it meant that she did not put effort into her work, I cannot help but think that she was a genius. An exquisite, passionate, elegant, strong lady that will forever live and influence fashion for years to come. On this day, a star was born in Southern France.

Mademoiselle Coco Chanel

Discuss this post in the GlamBoulevard forums.

Luba Although, I am in the Finance Industry, I have always had a great passion for the fashion world. I love going to fashion shows, playing with make-up and learning more about the designers. I love traveling and dancing the night away. I believe that passion is what drives us forward and is our best life lesson.
Email this author | All posts by Luba