Chanel

From her first millinery shop, opened in 1912, for the years 1920, Chanel 'Coco' Gabrielle went on to become one of the fashion designers world-class in Paris, France. Replacing the corset with comfort and casual elegance, her fashion themes included simple suits and dresses, slacks, jewelry, perfumes and textiles.

Coco Chanel said a birthdate of 1893 and a birthplace of Auvergne, who was actually born in 1883 in Saumur. According to his version of the story of his life, his mother worked in the orphanage where Gabrielle was born and died when Gabrielle was only six, leaving his father with five children who soon abandoned the care of relatives.

He adopted the name Coco during a brief career as a singer and a coffee concert 1905-1908. First a mistress of an army officer after a wealthy industrialist English, Coco Chanel was inspired by the resources of clients in setting up a millinery shop in Paris in 1910, expanding to Deauville and Biarritz. The two men also helped her find customers among women of society, and her simple hats became popular.

Little Coco Chanel was the expansion of high fashion, working in jersey, a first in the world of French fashion. By 1920, her fashion house had expanded considerably, and his shirt to establish a fashion trend with his "boy" look. His relaxed fashion, short skirts, and casual look were in sharp contrast to the corset fashions popular in previous decades. Chanel wore men's clothes, and adapted these more comfortable ways that other women are also liberation.

In 1922, Coco Chanel introduced a perfume, Chanel No. 5, which became and remains popular, and remains a profitable product of Chanel's company. Pierre Wertheimer became her partner in the perfume business in 1924, and perhaps also her lover. Wertheimer owned 70% of the company, Coco Chanel received 10% and her friend Bader 20%. The Wertheimer continue to control the perfume company today.

Coco Chanel cardigan jacket, presented his firm in 1925 and signature "little black dress" in 1926. Most of her fashions had a staying power and does not change much from year to year - or even generation to generation.

Coco Chanel served briefly as a nurse in the world of the Nazi occupation of War I meant the fashion business in Paris was cut off for some years; Chanel issue during World War II with a Nazi officer also resulted in several years of declining popularity and an exile of classes in Switzerland. In 1954 he returned him back to the first ranks of haute couture. Its natural clothing, casual, including the Chanel suit once again caught the attention - and wallets - of women. She introduced jackets and bell bottoms pea important for women. She was still working in 1971 when he died. Karl Lagerfeld has been chief designer of Chanel's fashion house since 1983.

Besides his work with fashion, Coco Chanel also designed costumes for stage works such as Cocteau's Antigone (1923) and Oedipus Rex (1937) and film costumes for several films, including The Rule Jeu Renoir. Katharine Hepburn starred in the 1969 Broadway musical Coco based on the life of Coco Chanel.