The Life of Coco Chanel

 The little black dress is one of the most famous garments in the history of fashion. it was created by the famous Coco Chanel. Born August 19,1883 as Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel, Coco has had one of the largest impacts on the fashion world. Coco grew up in Saumur, France and was put into an orphanage by her father shortly after her mothers death. She was raised by nuns who taught her a lesson that would  benefit her

later on in life, how to sew. Once Coco was older she worked briefly as a singer where she gained her famous nickname Coco. Later Coco stated that the name was short for cocotte, which meant "kept woman" in French. Coco entered the fashion world around the age of 20, when one of her boyfriends(Etiene Balsan) offered to help her start a millinery business. She later left him for one of his even wealthier friends, Arthur Capel. Arthur bought Chanel a small boutique in Paris where she started selling hats. Coco opened more shops in 1910 and started making clothes. In 1920 Coco created her first perfume, Chanel No. 5.In the 1920's Chanel started making some of her most famous garments such as the little black dress, the collarless jacket and well fitted skirt. In the later 1920's Chanel met the Duke of Westminster aboard his yacht. The two stared a decades long relationships which ended after the Duke proposed to her she replied " There have been several Duchess of Westminster- but there is only one Chanel!" During world War II Chanel was forced to fire her workers and shut down her business. While the Germans were staying in France, Chanel met a German military officer, Hans Gunter Von Dincklage. Chanel was then given special permission to stay in her home at the Ritz Hotel. After the war was over some said that  Chanel betrayed her country by dating a Natzi. Chanel then left Paris and fled to Switzerland almost like an exile. Chanel then returned to the fashion world at the age of 70 when her clothes became popular worldwide.Chanel died at the age of 88 in the Ritz Carlton hotel, her home, in Paris on January 10, 1971. Chanel will always be remembered as a women who changed the world of fashion and her legacy will live on for ages to come.