Not only did Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel change the lives of many women through her fashion revolution—she totally transformed her own, too.



One of the most famous designers in the world,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/gabrielle-chanel-history">Gabrielle Chanel</a><a href="https://www.lofficiel.co.uk/Fashion/women-history-month-fashion-designers-houses">&nbsp;</a>pioneered minimalist and casual style, and is known for helping to free women from corsets by designing more modern and more subtle pieces. <a href="https://www.lofficiel.cy/accessories/11-iconic-chanel-pieces-in-fashion-history">Chanel,</a> who became known by her nickname, Coco, remains extremely relevant today 50 years after her death, because of her lasting impact in style.&nbsp;

chanellofficiel1.jpg

Gabrielle has not only changed the lives of many women through the revolution she has brought about in fashion, she has also totally transformed her own, as <a href="https://www.lofficiel.co.uk/Fashion/chanel-n5-perfume-anniversary-celebrities-muses">Coco Chanel </a>&nbsp;not had an easy and peaceful life: daughter of a laundress and a street vendor, Gabrielle is over being placed in an orphanage together with her 12-year-old sister. As a strict institution, Gabrielle had a very strict routine, but it was at the orphanage that she learned to sew, the most important skill for her future.

Gabrielle left the orphanage and moved to a boarding school for Catholic girls in Moulins, a region of France. In order to support herself financially, the future stylist started working as a maid and singer in cabarets, where she became famous for singing the song &ldquo;Qui qu&#39;a vu Coco?&rdquo;, which is the origin of her nickname &ldquo;Coco&rdquo;, which also means &ldquo;darling&rdquo; in French, becoming not only your own name but also your brand in the future.

GettyImages-88880388.jpg

It was at the cabaret that Coco also met people who were important to her future in fashion: among them was Etienne Balsan, who helped her sell hats in a borrowed apartment. Years later, Coco opened a studio and quickly began to gain a reputation as a stylist, a notoriety that never stopped growing.

Gabrielle &ldquo;Coco&rdquo; Chanel passed away at the age of 87 in 1971, 2021 being the year in which her death completes half a century. Furthermore, one of its most illustrious products, the perfume &ldquo;Chanel N&deg; 5&rdquo;, commemorates a century of creation also in 2021.

The Story Behind Coco Chanel's Name

Tags

Recommended posts for you

Around the World

A five-star Christmas at the Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria in Sorrento

Around the World

Escape to the Maldives with Sun Siyam Resorts

Around the World

A relaxing and cultural autumn weekend in Rome at the Hotel de la Ville, near Trinità dei

Around the World

Orient Express La Minerva, a September weekend in Rome that is a journey within a journey

Fashion

Dolce&Gabbana Beauty Holiday 2025: Enchanting holiday beauty

Pop Culture

All about "The Drama," Kristoffer Borgli's film starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson

Pop Culture

Emily in Paris Season 5: Between Rome and Venice, the Netflix series chronicles Emily Coo

Pop Culture

The Royal Family's most beautiful Christmas cards: a journey through the decades