Gabrielle Bonheur AKA "Coco Channel"

By: A.G.

When you hear the brand Chanel you think of words such as creative, different, and stylish.

Gabrielle “CoCo” Bonheur is the French designer who revolutionized fashion in the 1920’s to 1950’s with the infamous brand Chanel which is still very popular today. Bonheur was born on August 19, 1883 in Saumur, France.

Bonheeur’s complicated lifestyle gave her the inspiration to give herself the nickname “CoCo,” which quickly caught on. She was an amazing French fashion pioneer who had a unique sense of style that was admired by many people.

With the help of one of her secret admirers Coco opened her first shop in Paris in 1913 where she designed and sold a limited line of garments. Most of Chanel’s clothing was made of “jersey” which is the fabric commonly worn by men at that time. This clothing freed women from the tight dresses and corsets that were popular in the early 1900s.

Coco’s clients loved her clothes, which made her very successful. Even today Coco is still loved by many people and considered one of the most high end fashion  lines of all time.

In 1971 Coco died. Although she passed away, her fashion lives on. Karl Lagerfeld took over her business. He has added new elements like nail polish and other items to Chanel stores, but he has always made sure to keep Coco’s style alive.