00:30If you were born without wings, do nothing to prevent them from growing.
00:36Coco Chanel
00:37Coco Chanel became very rich and famous during her life, but her childhood was a humble one.
00:45Most sources suggest Gabrielle Chanel was born in 1883.
00:50She was the daughter of a peasant and a street vendor and was born in a poorhouse.
00:55After her mother died, she was sent to an orphanage in a convent.
01:00Where she stayed until she was 18.
01:03Life in the religious institution was strict and frugal.
01:07It was here that Gabrielle learned to embroider, iron, and sew.
01:12Before her career as a fashion designer, Coco Chanel had a concise career of a singer at different clubs.
01:18Where she promoted herself with her self-called name Coco.
01:22Which was taken from one of the songs she used to sing in clubs.
01:26Her first success came from the idea of creating loose and relaxing women's dress she fashioned out of an old jersey on a chilly day during the 1920s.
01:37In 1920, she launched her most famous design, Chanel's Little Black Dress.
01:43In 1922, Coco Chanel introduced the first ever perfume mixed of natural extracts and artificial essence named Chanel No. 5 to the global market.
01:56In 1926, Coco Chanel designed and launched the Little Black Dress.
02:01Coco Chanel was a strong woman and her fashion was supposed to empower women with their dignity and strength.
02:08Nevertheless, she was a great woman in love.
02:12Certain men were key to her life.
02:14At the age of 23, Chanel met ex-Covary officer Etienne Balsan and became his mistress.
02:22Coco Chanel learned luxury and elegance with Balsan.
02:26They remained friends throughout their lives.
02:29Coco was in relations with Dmitri Pavlovich, Igor Stravinsky, Pierre Reverdi, Paula Rebe.
02:36But from all men that Gabrielle Chanel was in love with, boy Capel was the one that really stole Coco Chanel's heart.
02:44Capel financed Chanel's first shops and his own clothing style, notably his blazers, inspired her creation of the Chanel look.
02:53In 1919, when her beloved Arthur Capel died in a car accident, Coco Chanel said,
03:00Either I die as well or I finish what we started together.
03:03Chanel quickly became the world fashion designer, turning over the spotlight.
03:09She created a style that had been previously unthinkable for women, track suits.
03:14She dared to appear in the sailor suit and tight skirt on the beaches of seaside resorts.
03:19The style produced by the House of Chanel was simple, practical, and elegant.
03:24A couple of years later, she sewed a red and coat without a belt and ornaments, removing the bust and curves with almost masculine stringency.
03:33She created an understated waist, dress shirt, pants for women, and beach pajamas.
03:39Coco wore pants quite rarely, as she believed that a woman would never look in the pants as good as a man would.
03:45Legacy
03:46Coco Chanel left a lasting mark on women's fashion and design.
03:50Up until the First World War, women's clothing had been quite restrictive and tended to involve full-length skirts, which were impractical for many activities.
04:00Coco Chanel helped create women's clothing that was simpler and more practical.
04:05She also introduced trousers and suits for women, something which had not been done before.
04:10Chanel is definitely one of the leading luxury brands in the world, representing the ultimate French luxury house.
04:17In fragrances, the brand has the iconic Chanel No. 5 that has marked the history of the fragrance industry.
04:25Her sense of sophistication and taste for best and luxurious apparel placed her among the most respected as well as graceful, stylish icons.
04:35Her timeless design suits, especially her trademark product Little Black Dress, are still prominent among stylish women and the fashion world.
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