It was Coco Chanel who said, "Dress sharply and they'll remember the outfit; dress impeccably and they'll remember the woman." (Coco Chanel Quotes 1) It was Chanel and her innovations that allowed millions of women to dress impeccably in timeless designs that have surpassed generations and even wars. Chanel was one of the most highly influential people in the history of fashion, and the couture house that bears her name is still one of the forerunners in high fashion today. However, despite Chanel's many innovations not only in fashion design but also in business practices, her influence remains simply a period of fashion history instead of a source of inspiration for designers today. According to Amy De La Haye and Shelley Tobin, "Designers, manufacturers and stylists continue to exploit the Chanel look to the present day." (57) Chanel did not influence the fashion and luxury industry by exploiting the ideas of others. Contemporary designers should emulate the innovativeness of Coco Chanel and the business practices of the House of Chanel in order to further benefit the fashion and luxury industry.
Before she was "Coco", Chanel was born Gabrielle Chanel, the second daughter to Jeanne Devolle and Albert Chanel in a Saumur hospice on August 20, 1883 (Madsen 4). A year before, Julia Chanel was born in Aubenas to the couple on September 11, 1882. (Charles-Roux, CHANEL 16-18). After Gabrielle, Jeanne gave birth to a daughter named Antoinette and two sons named Alphonse and Lucien. Jeanne's last son, Augustin, died in infancy. Jeanne died at age 32 and Albert was never seen again. The children were separated; the boys were sent to work on farm households while the girls were sent to an orphanage (Madsen 6-10). Gabrielle and Julie spent the next seven years at an orphanage in Aubazine (Charles-Roux, CHANEL 41).
The Chanel girls spent their holidays at their grandparents' house in Moulins. Their grandparents' youngest daughter, Adrienne, was the same age...
