Coco Chanel: Fashion Icon, Innovator, and Controversial Figure
Few figures in fashion have left as enduring a mark as Coco Chanel. Known for revolutionising women’s style with innovations like the little black dress, tweed jackets, and gold-chained handbags, Chanel shaped 20th-century fashion as much as she mirrored its complexities. Yet, her legacy is not merely one of elegance and sophistication; it is also fraught with controversy, particularly due to her personal relationships and her documented involvement with the Nazis during World War II. Chanel’s story is one of remarkable reinvention, ambition, and contradiction.
From Orphan to Designer: Coco Chanel’s Early Life
Born Gabrielle Chanel on 19 August 1883 in Saumur, France, her early years were marked by hardship. Her mother, Jeanne Devolle, died when Chanel was just 12 years old, leaving Gabrielle and her siblings in the care of their father, Albert, a travelling peddler. Unable to care for his children, Albert abandoned them at the convent of Aubazine, a stark and austere orphanage run by nuns. Here, Chanel was introduced to sewing, a skill that would become the foundation of her success. The strict black-and-white uniforms of the nuns left a lasting impression on her design aesthetic, inspiring her lifelong preference for minimalist elegance.
At the age of 18, Chanel left the convent and worked as a seamstress by day. By night, she performed at café-concerts, a precursor to cabarets, singing songs like “Ko Ko Ri Ko” and “Qui qu’a vu Coco dans l’Trocadéro?” The nickname “Coco” may have originated from these performances, where audiences would call for encores by shouting “Coco! Coco!” Chanel, however, preferred the narrative that the name was a term of endearment used by her father. Another interpretation ties it to cocotte, a French term for a kept woman—a foreshadowing of her relationships with influential men.
From Hats to Haute Couture
Chanel’s first major career move came when she became a licensed milliner, opening her hat shop Chanel Modes in 1910. The venture was funded by Étienne Balsan, a wealthy heir and one of Chanel’s early lovers. Chanel initially lived with Balsan as his mistress, embracing the financial and social opportunities this provided. Her hats gained popularity when actress Gabrielle Dorziat wore them publicly, sparking a trend among the Parisian elite.
During her time with Balsan, Chanel became acquainted with Arthur “Boy” Capel, one of Balsan’s closest friends. Capel, a British aristocrat and polo player, would prove instrumental in Chanel’s rise, both financially and emotionally. He financed her first clothing shop in Deauville, encouraging her to design clothes that reflected her vision of simplicity and elegance. Capel’s influence extended beyond his financial support; his personal style, marked by understated luxury, resonated deeply with Chanel and informed many of her later creations. Tragically, Capel died in a car accident in 1919, a loss that devastated Chanel. “In losing Capel, I lost everything,” she reportedly said. “What followed was not a life of happiness, I can tell you that.”
Their relationship also inspired an anecdote that captures Chanel’s pragmatism and ambition. When asked why she didn’t marry Capel, she allegedly replied, “There have been several Duchesses of Westminster. There is only one Chanel.”
Revolutionising Women’s Fashion
At a time when women’s fashion was dominated by restrictive corsets and elaborate embellishments, Chanel introduced a new philosophy of elegance rooted in practicality. She pioneered the use of jersey fabric—a material previously reserved for men’s underwear—to create simple, draped dresses. Chanel’s designs liberated women from the constraints of the Belle Époque silhouette, offering a more modern and relaxed approach to fashion.
Her most iconic contribution to fashion was the little black dress (LBD), introduced in 1926. At the time, black was associated with mourning, but Chanel transformed it into a universal symbol of chic. Vogue compared the LBD to the Ford Model T, describing it as a garment that all women could wear, regardless of class.
Chanel’s penchant for menswear-inspired designs extended to tweed suits, trousers, and her signature striped Breton tops. She also set trends outside of clothing: after returning from a Mediterranean cruise with the Duke of Westminster in the 1920s, Chanel was photographed with a suntan, sparking a cultural shift toward tanned skin as a sign of health and leisure.
A Life of Influence and Scandal
Chanel’s relationships often blurred the lines between romance and strategy. Her affair with the Duke of Westminster, one of the wealthiest men in the world, lasted for nearly a decade. The duke lavished her with gifts, including properties in England and Scotland. It was during her time with him that Chanel became friends with Winston Churchill, who often praised her character and work ethic. Churchill wrote to his wife about Chanel, describing her as “a most capable and agreeable woman” who “motored to Paris after dinner, and today is engaged in passing and improving dresses on endless streams of mannequins.” Their unlikely friendship persisted for years, and Churchill would later play a role in helping Chanel avoid prosecution after World War II.
Hugh Richard Arthur Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster; Coco Chanel; and Winston Churchill
Chanel’s connection to artistic and intellectual circles was equally significant. She had a brief, tempestuous relationship with Pablo Picasso, which reportedly ended due to their clashing egos. Chanel also supported composer Igor Stravinsky, providing him with financial assistance and a place to stay in her villa in Garches when he faced hardship. Their relationship was immortalised in anecdotes, with Chanel reportedly telling friends, “Stravinsky’s music awakens in me the same reaction as my dresses—it doesn’t scream, it whispers.”
However, Chanel’s relationships during World War II would cast the darkest shadow over her legacy. During the Nazi occupation of Paris, she lived at the Ritz Hotel and entered a long-term affair with Hans Günther von Dincklage, a German intelligence officer. Her connection to von Dincklage facilitated her collaboration with the Abwehr, Germany’s military intelligence agency. Chanel was given the codename “Westminster” and identified as Agent F-7124.
Chanel’s wartime activities remain highly controversial. She attempted to use Nazi anti-Semitic policies to wrest control of Chanel No. 5 from the Jewish Wertheimer family. Despite her efforts, the Wertheimers safeguarded their stake by transferring ownership to an Aryan proxy, later reclaiming full control after the war. Chanel’s defenders argue that her actions were motivated by survival rather than ideology, but her detractors cite her opportunism and collaboration as evidence of moral compromise.
Post-War Reinvention and Enduring Legacy
After the war, Chanel faced scrutiny for her Nazi affiliations. Though questioned, she avoided prosecution, reportedly thanks to her friendship with Churchill. She retreated to Switzerland for nearly a decade before returning to Paris in 1954 to revive her fashion house. Competing against the “New Look” popularised by Christian Dior, Chanel reintroduced her streamlined silhouettes, including the iconic 2.55 quilted handbag, which freed women’s hands with its practical shoulder strap.
Chanel died in 1971 at the Ritz Hotel, leaving behind a legacy that continues to shape modern fashion. The Wertheimer family still owns the Chanel brand, now valued at billions. Her designs, from the LBD to Chanel No. 5, remain cultural touchstones.
Chanel’s life, marked by ambition, creativity, and controversy, is a reminder that icons are rarely without flaws. Her relationships, both romantic and professional, reflect a woman who sought to transcend her circumstances and define herself on her own terms. While her legacy is complex, Chanel’s influence endures, her name synonymous with timeless elegance and the power of reinvention.