C. W. Gortner has written a well researched, insightful
biography of an iconic fashion designer who left a lasting
impression in the world of fashion. MADEMOISELLE CHANEL is
a page turner and one of my most enjoyable reads in
2015. Mr. Gortner has a gift. He knows how to tell a story
with rich descriptions, and for this fashionista, now and
forever, it was pure joy.
Gabrielle Chanel was raised in poverty. Her mother was a
laundress. Her husband abandoned her and her five children
and she raised them as best she could. Gabrielle never
lost faith in Papa, telling her siblings he would return and
care for them. That was not to be. He did return when her
mother died only to place the three girls in a convent to be
raised by the nuns. The Sisters of Aubazine excelled at
sewing and noticed Gabrielle's skill with a needle. At 14,
Sister Therese asked her to embroider a camellia onto a
handkerchief from a pattern in a book. When it was completed
sister said, "Perfect. You need not fear, child. A skill
like this will save you. We will care for you and hope that
an apprenticeship can be found for you when you leave the
convent".
The promised apprenticeship turned out to be repair of army
uniforms, long hours, and a tiny heated attic room that took
most of her earnings. She turned to singing in clubs. The
only song she knew was about Coco, a dog lost near the
Trocodero. It became her theme song and Coco became her
stage name. She met, Etienne Balsan, a wealthy Englishman,
who took her to live with him at his chateau, Rayallieu.
There he gave her money for hats and supplies to decorate
them and the use of one of his rooms to display them. Her
career began, slowly but surely. Balsan introduced her to
another Englishman, Arthur Capel, or Boy as he was known to
all. Boy became the love of her life, and though she became
rich and famous, his death brought her heartbreak that would
stay with her for a long, long time.
Coco Chanel was a woman ahead of her time. "No more woman
wearing fruits and birds on their heads as hats", no more
corsets, instead the little black dress, long ropes of
pearls, daring and modern, sleek and easy to wear. She was
self-created, brilliant, a workaholic perfectionist who was
a fashion maven, a visionary, and a survivor. She
remains a fascinating figure and her simple, elegant clothes
designed for wearability and beauty are seen and coveted
today. Her perfume Chanel #5 has also stood the test of
time and the next time I visit the cosmetics department near
my home, I plan to spritz some Chanel #5 and remember Coco
Chanel!
For readers of The Paris Wife and Z comes this vivid novel full of drama, passion,
tragedy, and beauty that stunningly imagines the life of iconic fashion designer
Coco Chanel—the ambitious, gifted laundrywoman’s daughter who revolutionized
fashion, built an international empire, and become one of the most influential and
controversial figures of the twentieth century.
Born into rural poverty, Gabrielle Chanel and her siblings are sent to orphanage
after their mother’s death. The sisters nurture Gabrielle’s exceptional sewing
skills, a talent that will propel the willful young woman into a life far removed
from the drudgery of her childhood.
Transforming herself into Coco—a seamstress and sometime torch singer—the petite
brunette burns with ambition, an incandescence that draws a wealthy gentleman who
will become the love of her life. She immerses herself in his world of money and
luxury, discovering a freedom that sparks her creativity. But it is only when her
lover takes her to Paris that Coco discovers her destiny.
Rejecting the frilly, corseted silhouette of the past, her sleek, minimalist
styles reflect the youthful ease and confidence of the 1920s modern woman. As
Coco’s reputation spreads, her couturier business explodes, taking her into
rarefied society circles and bohemian salons. But her fame and fortune cannot save
her from heartbreak as the years pass. And when Paris falls to the Nazis, Coco is
forced to make choices that will haunt her.
An enthralling novel of an extraordinary woman who created the life she desired,
Mademoiselle Chanel explores the inner world of a woman of staggering ambition
whose strength, passion and artistic vision would become her trademark.
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