The name Chanel brings immediately to mind the signature scent of No. 5 and the understated but sophisticated glamour of a simple black dress and pearls. But to label Gabrielle lsquo;Cocorsquo; Chanel (1883ndash;1971) solely as a fashion designer is to overlook her social and cultural significance. Chanel was an iconoclastic entrepreneur; who rebelled against and manipulated gender expectations of her time. With her menswear-inspired designs; her loose jersey sweaters and her svelte; unadorned gowns; she changed the female silhouettes and became known as a champion of womenrsquo;s freedom. From 1913; when she first opened a hat shop in the holiday resort of Deauville; until her death in 1971; Chanel sold more than just fashion ndash; she sold a myth that became as attractive to many women as her coveted outfits; accessories and perfumes.Linda Simon teases apart the myth that Chanel and her adoring public collaborated to create; and explores its contradictions ndash; Chanel was a self-proclaimed recluse who emerged as one of the most spectacular personalities of her time; she was a brilliant businesswoman who signed away 90 per cent of her company; a genius who claimed she was nothing more than an artisan. Simon examines the world both reflected and shaped by Chanel; setting her life and work within the context of events in France and America from before the First World War to the profound social changes of the 1960s. Simonrsquo;s lively book is a clear-eyed perspective on a woman whose influence and legend transcend the world of fashion.
#3747759 in eBooks 2010-03-09 2010-03-09File Name: B00669AUV8
Review
