Summary
Summary
Little black dresses. Fake pearls. Jersey knit. Blazers. Ballet flats. Today-and for nearly the last hundred years-we all see some version of Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel every time we pass a woman on the street. But few among us realize that Chanel's role in the events of the twentieth century was as pervasive as her influence on fashion, or how deeply she absorbed and then brilliantly reimagined the historical currents around her. Here, with unprecedented detail and ambition-and through fascinating, thoroughly researched portraits of Chanel's lovers and friends-Rhonda Garelick shows us the Chanel who conquered the world: a woman who thirsted to create others in her image, who ruthlessly and innovatively borrowed from her famous (and infamous) intimates, who understood the idea of branding and image well ahead of her time, who created "wearable personality." This is Chanel at the nexus of history: a woman of daring, passion, and legendary vision, in a wonderful biography that gives her long-awaited due.
Reviews (1)
Library Journal Review
Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel was born into poverty and raised in a convent orphanage after the death of her mother. Her lovers included aristocrats, diplomats, composers, and a Nazi officer. A wealthy admirer assisted her with setting up a hat design business that evolved into the Chanel Corporation, the world's most profitable privately held luxury goods maker. World War I was a turning point for Chanel. The demands of the war meant that upper-class women were working outside the home for the first time, and they snapped up the designer's simple garments, which allowed freedom of movement. Garelick (Electric Salome) explains that Chanel had a talent for absorbing the spirit of the times and incorporating it into her designs, in the process transforming the way women dressed. Tavia Gilbert gives a solid rendering of the drama of Chanel's eventful life. VERDICT Recommended for public libraries and fans of fashion or history. ["This exhaustively researched yet highly readable biography secures a prominent place among countless books on Chanel," read the starred review of the Random hc, LJ 9/1/14.]--Cynthia Jensen, Gladys Harrington Lib., Plano, TX © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.