Coco before Chanel

Legendary couturier and creator of the little black dress, Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel, is the subject of an exciting new movie called 'Coco avant Chanel', or 'Coco before Chanel'. The part will be played by actress Audrey Tautou. The film focuses on the early life of the designer - starting with her arrival at the orphanage that she grew up in, which is also where she learnt to sew. Tatou has portrayed Chanel so well that the design house has chosen her to succeed Nicole Kidman in the new campaign for the No. 5 perfume, which launched on the fifth of this month.

There are so many reasons why we are thrilled about a biopic movie based on the life of Chanel! Not only did she create a fashion revolution, the story of the mysterious designers life is riveting. The flapper image of the 1920s was popularised by Chanel, who pioneered a new breed of women. She gave women freedom. Women who could ditch the corset and instead wear comfortable or revealing clothes, smoke cigarettes, listen to jazz music, drink, drive cars. A bit of a rebel to conventions, she didn't believe in being kept down by 'the man'. She also charmed the rich and powerful and reaped the benefits (she spent most of the second world war tucked up in The Ritz hotel.)

It was really Chanel who was the first designer to be a celebrity and icon in her own right.

We had better start brushing up on our French skills, pronto!

still images from the film:






Portrait of Coco Chanel in 1935:


Chanel in 1938


Chanel in the 1960s adding some finishing touches:


The film premiered in Paris on April 22nd.