Fact + Fashion: 6 Things About Coco Chanel You Didn't Know

I don't know much about Coco Chanel. There I said it. Actually, maybe not a lot of people do. The real Coco Chanel anyway.

Sure there was that movie with the ever so lovely Audrey Tautou (whom I adore!) but even that isn't the whole truth, or even a fraction of it. And I suppose we won't ever know the whole truth as Coco Chanel was extremely keen on shaping her past and her life the way she saw fit.

Frankly, the more I read about Coco Chanel the more I battle with my love/hate relationship with her. Did she make beautiful clothes that changed the shape of women's fashion? Yes. Was she nice? Not so much... in fact, not really at all.

Coco Chanel was meticulous about her work and a perfectionist | source

6 Things About Coco Chanel You Didn't Know

1.] Diana Vreeland said of Coco Chanel that she wasn't particularly a nice person but they were friends. But was she pleasant, not at all. I read this in Diana Vreeland's autobiography "DV" when she talks about her life in Paris.

Coco Chanel photographed in 1937 by Boris Lipnitzki | source

2.] Her last major love affair was with a German spy, right at the dawn of World War II. His name was Hans Gunther von Dincklage and he arranged for Coco to reside in the Hotel Ritz during the Nazi occupation of France during World War II. {source}

3.] At the age of 20 she found work as a seamstress having honed her sewing skills at the Aubazine convent. BTW, side note, if you've never seen photos of Aubazine, you should. {source}

4.] Coco Chanel is depicted naked in a political cartoon drawn by her antisemitic lover Paul Iribe in which she represents France and is being cradled by Adolf Hitler and protected from Jews. {source}

5.] At her funeral, Coco Chanel's fashion models occupied the first seats and her coffin was covered with camellias, gardenias, orchids, and azaleas. A few red roses were also present as accent flowers. from Wikipedia

6.] She made suntans cool. Prior to Coco Chanel's time, being tanned usually meant you were a laborer. But she changed the outlook of being sun kissed with the idea that if you were bronzed it meant you lived a life of leisure. From the book Chanel and Her World (1981)

Coco Chanel as a young lady c.1910 | source

Coco Chanel photographed for Vogue c.1954 by Henry Clarke | source

Coco Chanel on the balcony of the Ritz hotel where she lived during the war years | source

Henry Ford Historic Costume Collection | the 1920s & the 1930s

Here are some really stunning vintage dresses and shoes dating from the 1920s and 1930s that are showcased at the Henry Ford Costume Collection website. I just adore the clothing and accessories from this period. While I know most of the vintage dresses showcased here were worn for special occasions, it just baffles my mind how exquisitely lovely it all is!



White gauze dress with red and pink floral pattern. Peach-colored lining, weighted at bottom. Sewn-on sash.


Evening dress of blue chiffon over pink chiffon over metallic lace with pink silk lining. Neckline outlined with fabric flowers in shades of purple, mauve, yellow, pink, green; flowers have some gold embroidery and are interspersed with painted wooden beads in yellow and green.


Medium-blue floor-length silk chiffon dress with white spiral print. Some spirals embroidered with white beads and small iridescent sequins.


Navy blue silk crepe dress with scattered pattern of light pink, dark pink, and yellow flowers. Scarf collar with faggoting and pleated edge tied in bow at base.


Off-white silk chiffon dress. Scattered rhinestones on upper portion. Center and waistline embroidered in floral pattern with silver sequins, silver bugle beads, silver threads, silver spherical beads, rhinestones.


Dress of turquoise silk georgette over aqua crepe-backed satin. Aqua lace embroidered with gold thread at hem and neckline. Large rhinestone applied bows on left side.


Pair of dark red silk satin open-toed shoes. Ankle strap secures with a silver and rhinestone buckle.


Pair of coral silk crepe shoes. Openwork on quarter and vamp. Ankle strap secures with white metal buckle embedded with rhinestones.


Pair of dark blue silk satin T-strap shoes. Silver accents on straps, throatline, and top edge.


Pair of dark blue silk satin T-strap shoes. Open bands on side of vamp. Open work on side of quarter.


Callot Soeurs light coral sleeveless silk crepe dress. Inner slip of light pink silk charmuese covered with net straps. Slip is covered with an attached outer slip of crepe.

All images are from Henry Ford Costume Collection.

Who's Who in Fashion: Charles Frederick Worth, 19th Century Designer

He is regarded as the "Father of Haute Couture" or "the first couturier"... English born but became a household name in France. Charles Frederick Worth was prominent fashion designer in the later part of the 19th century.

He drew some of his design inspirations from historic portraits and used very lavish fabrics and trimmings on his clothing. Nearly all of his designs were one-of-a-kind and made specifically for a certain client.

I really love all the pale and muted colors he uses. I imagine many of his inspirations came from portraits painted by Thomas Gainsborough.


Evening/Reception
Gown by Charles Frederick Worth c. 1890


Paris, France Pale pink and cream satin, machine-made lace, c. 1880



And here are a few Thomas Gainsborough paintings from the late 18th century... lovely similarities, hm?



Image Credits: 1.} Mint Musuem 2.} Victoria and Albert Musuem 3.} Met Museum 4.} Met Museum 5.} Penwith.co.uk 6.} Guardian.co.uk 7.} Olga's Gallery