Coco Chanel: The Revolutionary Icon of Modern Fashion

The Legacy of Coco Chanel

Coco Chanel (original name: Gabrielle Chanel) is one of the mythical figures of French fashion and an international reference in the industry. The term "fashion pioneer" is an understatement for this French designer who marked a before and an after in the industry. Her irreverent, controversial, inventive, and revolutionary personality turned her into a fashion icon.

Coco hated the strict and uncomfortable fashion of big hats, corsets, and gauntlets. She firmly believed that elegance in clothes meant "freedom to move," which was the premise of her designs. This led her to design extremely simple, comfortable clothes with straight lines, yet with a touch of distinction (Sandra Vicen, 2017).

Redefining the Feminine Silhouette

She mixed the male wardrobe with the feminine one, incorporating:

• Pants
• Knit sweaters
• Flat shoes
• Blazers
• Hats

Until Coco arrived, women dressed in a Baroque style with heavy ornaments, stuffed into uncomfortable dresses and corsets. She liberalized the silhouette and adapted comfortable masculine garments to the female body, which led to immediate success despite the reluctance of some in society at the time.

Innovations in Style and Accessories

Chanel introduced several groundbreaking concepts:

• Tweed: She utilized fabric traditionally destined for men's suits in women's dresses.
• Jewelry: She popularized long chains, large fantasy pearl necklaces, and thick earrings.
• Handbags: She added chains to bags to free up women's hands.
• Hats: She transformed hats into simple accessories by removing feathers and excessive jewelry.
• Modern Trends: She popularized the short "male" haircut, created functional clothes for working women, and championed the use of tanned skin.
• The Color Black: She famously established black as the ultimate color of elegance.

On the other hand, she was a pioneering businesswoman in history and the first model of her own clothing line. She evidenced that elegance and style have nothing to do with social classes (Mulero, C. 2017).