It is complete, and chronicles Coco's entire life. I have little knowledge of the histoy of fashion. This woman had impeccable instincts and could turn almost any situation around and then kick it forward in high gear.Any woman who has worked in business, or as an entrepreneur of any kind will understand her on some level. I found myself both despising and completely adoring Coco Chanel, based on this biography.
Madsen obviously did heaps of research, and managed to piece the bits together to highlight the crucial elements, dropping the unessential like dressmaker's pins to the floor (careful where you step).I've bookmarked a half-dozen pages for my own furthered research: Movies she costumed, crucial style elements, personalities she clothed, and shoulders she rubbed. Fashion critic. Chanel, in later life, was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time, and one wonders whether an untrained, gauche entrepreneur like her would have been as successful in today’s fashion world.I’ve only been reading this for two weeks??
Chanel's youth and early adulthood is very drawn out.
I have little knowledge of the histoy of fashion. Now Axel Madsen tells Chanel's story. She had no money, but she always had influence because she believed in herself completely. As Katherine Hep Why people think Chanel as independent woman? Of poverty. Later in life she would describe as living with her aunts. Fabulous. She started her first shop form the money from Etienne Balsan and the rest is history. Born of poor parents, raised in an orphanage, and looking at tough odds for success didn't seem to slow this woman's life down. Axel Madsen’s biography is probably my favourite book detailing the life of this fashion icon/revolutionary, entrepreneur, sponsor of the arts and generally enigmatic woman.Madsen does an excellent job giving the reader a lot of historical, cultural and political context to frame the story of this very uniqu I have always been fascinated with the life of Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel (and not just because we share a first name! She revolutionized womens fashion. Her ruthless drive for perfection, wealth, power, and love made for an interesting read.I'm of a generation and background where Chanel = pink tweed suits for old society ladies, and surprisingly I had never done much Wikipedia-surfing on the woman behind it all except something about how she got started as the mistress of a rich man, so I was totally flabbergasted by her kind of crazy history and what she did for fashion. Before her time, women only wore black dresses to funerals. Her parents sold various goods in local markets. The little details of her designs and life are what make this story interesting, even if she did try to keep her years of childhood a secret during her lifetime.This biography is a bit of a rough read, but interesting all the same. Based upon our own political opinions we may be critical or resentful of her action.
I came across two names that intrigued me: Coco Chanel and Elsie de Wolfe. Suddenly though, the Second World War comes to France and the book grinds to a rather slow pace. Things we take for granted today like the little black dress, sling back shoes, the quilted bag, a suit, and a long strand of pearls, all exist simply because Chanel was wholly original and willing to take risks. It also, offers a great deal of interesting insight into the perfume side of the business, and her complicated relationship with the Wertheimer family. A modern woman for her time, and with a talent that was financially backed by her boyfriend, she took off.The book is very detailed and insightful. Chanel liberated women from the constrains of the corset and introduced more practical women's clothing (boyish sportswear, suits, and unisex pants) in the early twentieth century. Madsen obviously did heaps of research, and managed to piece the bits together to highlight the crucial elements, dropping the unessential like dressmaker's pins to the floor (careful where you step).I've bookmarked a half-dozen pages for my own furthered research: Movies she costumed, crucial style elements, personaliti This was really quite interesting: I'd already assumed that Ms. Chanel's life was quite an adventure, but comprehensive biographies aren't always such a dependable thrill ride. She had many lovers but never settled down because she liked her independence too much and wanted to continue working. In this elegant book Justine Picardie writes about the life and character of Coco Chanel. When she lost love of her life (Boy Capel BTW!!!) She was a tyrant to people she didn't like but she was also generous to many artists and supported some of them financially.