The passion that Gabrielle Chanel had towards her work on fashion came when Boy Capel soon realised that the only thing Gabrielle Chanel really loved was work. What she wanted was to use her hands, her head and her very definite likes and dislikes. And so Gabrielle Chanel started her first step towards fashion industry by becoming a milliner. It was her road to freedom and fame (Baudot, 1996, p.6).
Gabrielle Chanel’s first lover, Etienne Balsan generously offered her his ground floor bachelor flat, which transformed into a studio. Her girlfriends, who were still leading the good life with their various gentleman admirers, wore her first creations, thinking they were doing her a favour. Sometimes she was mocked for her boaters decorated with
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She was the one who invented ‘the little black dresses, quilted handbags, tweeted suit and known for the legendary logo of an interlocking double-C (Werle, 2011, p.21). Gabrielle Chanel was the woman who designed for other women, delivering garments that mirrored their changing role in society (Hess, 2015, p.81). She had stated, “I, who love women, wanted to give her clothes in which she could drive a car, yet at the same time clothes that emphasized her femininity, clothes that flowed with her body. A woman is closest to being naked when she is well dressed.” (Lovinski, 2010, …show more content…
Her women wore sweaters, short pleated skirts with dropped waist lines (Figure 2) and cloche hats. Boni de Castellane, a Parisian dandy, said: ‘Women no longer exist. All that’s left are the boys created by Chanel.’ The little black dress, a reaction to Paul Poiret’s orientalist colours and derived from the chemise dress, was a signature piece. Gabrielle Chanel was a harsh critic of Poiet’s sense of the dramatic and elaborate dressing. She used his clothing as a meter of what hers must not be. She did not approve of Paul Poiret’s ornate and dramatic sense of style because it did not allow women freedom of movement or comfort (Lovinski, 2010, p.33). Previously, black was for mourning clothes only, Chanel made it chic. Black and white, for her, created a ‘perfect harmony’ (Polan and Tredre, 2009,
During her time in Moulins Chanel met and courted Etienne Balsan, an affluent textile hier. For three years she lived with him at his castle in Compiègne serving as his mistress. There Chanel lived a life of wealth and luxury that would not have been possible without Balsan. Later in her career it was those riches that inspired many of her iconic designs; her times spent on yachts lead her to incorporate those traditionally sailors looks of striped shirts and bell bottoms into her later
Although Collette Dinnigan’s style varies slightly from season to season the same philosophy “to produce beautiful pieces that are affordable, wearable, versatile and child friendly” remains constant as does her “passionate feeling for what women want” 2. This is especially evident in her Autumn/Winter 2008 collection ‘Midnight in Moscow’ where Dinnigan implements a more ominous theme making it luxury self-indulgence. The collection is dark with an armoured feel combined with silver hues and dark shades in gladiator-style dresses, girly pleated gowns and military-style jackets. The darkness of these designs contrast heavily with her tr...
...s far as the author is concern, the fact that CoCo Chanel left the Victorian ideas and lived a life of her own made other women admire her. According to the author, clothing design was her star that raised her above other women. It would be better if other women would emulate her character and moral beliefs that should attract other women.
Big hair, bright colors, and denim helped to establish the time period the play was set in. Each actress’ outfit gave the audience an idea of her character’s personality. For instance, Clairee wore pant suits and looked the part of a sophisticated, classy former mayor’s wife. On the other hand, Ouiser wore comfortable clothes; often sporting a pair of jeans and a flannel shirt over a t-shirt showing her practical and simple lifestyle. The use of jackets and scarves portrayed the change in season and helped establish the different time frames from scene to scene. The costumes reflected each character well and were fitting for the time in which the play was portrayed.
Working at her father’s clothing shop, she became very knowledgeable about expensive textiles and embellishments, which were captured in her works later in career. She was able to capture the beauty and lavishness of fabrics in portraits of aristocratic women.
Edna seeks occupational freedom in art, but lacks sufficient courage to become a true artist. As Edna awakens to her selfhood and sensuality, she also awakens to art. Originally, Edna “dabbled” with sketching “in an unprofessional way” (Chopin 543). She could only imitate, although poorly (Dyer 89). She attempts to sketch Adèle Ratignolle, but the picture “bore no resemblance” to its subject. After her awakening experience in Grand Isle, Edna begins to view her art as an occupation (Dyer 85). She tells Mademoiselle Reisz that she is “becoming an artist” (Chopin 584). Women traditionally viewed art as a hobby, but to Edna, it was much more important than that. Painting symbolizes Edna’s independence; through art, she breaks free from her society’s mold.
As a teenager, Marie spent her time enjoying Versailles' and Paris' night life with a notorious clique and fondness of making fashion statements through extravagant couture and bold coiffures (“The Grand Dauphin”). ...
The “little black dress” has become a staple for every woman’s wardrobe. It was designed to be simple, versatile and affordable. The “little black dress” was cut in a black crepe with a high neckline, long fitted sleeves and hemline that stopped just above the knee and paired well with long white pearls. It was known as a fashion basic that every woman must have in her wardrobe. The concept for the dress was that it could be worn during the day as a more casual outfit or dressed up as elegant evening wear. Although the color black was previously used for mourning she made it chic and
Because Madame Loisel was blessed with beauty, but she “had no fine dresses, no jewels, nothing. Yet luxury was all she cared about; she felt that she had been born for it. She wanted so much to give pleasure, to be envied, to be alluring and admired” and longed for a wealthy life, she wanted to dress like the wealthy when given the chance to mingle among them, but Madame Loisel believes she might be able to find a “suitable dress...for four hundred
Coco Chanel, born Gabrielle Bonhuer Chanel, on August 19, 1883 in Saumur, France was an amazing woman who redefined fashion as we know it today. She was a clothing designer who revolutionized the fashion industry with her suits, little black dresses, and avant garde flare. Because of this quickly in her young life she became well know, and rose to be the fashion icon that she is today. From the timeless designs that are still popular to this day, and the sophisticated outfits that can be paired with great accessories Chanel has done it all. When it comes down to it though it was Coco Chanel’s philosophy that “luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it’s not luxury” that lead to her success. (“Coco Chanel”)
Fashion has been around ever since ancient times, since the time of the Romans, it survived the world wars and is yet today a business with rapid changes. Fashion started off as an art form, a way for the rich to show their social status with unique and innovative designs that only they could afford. It was a way to separate the social classes of the society. In this paper I will include the creators of haute couture, and how the following designers developed couture, as well as leading names in today’s ready-to-wear industry. The list is long, but I chose to focus on the three most important designers in the modern fashion industry.
“Elegance is not the prerogative of those who have just escaped from adolescence, but of those who have already taken possession of their future “(Elegance par. 1). Chanel was a woman who was always seen wearing her own unique fashion. She would never be seen wearing something society would see as something a normal woman would wear; this made her unforgettable (Charles-Roux 5-6). In the beginning, Chanel was only known for creating and designing hats, but she would soon be known for so much more (Charles-Roux 91). Because of Chanel’s new bold ideas, the women’s fashion industry has forever been changed (Charles-Roux 6).
Coco Chanel was a fashion inspiration who ruled the fashion empire for decades. Her classic timeless pieces changed the look of fashion. Her hard work and dedication is greatly appreciated throughout the fashion world today. With the help of her many wealthy partners, Chanel put her creative mind to work and created the world’s most popular haute couture house.
Stent, S., 2011, ‘Fetishizing the Feminine: the Surreal Fashion of Elsa Schiaparelli’, Nottingham French Studies, September, 50, 78-87.
Fashion takes on many different facets and concerns many subsets— a model sashaying down the runway in a gown encrusted in real gems, Lady Gaga’s infamous dress made of cuts of raw beef, a teenage girl obsessing over the season’s latest styles— it is all an expression of our minds and who we are or want to be, made tangible. It is a medium just like any other, for while artists wield brushes and paints, designers use thread and cloth to illustrate their vision. The artistry is none more so apparent than in the exclusive world of haute couture, a world of extravagance that caters to aesthetics, producing one-of-a-kind wearable masterpieces that are made to be admired rather than worn. It is without doubt, high fashion and its design is an art.