All about Queen Coco herself

We have all heard her name or seen her designs. But do you know the story behind the women who gave freedom of dress to women in the World War II era? 

Where it all started ...

The designer was born on August 19, 1883 in France and her name was Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel. She spent her childhood in an orphanage where she learned to sew, a skill that would lead to her life's work.

You may be wondering, if her name is Gabrielle, why does she call herself Coco? That's because in her youth she worked as a singer in a cafe, where she got the name "Coco" when she was identified with two popular songs "Ko Ko Ri Ko" and "Qui qu'a vu Coco".

The first store

At the age of 20, Coco opened her own hat shop, thanks to the financial support she received from a rich man. Later she opened two more stores in which she began to sell clothes.

In 1920, Chanel took her already thriving business to new heights with the iconic Chanel No. 5 perfume, created with the intention of redefining the concept of women.

What you may not know is that the number 5 had great symbolism for the designer. Therefore, she kept the fifth sample of the perfume that she would present on May 5 (the fifth month of the year), as she said it would bring her good luck to keep the number 5.

Real Chanel classics

As if that wasn't enough, Coco Chanel created the iconic little black dress, made of wool or chenille for daytime wear, and satin, crepe or velvet for nighttime. With this design, Chanel allowed every women to walk like millionaires.

Another of her most famous designs were the 2.55 bags, inspired by the bags of soldiers during the war. 

Her comeback

Chanel closed her couture house in 1939 with the outbreak of World War II. Still, the designer's career was far from over, as at the age of 70, Chanel made a triumphant return to the fashion industry.

Coco Chanel died in January 1971 at the age of 87. Her funeral took place at the Eglise de la Madeleine, a memorial gathering attended by other designers such as Yves Saint Laurent, Pierre Balmain and Cristobal Balenciaga.

Even though it's been 51 years since her death, she's still considered an icon in the fashion industry, and a beloved designer who broke the rules and helped women say goodbye to the days of corsets and other restrictive garments.