Coco Chanel

Coco Chanel was a French fashion designer and businesswoman who revolutionized the style and aesthetics of women's clothing in the 20th century. She was born in a poorhouse in Saumur, France, and raised by nuns after her mother's death. She learned to sew at a young age and started her career as a milliner. She opened her first shop in Paris in 1910, selling hats and later expanding to clothing. She introduced simple, elegant, and comfortable designs that contrasted with the corseted and elaborate fashion of the time. She popularized the use of jersey fabric, tweed, and black color in women's clothing. She also created iconic accessories such as the quilted purse, costume jewelry, and the interlocked-CC monogram. She launched her first perfume, Chanel No. 5, in 1921, which became one of the most famous fragrances in the world. She also designed costumes for theater and cinema, collaborating with artists such as Pablo Picasso, Igor Stravinsky, and Jean Cocteau. She closed her fashion house during World War II and faced controversy for her involvement with a German officer. She returned to fashion in 1954, at the age of 71, and continued to create influential collections until her death in 1971. She is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in fashion history and a symbol of modern, liberated, and independent womanhood.