On Mademoiselle’s birthday, there is much to learn from the Parisian queen of haute couture—and the way she bent the rules of fashion with her wild imagination
In the 1920s, Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel’s style files encouraged women across the world to embark on their own sartorial journey—one that was uninhibited by judgment, and tradition. With a number of important style innovations under her sleeve, she was one of the most influential fashion figures of all time.
Here are six iconic quotes from the poster girl for pearls, along with her breakthrough innovations that changed the way women dressed forever.
Earning Her Stripes
Coco Chanel battled the rigid styles of the Belle Époque by recreating the casual, striped, nautical T-shirts worn by French sailors and fishermen and introducing them to her line-up of women’s clothes. Representative of women’s emancipation from traditional gender roles, this stylised version of the Breton shirt was a big hit among women and became synonymous with relaxed beachside holiday dressing.
