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Mademoiselle: Coco Chanel and the Pulse of History
Certain lives are at once so exceptional, and yet so in step with their historical moments, that they illuminate cultural forces far beyond the scope of a single person. Such is the case with Coco Chanel, whose life offers one of the most fascinating tales of the twentieth century—throwing into dramatic relief an era of war, fashion, ardent nationalism, and earth-shaking change—here brilliantly treated, for the first time, with wide-ranging and incisive historical scrutiny.
Coco Chanel transformed forever the way women dressed. Her influence remains so pervasive that to this day we can see her afterimage a dozen times while just walking down a single street: in all the little black dresses, flat shoes, costume jewelry, cardigan sweaters, and tortoiseshell eyeglasses on women of every age and background. A bottle of Chanel No. 5 perfume is sold every three seconds. Arguably, no other individual has had a deeper impact on the visual aesthetic of the world. But how did a poor orphan become a global icon of both luxury and everyday style? How did she develop such vast, undying influence? And what does our ongoing love of all things Chanel tell us about ourselves? These are the mysteries that Rhonda K. Garelick unravels in Mademoiselle.
Raised in rural poverty and orphaned early, the young Chanel supported herself as best she could. Then, as an uneducated nineteen-year-old café singer, she attracted the attention of a wealthy and powerful admirer and parlayed his support into her own hat design business. For the rest of Chanel’s life, the professional, personal, and political were interwoven; her lovers included diplomat Boy Capel; composer Igor Stravinsky; Romanov heir Grand Duke Dmitri; Hugh Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster; poet Pierre Reverdy; a Nazi officer; and several women as well. For all that, she was profoundly alone, her romantic life relentlessly plagued by abandonment and tragedy.
Chanel’s ambitions and accomplishments were unparalleled. Her hat shop evolved into a clothing empire. She became a noted theatrical and film costume designer, collaborating with the likes of Pablo Picasso, Jean Cocteau, and Luchino Visconti. The genius of Coco Chanel, Garelick shows, lay in the way she absorbed the zeitgeist, reflecting it back to the world in her designs and in what Garelick calls “wearable personality”—the irresistible and contagious style infused with both world history and Chanel’s nearly unbelievable life saga. By age forty, Chanel had become a multimillionaire and a household name, and her Chanel Corporation is still the highest-earning privately owned luxury goods manufacturer in the world.
In Mademoiselle, Garelick delivers the most probing, well-researched, and insightful biography to date on this seemingly familiar but endlessly surprising figure—a work that is truly both a heady intellectual study and a literary page-turner.
Coco Chanel transformed forever the way women dressed. Her influence remains so pervasive that to this day we can see her afterimage a dozen times while just walking down a single street: in all the little black dresses, flat shoes, costume jewelry, cardigan sweaters, and tortoiseshell eyeglasses on women of every age and background. A bottle of Chanel No. 5 perfume is sold every three seconds. Arguably, no other individual has had a deeper impact on the visual aesthetic of the world. But how did a poor orphan become a global icon of both luxury and everyday style? How did she develop such vast, undying influence? And what does our ongoing love of all things Chanel tell us about ourselves? These are the mysteries that Rhonda K. Garelick unravels in Mademoiselle.
Raised in rural poverty and orphaned early, the young Chanel supported herself as best she could. Then, as an uneducated nineteen-year-old café singer, she attracted the attention of a wealthy and powerful admirer and parlayed his support into her own hat design business. For the rest of Chanel’s life, the professional, personal, and political were interwoven; her lovers included diplomat Boy Capel; composer Igor Stravinsky; Romanov heir Grand Duke Dmitri; Hugh Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster; poet Pierre Reverdy; a Nazi officer; and several women as well. For all that, she was profoundly alone, her romantic life relentlessly plagued by abandonment and tragedy.
Chanel’s ambitions and accomplishments were unparalleled. Her hat shop evolved into a clothing empire. She became a noted theatrical and film costume designer, collaborating with the likes of Pablo Picasso, Jean Cocteau, and Luchino Visconti. The genius of Coco Chanel, Garelick shows, lay in the way she absorbed the zeitgeist, reflecting it back to the world in her designs and in what Garelick calls “wearable personality”—the irresistible and contagious style infused with both world history and Chanel’s nearly unbelievable life saga. By age forty, Chanel had become a multimillionaire and a household name, and her Chanel Corporation is still the highest-earning privately owned luxury goods manufacturer in the world.
In Mademoiselle, Garelick delivers the most probing, well-researched, and insightful biography to date on this seemingly familiar but endlessly surprising figure—a work that is truly both a heady intellectual study and a literary page-turner.
608 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2014
339 people are currently reading
2027 people want to read
About the author
Rhonda K. Garelick
11 books9 followersRhonda K. Garelick is an American professor and author. She is currently a professor of English with a special joint appointment in the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts. She is the founder and director of the Interdisciplinary Arts Symposium based in the Hixson-Lied College. She is a scholar of performance, fashion, literature, visual arts, and cultural politics.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 184 reviews
March 11, 2015
My ARC courtesy of Random House/NetGalley; much thanks!
Biography of a fascinating and complex, though not very nice, woman. Focuses on the woman, rather than the fashion (which comes up; it's just not the focus).
For a further review: http://susannag.booklikes.com/post/11... .
Biography of a fascinating and complex, though not very nice, woman. Focuses on the woman, rather than the fashion (which comes up; it's just not the focus).
For a further review: http://susannag.booklikes.com/post/11... .
October 14, 2014
This detailed and meticulously researched biography of Coco Chanel is certainly both readable and endlessly fascinating, with a wealth of information about Chanel herself and the times she lived in. The author has left no stone unturned to find out everything she could, but the result is a book that is in fact overly long and occasionally repetitive, with perhaps just too much detail. This is a shame, as the subject matter is so intriguing. The book is also marred by the use of (usually anachronistic) American slang, which is out of place in a serious biography. (The text is peppered by expressions such as “women would spring for her perfume”, Cocteau could now live closer to his buddies”, many people seem to have “savvy”, Chanel “dates” Grand Duke Dmitri, and it seems unlikely that Chanel ever said, even in the original French, “a country that understands only comfort is screwed”.) The author also seems to be confused about the British Royal Family. “…the pro-Nazi branch of the British royal family, many of whose members participated in other Anglo-German strategies to end the war on German terms”. We all know about the Duke of Windsor having pro-Hitler sympathies, but he hardly constitutes a “branch”. Nor was Chanel’s former lover the Duke of Westminster a member of the royal family. And did Churchill really personally pay for the Paris flat of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, against British law? Such inaccuracies detract from an otherwise excellent biography, and for me at least made it less enjoyable than it could have been. A bit of healthy editing wouldn’t have come amiss either.
Nevertheless, overall this is a full and compelling biography and one which kept me reading to the end.
Nevertheless, overall this is a full and compelling biography and one which kept me reading to the end.
January 31, 2017
Received Chanel No. 5 as a gift and curious to the hype about it, googled it, which took me to the woman behind, her rags to riches story and the controversy regarding her being a Nazi spy. I was captivated. She had my attention and I had to read a biography of this legendary woman.
This is the 1st book I picked up and I think it captures all what is to know about Coco Chanel. It is a very detailed and comprehensive book, extremely well researched. I am very impressed by the efforts the author has put in to compile this book as it contains information not only about Chanel but details of all the people she had in her life.
For me, the problem while reading this book was it was too lengthy and kind of dragged in between, repetitive at times. The flow of the book was interrupted by too much detail of the life and political ideologies of her lovers and general political scenario of her time that on few occasions it gave a history text book feel and I felt that where is Chanel in all this. I kept loosing interest in between which made it difficult to finish.
Nevertheless, this is a good book and I got to know a great deal about this fascinating, innovative lady who was a fashion game changer and gave a sense of freedom to women by her comfortable, realistic clothing.
This is the 1st book I picked up and I think it captures all what is to know about Coco Chanel. It is a very detailed and comprehensive book, extremely well researched. I am very impressed by the efforts the author has put in to compile this book as it contains information not only about Chanel but details of all the people she had in her life.
For me, the problem while reading this book was it was too lengthy and kind of dragged in between, repetitive at times. The flow of the book was interrupted by too much detail of the life and political ideologies of her lovers and general political scenario of her time that on few occasions it gave a history text book feel and I felt that where is Chanel in all this. I kept loosing interest in between which made it difficult to finish.
Nevertheless, this is a good book and I got to know a great deal about this fascinating, innovative lady who was a fashion game changer and gave a sense of freedom to women by her comfortable, realistic clothing.
June 10, 2015
Thank you to NetGalley.
Although Chanel has been the subject of several books and films in the last few years, this biography promises to top them all. For the most part, it delivers. Garelick manages to position Coco Chanel as the central icon of the 20th century, connecting the dots between everything from women's suffrage (down with corsets!) to the seductive allure of Nazism (the sexy uniforms did for men what Chanel couture did for women!) and even the Kennedy assassination (Jackie's bloodstained raspberry wool boucle suit!).
Garelick shows a deep understanding of European and American culture, language, psychology and history as she draws these connections in a way that had me fascinated. Most Chanel biographies touch on Coco's life, loves, successes and subterfuges. The couple I've read were by people who knew her and were willing to keep her secrets. "Sleeping with the Enemy" by Hal Vaughan confines itself to exploring Chanel's activities in Paris during the Occupation and establishes that she was living in the Nazi-occupied Ritz and having a relationship with Hans von Dincklage. But "Mademoiselle" puts all this together, digging deeper than any of these other sources. Garelick deals rationally and evenly with the less savory aspects of Mademoiselle's life, including her documented anti-Semitism and her possible drug addiction. It's fascinating.
One outstanding piece of reportage is Garelick's description of visiting Chanel's salon and trying on her clothes. Whatever magic Chanel possessed, it is probably still in those clothes, and the author senses it. It is a delicious moment in the book.
My favorite passage is the account of Chanel's last act of "kindness" at the death of her best friend, or possibly "frenemy," Misia Sert. Chanel asked to be left alone with the body. When the doors were opened, hours later, Misia looked gorgeous, and about 20 years younger. "Chanel had...performed a bit of makeshift plastic surgery, expertly pulling back Misia's jowls and loose facial skin, which she secured--like so much excess fabric--behind her ears with dressmaker's pins--a designerly gesture of mingled love and cruelty perfectly summing up the thirty-year friendship of two eternal cocottes."
The above--plus the whole chapter devoted to analyzing the appeal of the Nazis--truly took my breath away.
For me, this book was a delight, mingling cultural and women's history with couture, my favorite subjects. But I think anyone interested in 20th century history and culture would enjoy this biography.
Although Chanel has been the subject of several books and films in the last few years, this biography promises to top them all. For the most part, it delivers. Garelick manages to position Coco Chanel as the central icon of the 20th century, connecting the dots between everything from women's suffrage (down with corsets!) to the seductive allure of Nazism (the sexy uniforms did for men what Chanel couture did for women!) and even the Kennedy assassination (Jackie's bloodstained raspberry wool boucle suit!).
Garelick shows a deep understanding of European and American culture, language, psychology and history as she draws these connections in a way that had me fascinated. Most Chanel biographies touch on Coco's life, loves, successes and subterfuges. The couple I've read were by people who knew her and were willing to keep her secrets. "Sleeping with the Enemy" by Hal Vaughan confines itself to exploring Chanel's activities in Paris during the Occupation and establishes that she was living in the Nazi-occupied Ritz and having a relationship with Hans von Dincklage. But "Mademoiselle" puts all this together, digging deeper than any of these other sources. Garelick deals rationally and evenly with the less savory aspects of Mademoiselle's life, including her documented anti-Semitism and her possible drug addiction. It's fascinating.
One outstanding piece of reportage is Garelick's description of visiting Chanel's salon and trying on her clothes. Whatever magic Chanel possessed, it is probably still in those clothes, and the author senses it. It is a delicious moment in the book.
My favorite passage is the account of Chanel's last act of "kindness" at the death of her best friend, or possibly "frenemy," Misia Sert. Chanel asked to be left alone with the body. When the doors were opened, hours later, Misia looked gorgeous, and about 20 years younger. "Chanel had...performed a bit of makeshift plastic surgery, expertly pulling back Misia's jowls and loose facial skin, which she secured--like so much excess fabric--behind her ears with dressmaker's pins--a designerly gesture of mingled love and cruelty perfectly summing up the thirty-year friendship of two eternal cocottes."
The above--plus the whole chapter devoted to analyzing the appeal of the Nazis--truly took my breath away.
For me, this book was a delight, mingling cultural and women's history with couture, my favorite subjects. But I think anyone interested in 20th century history and culture would enjoy this biography.
October 19, 2015
Garelick possesses a straightforward effective writing style, every word serves a detailed purpose, part of the draw to this extensive biography.
An extremely comprehensive overview of the enigmatic Coco Chanel. I have read several books pertaining to Chanel, all revealing more or less similar information. Nothing was a revelation in this book, although fascinatingly entertaining nonetheless. No matter how much I read of this intriguing creature I am always captivated by her many flaws and artistic gift. There will never be another Chanel, not even close, I find this both a blessing and a curse.
Throughout the book there were numerous quotes, some from Chanel, others from various people close or familiar to the icon. I'm on the fence with their placement, at times they were distracting, other times their placement was perfect. Perhaps a dedicated area or strategic placement would have served this reader better, their intended impact would not have been lost due to awkward insertion.
Garelick was thorough, not only in regards to Chanel but her intimates as well. I appreciated the fine details of others, in fact it provides a deeper understanding of Chanel but at times it was a bit heavy, especially since my focus was all about Chanel. I understand Garelick's purpose in leaving no stone unturned, however, at moments less would have been best.
I enjoyed the images included, they were numerous, again it provided a more personal feel for Chanel along with the reading journey, plus it was exciting to see images of the past. I wish I was reading the paper copy as opposed to digital copy to relish the images in greater detail.
Garelick provides one of the better biographies I have perused, her details indicate her passion for capturing her subjects intimately, leaving no detail, rumor, or fact undocumented to her audience. Her nonsense writing style will keep your attention. Fans of fashion or of Chanel will savor this panoramic biography of an unforgettable fashion legend.
An extremely comprehensive overview of the enigmatic Coco Chanel. I have read several books pertaining to Chanel, all revealing more or less similar information. Nothing was a revelation in this book, although fascinatingly entertaining nonetheless. No matter how much I read of this intriguing creature I am always captivated by her many flaws and artistic gift. There will never be another Chanel, not even close, I find this both a blessing and a curse.
Throughout the book there were numerous quotes, some from Chanel, others from various people close or familiar to the icon. I'm on the fence with their placement, at times they were distracting, other times their placement was perfect. Perhaps a dedicated area or strategic placement would have served this reader better, their intended impact would not have been lost due to awkward insertion.
Garelick was thorough, not only in regards to Chanel but her intimates as well. I appreciated the fine details of others, in fact it provides a deeper understanding of Chanel but at times it was a bit heavy, especially since my focus was all about Chanel. I understand Garelick's purpose in leaving no stone unturned, however, at moments less would have been best.
I enjoyed the images included, they were numerous, again it provided a more personal feel for Chanel along with the reading journey, plus it was exciting to see images of the past. I wish I was reading the paper copy as opposed to digital copy to relish the images in greater detail.
Garelick provides one of the better biographies I have perused, her details indicate her passion for capturing her subjects intimately, leaving no detail, rumor, or fact undocumented to her audience. Her nonsense writing style will keep your attention. Fans of fashion or of Chanel will savor this panoramic biography of an unforgettable fashion legend.
July 18, 2014
Provided by Netgalley.
This book had so much information, perhaps too much. I learned so much about Coco, especially about her early life. I found this book to be a bit repetitive; after reading the first chapter, we know that Coco lied to everyone about her upbringing and dislike people writing things about you. I don't need to hear it every other paragraph. Overall, I enjoyed the information and the integration of quotes from the Mademoiselle herself. I think the book was too long. 500+ pages is a bit much, especially considering that most the info is rehashed unnecessarily multiple times and drawn out. I think the book would have worked better if the info was more concise and less repeated. I liked that this book attempted to demystify Chanel a bit; it's easy to lose the women behind the idol. I skimmed a bit (the details about Coco learning how to sew/detail/hat make where way too draw out). I liked the wrap up at the end where it pulls Chanel into the future and generally appreciated the author's admiration for Coco Chanel.
This book had so much information, perhaps too much. I learned so much about Coco, especially about her early life. I found this book to be a bit repetitive; after reading the first chapter, we know that Coco lied to everyone about her upbringing and dislike people writing things about you. I don't need to hear it every other paragraph. Overall, I enjoyed the information and the integration of quotes from the Mademoiselle herself. I think the book was too long. 500+ pages is a bit much, especially considering that most the info is rehashed unnecessarily multiple times and drawn out. I think the book would have worked better if the info was more concise and less repeated. I liked that this book attempted to demystify Chanel a bit; it's easy to lose the women behind the idol. I skimmed a bit (the details about Coco learning how to sew/detail/hat make where way too draw out). I liked the wrap up at the end where it pulls Chanel into the future and generally appreciated the author's admiration for Coco Chanel.
September 20, 2017
I did not care for the style of this book. If it was meant to be a biography, there was a lot of conjecture to Chanel's life! A streamlined "story" more along the lines of historical fiction would have been much more interesting. Also, there was too much background/focus on other people and political actions. I would have preferred a better focused, and thus more interesting book.
November 21, 2014
3.5 review to follow.
February 17, 2015
Mademoiselle coco chanel and the pulse of history by Ronda K Garelick
THE BLURB
Certain lives are at once so exceptional, and yet so in step with their historical moments, that they illuminate cultural forces far beyond the scope of a single person. Such is the case with Coco Chanel, whose life offers one of the most fascinating tales of the twentieth century—throwing into dramatic relief an era of war, fashion, ardent nationalism, and earth-shaking change—here brilliantly treated, for the first time, with wide-ranging and incisive historical scrutiny.
Coco Chanel transformed forever the way women dressed. Her influence remains so pervasive that to this day we can see her afterimage a dozen times while just walking down a single street: in all the little black dresses, flat shoes, costume jewelry, cardigan sweaters, and tortoiseshell eyeglasses on women of every age and background. A bottle of Chanel No. 5 perfume is sold every three seconds. Arguably, no other individual has had a deeper impact on the visual aesthetic of the world. But how did a poor orphan become a global icon of both luxury and everyday style? How did she develop such vast, undying influence? And what does our ongoing love of all things Chanel tell us about ourselves? These are the mysteries that Rhonda K. Garelick unravels in Mademoiselle.
Raised in rural poverty and orphaned early, the young Chanel supported herself as best she could. Then, as an uneducated nineteen-year-old café singer, she attracted the attention of a wealthy and powerful admirer and parlayed his support into her own hat design business. For the rest of Chanel’s life, the professional, personal, and political were interwoven; her lovers included diplomat Boy Capel; composer Igor Stravinsky; Romanov heir Grand Duke Dmitri; Hugh Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster; poet Pierre Reverdy; a Nazi officer; and several women as well. For all that, she was profoundly alone, her romantic life relentlessly plagued by abandonment and tragedy.
Chanel’s ambitions and accomplishments were unparalleled. Her hat shop evolved into a clothing empire. She became a noted theatrical and film costume designer, collaborating with the likes of Pablo Picasso, Jean Cocteau, and Luchino Visconti. The genius of Coco Chanel, Garelick shows, lay in the way she absorbed the zeitgeist, reflecting it back to the world in her designs and in what Garelick calls “wearable personality”—the irresistible and contagious style infused with both world history and Chanel’s nearly unbelievable life saga. By age forty, Chanel had become a multimillionaire and a household name, and her Chanel Corporation is still the highest-earning privately owned luxury goods manufacturer in the world.
WHAT I SAY
I just loved this book i had it of net gallery to review but paul brought me a hard back copy for christmas as i loved it so much i read it twice now
It tell you the life one of the most successful world conquerors
Gabrielle Coco Chanel is a corporate brand she was or i should say is a symbol of feminism her iconic outfits she still is now one of the most successful fashion bands of all time
She conjured up the little black dress , bobbed hair ,trousers for women , her contemporary chic
No5 was the first synthetically create perfume and still is now one of the world best selling perfume now every 3 seconds a bottle is sold
The handbag are still a best seller too
Rohonda done a wonderful job of writing this book
The research that gone into this most of took hours it so in depth i still feel coco Chanel remains something of a enigma
The book just fascinating account of her life i did feel she was part of her sister death what did you think?
She seem to like married men a lot too she mixed with some very high class people she loved her riding her horses
You feel as though you know her , her glamorous world of paris and le beau monde
I loved hear about her early life her sewing for her aunt
The book tell you all of her life from being born in the poor house to being rich
I enjoy hearing about the linked C in her logo a lot of people do know that her instals
We hear about the tweets to number 5
The book just brings Gabrielle
CoCo Chanel alive to me her journey was fascinating i did not know she was a singer and dancer she did sew as a bit of spare cash
It just so excellently documented i enjoyed hearing about all her achievements she will also ways be a legend to me
I still not sure of all chanel amazing life she seem to tell a lot of lies and half truths she like to fantasy about he life i still not sure why
I did feel so part were a lit bit long winded and a bit over description but i was just hooked on the story i just wanted to find out about her she just fascinated me and still does
The mystery around her still there now but i loved hearing about her rags to riches tale
Coco chanel was a very strong women she made her way up she battled all kinds of setbacks , problems and disappointed
But eventually she became a household name she a luxury products that we all loved
A must read book for any fan i just love it
It a very interesting book her story very sad but she was also very inspirational the book extraordinary i loved it
She had just such a fascinating life she was a amazing women i loved the start of her journey her hats sounded so good was that the start of chanel you got to read to find out just a great book to read and keep
5 dolls
THE BLURB
Certain lives are at once so exceptional, and yet so in step with their historical moments, that they illuminate cultural forces far beyond the scope of a single person. Such is the case with Coco Chanel, whose life offers one of the most fascinating tales of the twentieth century—throwing into dramatic relief an era of war, fashion, ardent nationalism, and earth-shaking change—here brilliantly treated, for the first time, with wide-ranging and incisive historical scrutiny.
Coco Chanel transformed forever the way women dressed. Her influence remains so pervasive that to this day we can see her afterimage a dozen times while just walking down a single street: in all the little black dresses, flat shoes, costume jewelry, cardigan sweaters, and tortoiseshell eyeglasses on women of every age and background. A bottle of Chanel No. 5 perfume is sold every three seconds. Arguably, no other individual has had a deeper impact on the visual aesthetic of the world. But how did a poor orphan become a global icon of both luxury and everyday style? How did she develop such vast, undying influence? And what does our ongoing love of all things Chanel tell us about ourselves? These are the mysteries that Rhonda K. Garelick unravels in Mademoiselle.
Raised in rural poverty and orphaned early, the young Chanel supported herself as best she could. Then, as an uneducated nineteen-year-old café singer, she attracted the attention of a wealthy and powerful admirer and parlayed his support into her own hat design business. For the rest of Chanel’s life, the professional, personal, and political were interwoven; her lovers included diplomat Boy Capel; composer Igor Stravinsky; Romanov heir Grand Duke Dmitri; Hugh Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster; poet Pierre Reverdy; a Nazi officer; and several women as well. For all that, she was profoundly alone, her romantic life relentlessly plagued by abandonment and tragedy.
Chanel’s ambitions and accomplishments were unparalleled. Her hat shop evolved into a clothing empire. She became a noted theatrical and film costume designer, collaborating with the likes of Pablo Picasso, Jean Cocteau, and Luchino Visconti. The genius of Coco Chanel, Garelick shows, lay in the way she absorbed the zeitgeist, reflecting it back to the world in her designs and in what Garelick calls “wearable personality”—the irresistible and contagious style infused with both world history and Chanel’s nearly unbelievable life saga. By age forty, Chanel had become a multimillionaire and a household name, and her Chanel Corporation is still the highest-earning privately owned luxury goods manufacturer in the world.
WHAT I SAY
I just loved this book i had it of net gallery to review but paul brought me a hard back copy for christmas as i loved it so much i read it twice now
It tell you the life one of the most successful world conquerors
Gabrielle Coco Chanel is a corporate brand she was or i should say is a symbol of feminism her iconic outfits she still is now one of the most successful fashion bands of all time
She conjured up the little black dress , bobbed hair ,trousers for women , her contemporary chic
No5 was the first synthetically create perfume and still is now one of the world best selling perfume now every 3 seconds a bottle is sold
The handbag are still a best seller too
Rohonda done a wonderful job of writing this book
The research that gone into this most of took hours it so in depth i still feel coco Chanel remains something of a enigma
The book just fascinating account of her life i did feel she was part of her sister death what did you think?
She seem to like married men a lot too she mixed with some very high class people she loved her riding her horses
You feel as though you know her , her glamorous world of paris and le beau monde
I loved hear about her early life her sewing for her aunt
The book tell you all of her life from being born in the poor house to being rich
I enjoy hearing about the linked C in her logo a lot of people do know that her instals
We hear about the tweets to number 5
The book just brings Gabrielle
CoCo Chanel alive to me her journey was fascinating i did not know she was a singer and dancer she did sew as a bit of spare cash
It just so excellently documented i enjoyed hearing about all her achievements she will also ways be a legend to me
I still not sure of all chanel amazing life she seem to tell a lot of lies and half truths she like to fantasy about he life i still not sure why
I did feel so part were a lit bit long winded and a bit over description but i was just hooked on the story i just wanted to find out about her she just fascinated me and still does
The mystery around her still there now but i loved hearing about her rags to riches tale
Coco chanel was a very strong women she made her way up she battled all kinds of setbacks , problems and disappointed
But eventually she became a household name she a luxury products that we all loved
A must read book for any fan i just love it
It a very interesting book her story very sad but she was also very inspirational the book extraordinary i loved it
She had just such a fascinating life she was a amazing women i loved the start of her journey her hats sounded so good was that the start of chanel you got to read to find out just a great book to read and keep
5 dolls
February 26, 2019
Sweeping, definitive, meticulous; Garelik's portrait of the fascinating Chanel is astute and revealing. The forces at play in twentieth-century Europe are not shied away from, illustrating how the rise of this fashion icon owes much to time in which it took place. This book condemns Chanel when it should, praises her if it must, but maintains a refreshingly objective perspective. The elegance of Chanel is palpable within these pages. The writing is stylish and utterly engaging. For fans of fashion, history, and French culture, this book is a must-read.
September 4, 2014
Mademoiselle by Rhonda K. Garelick was the most riveting biography I have read in a long while. Chanel's stranger-than-fiction life, her unique vision, and her many lovers alone make for fascinating reading. But Garelick's biography probes deeper and delivers a complex portrait of the 20th century's most distinctive fashion voice.
Chanel was driven by a need for legitimacy and power, willing to do what it takes. She was a dictatorial and unsympathetic boss. She romanced friend's husbands, her friendships were fraught with competitive tension, and she could change alliances as it suited her. Yet men and women were charmed by her, attracted to her like moths to a flame.
Chanel's greatest creation was Chanel. She shed her past and rewrote it. She bought off and distanced her relatives in an effort to reinvent herself. Born to in the lowest class, she found work as a chorus line coquette. She became attached to in a playboy's harem where she learned the ways of the upper crust and met her true love, Boy Capel. Boy support Chanel's nascent millinery business which grew into her Chanel brand clothing.
Chanel knew the great avant garde lights of the 20s and 30s, artists of all disciplines. She lost her true love and a fiancée, had many lovers, but never achieved the one thing she desperately wanted: marriage--preferably to a titled man.
I had not realized that every 20th c. fashion trend started with Chanel: the boyish sleek dresses, the bobbed hair, the acceptance of costume jewelry and fake furs, the use of jersey for day wear (previously used for men's underwear only!), the bathing suit, the cardigan sweater, the sailor blouse, the pleated skirt, the little black dress, beach wear loose pajama pants, and even her legendary Chanel No. 5, a complex perfume that was not overtly floral.
Chanel believed clothing should enhance the natural body, have impeccable fit that allowed full range of motion, with an elegance of style.
Because larger, older women did not look well in Chanel clothes, the cult of youth was also her doing. Chanel herself proudly kept her figure and muscle tone.
Chanel was anti-Semite and supported the philosophy of the rising Nazi regime. Henry Ford, Charles Lindberg, The Duke of Windsor Edward and Wallace Simpson were all sympathetic to fascism. Chanel closed her house in 1939. During the Nazi occupation of France she became involved with an SS officer and was part of a clandestine mission to broker peace with Churchill, offering peace for capitulating to Germany's demands. Was her motivation political or was she doing what it took to survive? Her nephew, perhaps son, was imprisoned and she was desperate to have him released.
When Christian Dior's "New Look" returned to corsets and padding Chanel reopened her house to battle what she saw as a return to the overwrought styles she had reacted against in her early career. Jackie Kennedy wore a Chanel suit when President Kennedy was assassinated.
Garelick's style and presentation of the material is accessible and a pleasure to read. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good biography, is interested in fashion or history, or is fascinated by complex characters. I can not say I like Chanel as a human being, but I enjoyed every page of this biography.
I appreciate NetGalley and Random House allowing me access to the prepublication e-book.
Chanel was driven by a need for legitimacy and power, willing to do what it takes. She was a dictatorial and unsympathetic boss. She romanced friend's husbands, her friendships were fraught with competitive tension, and she could change alliances as it suited her. Yet men and women were charmed by her, attracted to her like moths to a flame.
Chanel's greatest creation was Chanel. She shed her past and rewrote it. She bought off and distanced her relatives in an effort to reinvent herself. Born to in the lowest class, she found work as a chorus line coquette. She became attached to in a playboy's harem where she learned the ways of the upper crust and met her true love, Boy Capel. Boy support Chanel's nascent millinery business which grew into her Chanel brand clothing.
Chanel knew the great avant garde lights of the 20s and 30s, artists of all disciplines. She lost her true love and a fiancée, had many lovers, but never achieved the one thing she desperately wanted: marriage--preferably to a titled man.
I had not realized that every 20th c. fashion trend started with Chanel: the boyish sleek dresses, the bobbed hair, the acceptance of costume jewelry and fake furs, the use of jersey for day wear (previously used for men's underwear only!), the bathing suit, the cardigan sweater, the sailor blouse, the pleated skirt, the little black dress, beach wear loose pajama pants, and even her legendary Chanel No. 5, a complex perfume that was not overtly floral.
Chanel believed clothing should enhance the natural body, have impeccable fit that allowed full range of motion, with an elegance of style.
Because larger, older women did not look well in Chanel clothes, the cult of youth was also her doing. Chanel herself proudly kept her figure and muscle tone.
Chanel was anti-Semite and supported the philosophy of the rising Nazi regime. Henry Ford, Charles Lindberg, The Duke of Windsor Edward and Wallace Simpson were all sympathetic to fascism. Chanel closed her house in 1939. During the Nazi occupation of France she became involved with an SS officer and was part of a clandestine mission to broker peace with Churchill, offering peace for capitulating to Germany's demands. Was her motivation political or was she doing what it took to survive? Her nephew, perhaps son, was imprisoned and she was desperate to have him released.
When Christian Dior's "New Look" returned to corsets and padding Chanel reopened her house to battle what she saw as a return to the overwrought styles she had reacted against in her early career. Jackie Kennedy wore a Chanel suit when President Kennedy was assassinated.
Garelick's style and presentation of the material is accessible and a pleasure to read. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good biography, is interested in fashion or history, or is fascinated by complex characters. I can not say I like Chanel as a human being, but I enjoyed every page of this biography.
I appreciate NetGalley and Random House allowing me access to the prepublication e-book.
November 19, 2014
Jacqueline Kennedy was wearing a Chanel suit on the day her husband was assassinated. Marilyn Monroe famously adopted Chanel No. 5 as her scent. Even earlier, Hollywood clamored for Chanel to design its productions. Producer Samuel Goldwyn tried several times (unsuccessfully) to secure her cooperation for a biopic. Finally, Katharine Hepburn brought her to the stage in the musical “Coco.”
To say that Coco Chanel (1883-1971) brought fashion into the 20th century is no exaggeration. She had the figure of a gamine and turned the 19th-century world of bustles and corsets into a streamlined outfit that millions of women wore with pleasure and ease. Chanel invented the little black dress and its infinite variations. She became iconic because she designed clothes — and so much else — for herself, and in the process made women wish to be similarly equipped.
One reason for Chanel’s success ran counter to what most of her rivals in the fashion industry considered axiomatic: A designer’s clothes ought to be unique and zealously protected from knockoff artists. Chanel alone realized that she would command the market and become wealthy by doing the opposite, allowing all kinds of manufacturers to replicate her style. The closer these imitators came to genuine Chanel, the more her own brand prospered, making her a very wealthy woman.
Rhonda Garelick takes her place in a long line of biographers who have told the Chanel story. What is so satisfying about Garelick’s book is that she acknowledges her predecessors and works their discoveries into her own narrative, demonstrating how over time biographies accrue in value. At the same time, she provides fresh interviews with Chanel’s friends and co-workers. Especially noteworthy is Garelick’s lucid explanation of Chanel’s involvement with the Nazis in German-occupied Paris. Chanel was no dupe. As someone attracted to power and uniforms and to claims of superiority, she welcomed Nazi hegemony. And her hold — not only on French fashion, but on the modern imagination — was so profound, she never apologized and never suffered the kind of collaborationist opprobrium that dogged other artists such as filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl.
Even though Chanel — born in rural poverty and the product of a broken family — designed clothes for a democratic, mass-produced world, she was at heart a royalist, Garelick reveals. Chanel treated her own employees like serfs and committed them to a totalitarian regime that conceded nothing to the rights of workers. And yet, as Garelick also shows, Chanel’s influence on the democratic understanding of style — that it can be the possession of millions — remains an enduring part of her legacy.
To say that Coco Chanel (1883-1971) brought fashion into the 20th century is no exaggeration. She had the figure of a gamine and turned the 19th-century world of bustles and corsets into a streamlined outfit that millions of women wore with pleasure and ease. Chanel invented the little black dress and its infinite variations. She became iconic because she designed clothes — and so much else — for herself, and in the process made women wish to be similarly equipped.
One reason for Chanel’s success ran counter to what most of her rivals in the fashion industry considered axiomatic: A designer’s clothes ought to be unique and zealously protected from knockoff artists. Chanel alone realized that she would command the market and become wealthy by doing the opposite, allowing all kinds of manufacturers to replicate her style. The closer these imitators came to genuine Chanel, the more her own brand prospered, making her a very wealthy woman.
Rhonda Garelick takes her place in a long line of biographers who have told the Chanel story. What is so satisfying about Garelick’s book is that she acknowledges her predecessors and works their discoveries into her own narrative, demonstrating how over time biographies accrue in value. At the same time, she provides fresh interviews with Chanel’s friends and co-workers. Especially noteworthy is Garelick’s lucid explanation of Chanel’s involvement with the Nazis in German-occupied Paris. Chanel was no dupe. As someone attracted to power and uniforms and to claims of superiority, she welcomed Nazi hegemony. And her hold — not only on French fashion, but on the modern imagination — was so profound, she never apologized and never suffered the kind of collaborationist opprobrium that dogged other artists such as filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl.
Even though Chanel — born in rural poverty and the product of a broken family — designed clothes for a democratic, mass-produced world, she was at heart a royalist, Garelick reveals. Chanel treated her own employees like serfs and committed them to a totalitarian regime that conceded nothing to the rights of workers. And yet, as Garelick also shows, Chanel’s influence on the democratic understanding of style — that it can be the possession of millions — remains an enduring part of her legacy.
September 19, 2014
When I saw this biography on netgalley, I was intrigued because I know the name, but not the person behind the name. Unfortunately, I didn't like Mademoiselle as much as I thought.
It was very interesting to how she got into fashion, and what her early life was like. It did get very repetitive at times- it was tiring to read that Chanel wanted to re-write her own life over and over and over. Mademoiselle was very detailed and had a lot of information- too much information for me. There were times when I skimmed the book (mostly at the end of the book), just because I couldn't take in any more details. For me, there was so much detail that nothing really stood out to me. Sometimes it felt like names and events were thrown at me. And it felt much more like we got all of the different people and events that had an influence on Chanel personally and professionally, and not a lot about Chanel. I know that they all had a big impact on her life, but I wish I walked away with a better sense of Chanel.
I did like that there were photos and quotes from Chanel herself scattered throughout the book. It made Chanel much more real to see her own words throughout the book. It also seemed like a very objective look at Chanel's life, but as a result, it seemed a little dry, and I would have liked the little something extra that seemed missing. I do think anyone who's curious about Chanel and anyone who's into fashion will like this book.
Let's Rate It: Mademoiselle got a little too detailed and was a little too repetitive at times, which made it okay for me. It's still an interesting look at the person who started this huge and iconic company. Mademoiselle gets 2 stars.
*I received Mademoiselle from netgalley.com in exchange for a fair and honest review
It was very interesting to how she got into fashion, and what her early life was like. It did get very repetitive at times- it was tiring to read that Chanel wanted to re-write her own life over and over and over. Mademoiselle was very detailed and had a lot of information- too much information for me. There were times when I skimmed the book (mostly at the end of the book), just because I couldn't take in any more details. For me, there was so much detail that nothing really stood out to me. Sometimes it felt like names and events were thrown at me. And it felt much more like we got all of the different people and events that had an influence on Chanel personally and professionally, and not a lot about Chanel. I know that they all had a big impact on her life, but I wish I walked away with a better sense of Chanel.
I did like that there were photos and quotes from Chanel herself scattered throughout the book. It made Chanel much more real to see her own words throughout the book. It also seemed like a very objective look at Chanel's life, but as a result, it seemed a little dry, and I would have liked the little something extra that seemed missing. I do think anyone who's curious about Chanel and anyone who's into fashion will like this book.
Let's Rate It: Mademoiselle got a little too detailed and was a little too repetitive at times, which made it okay for me. It's still an interesting look at the person who started this huge and iconic company. Mademoiselle gets 2 stars.
*I received Mademoiselle from netgalley.com in exchange for a fair and honest review
July 16, 2014
One of the most influential women in fashion. I have to admit that I do not own anything made by Chanel but it doesn't mean that I don't like the brand. The book goes through Gabrielle, the woman better known as Coco's life from her birth into poverty, through her rise in the fashion industry until her death. Although the author has included a chapter on the brand today.
As a budding historian on mainly European history, I found it fascinating to see how Coco Chanel had managed to influence history, particularly in the Nazi Party. The author has created an interesting biography on such a remarkable woman whom I believe will still be well known by generations to come. Coco Chanel is the perfect example of the rags to riches story that many of us love. I would urge anyone who has an interest not only in fashion but in European history to read this amazing book.
As a budding historian on mainly European history, I found it fascinating to see how Coco Chanel had managed to influence history, particularly in the Nazi Party. The author has created an interesting biography on such a remarkable woman whom I believe will still be well known by generations to come. Coco Chanel is the perfect example of the rags to riches story that many of us love. I would urge anyone who has an interest not only in fashion but in European history to read this amazing book.
July 18, 2014
NETGALLEY REVIEW: This book is delicious! It reads like a history book, but... no matter, the text weaves itself around you; full of descriptive detail about Chanel, both the woman, and her iconic fashion company. The information touches on all aspects of Madamoiselle's life, legend and legacy. Personal, business, and even political histories are included. The only slight thing I would have changed about this book is I would have liked the inclusion of more images, but this is just pure selfishness on my part. I was given this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 29, 2014
Garelick's biography of Chanel is well-researched and well-written. She occasionally throws out a tidbit based more on speculation than fact, but you can forgive Garelick because of the chutzpah with which she does it; the amount of interesting new information she's uncovered; and the stunning (but entirely plausible) interpretations of Chanel's behaviour distilled from new eyewitness accounts, newly released top secret government files, and Garelick's own vast knowledge of her topic. Coco would have been proud. And very, very angry.
May 28, 2024
I started this during spring break in college (tells you a lot about me right there lol) and never got around to finishing it, so decided to do it on audio. I loved this. It was interesting because I understood so much more of the history at play here now than I did in college. Just goes to show we’re always learning and my historical fiction is paying off. This is a biography of Chanel, but also a history of what was happening at the same time. Really good mix of fashion and history.
August 29, 2014
I really enjoyed this biography of Chanel. It is really well written. The book details the entire life of Chanel and the Chanel brand. It is a rags to riches story. I always enjoy biographies and movies about Chanel. This one is particularly exceptional. I would recommend this to anyone that enjoys a good biography or is interested in fashion.
June 22, 2025
This is a comprehensive look at Coco Chanel's life with an intriguing focus on how she shaped and was shaped by certain historical events, including her involvement with the Nazis during WWII. Chanel was mysterious and multifaceted and I'd hazard a guess this book is the closest we'll get to understanding what drove her and why she made some of the decisions she did.
June 15, 2016
Oops, finished this a while ago and forgot to mark it! I learnt so much fascinating (and horrifying) information from this book, and it was superbly researched. The one thing that annoyed me was sometimes it felt like the author was trying to make connections were there weren't necessarily, but this was a really thorough, engaging look at the life of Chanel.
Read
January 28, 2017i was fascinated. (no, not "fashionated" :)) It's a detailed and sober biography of a famous and complicated woman. Much of it is tragic, and some is disturbing. It's a worthwhile read.
July 2, 2016
To delve into Chanel's life, relationships, and influence during the mid- to late 1930s, as war grew closer, is to approach volatile territory, to enter the debate about whether Chanel spent the war not merely as a Nazi sympathizer or collaborator, but as an enemy agent, a Nazi spy. Loc4175
By 1930, when Chanel was forty-seven, she employed 2,400 people and was worth at least $15 million, close to $1 billion in today's currency. To this day, every three seconds a bottle of Chanel No. 5 is sold; it is the most successful perfume in history. Loc90
I believe my first time ever having read something specific about Coco Chanel's life was in Flapper: A Madcap Story... (I could be confusing two books set in that time, however). I was surprised to discover that Chanel suffered a poor childhood, including being an orphan for a large portion of it. The fact that she rose up to be worth $1 billion in today's money by 1930 is astounding. I always knew of Coco Chanel, more as an entity of the fashion industry than anything else, but I never thought her personal story would prove so interesting. I honestly do not think I have owned a single Chanel item in my life, but the combination of loving history and a Project Runway fan somehow prepared me for the story of Chanel's life. Yes, I still recall a contestant on Project Runway from one or two seasons ago somehow NOT knowing who created the little black dress, I was surprised they did not kick the person off right there. That is a sacrilege in the fashion world, is it not?
The author vacillated between seemingly being enamored with Chanel and disturbed by her. In some regards this vacillation is warranted. While Chanel's rise from orphan to worldwide fame and fortune is commendable especially considering it did require talent, it is quite overshadowed/quelled by Chanel the individual. Chanel, to be blunt, appears to have been a rather despicable person. Between her pro-Nazi stance and subsequent spying, her consistent affairs with married men and her apparent despising of her own gender makes he rather irredeemable in my eyes. (Her propensity for having affairs with married men was too often to be purely coincidental and her distaste for her own gender made her quite ungrateful for the position other women buying her clothes had put her in.) Yes, she created an empire but much like the author describes, she was the dictator at the head of it all and who loves a dictator?
Overall I found the subject matter interesting but ultimately too repetitive. The author frequently commented on Coco's style as coming from her being a tomboy, having limited money, contrary to society and so on and so forth. The author would often used the same exact phrasing many times in the book. Ultimately the repetitions in addition to the unnecessary information added a considerable amount of pages that were better left out.
The author often seemed to note Coco's childhood as a cure-all salve for Coco's awful adult behavior. So at no point is an adult responsible for their own actions? Childhood is a get-out-of-anything free card? Good to know. Overall I would have preferred more neutrality from the author, she was clearly a fan of Coco's despite all she included about the woman. But as I said, she did seem to vacillate between disturbed and adoring.
When it came to the writing overall I would say it was good, however, it needed an editor. I also found the author to be prone to use words that did not feel authentic in the flow of the book, as if a thesaurus had been consulted unnecessarily. Also, numerous people in the book were referred to by multiple names and it would have simplified everything to refer to individuals by one name. It made the book feel even more crowded that it already was.
Overall Mademoiselle was an eye-opening account of the founder of one of the world's still major fashion brands. I feel as though this is likely to be one of the more well-rounded biographies on Coco, seeing as the author included a considerable amount of despicable behavior. Will I be buying a Chanel item anytime soon? No, especially now knowing what I know of the founder. Yes, she is long-dead but I see no need to support a brand with a disturbing history.
Coco on women
Despite her sixty-year career devoted to dressing women, Coco claimed to hold her sex in very low regard. “A woman,' she declared, 'equals envy plus vanity plus chatter plus a confused mind.” Loc2688
”The function of a woman is to be loved. My life is a failure,” she told Claude Delay. “Women must show their weakness, never their strength. A woman needs the regard of a man who loves her, without this gaze a woman dies.” Loc6247
”Women are becoming crazy. Men are living off them. The women are working and paying. It’s ridiculous. Women are becoming monsters because they want to be men.” Loc6249
Coco and her personal political involvements:
But Coco, with the rare exceptions of Boy Capel and Pierre Reverdy, was attracted by men who espoused the most antidemocratic, racially driven politics. Loc3331
Vaughan's access to previously classified intelligence documents provided long-missing, specific evidence not only of the extent of Chanel's involvement with the Nazis but also of how 'official' her status really was, she even received a Nazi code name and agent number. Loc4187
Coco and her behaviors:
In their later years, Misia and Coco fell into the shared habit of injecting themselves with morphine. According to some accounts, Chanel made only limited use of this opiate, in the form of physician-prescribed Sedol, to help her sleep. Other sources insist that Chanel was seriously dependent on the drug as well. Loc2835
Despite her much-touted patriotism, and her recent tricolore fashion palette, only three weeks after war was declared, she fired all 2,500 of her employees without warning and closed all her workshops. Loc5001
In his memoirs, Jacques Chazot reported a dinner party at which Coco indulged her animus against Jews, addressing herself to a female dining companion: [She said], “My dear, do you know why Jews love and understand painting so much better than they do music?” The woman was mutely astonished, a general silence fell. Chanel returned to her subject, sure of her dramatic effect, “Paintings sell better.” She then continued along in the same vein: “Don't forget either that there are three categories: the Jews, who are my friends that I adore and I have proof of this! The Israelites, whom you must be very wary of and avoid like the plague, and the Yids, who must be exterminated altogether.” Loc5458
Near the end of his life, in 1990, Faucigny spoke to a journalist who asked him about Chanel. His response was a blend of anger tempered with psychological insight: “She was such a nasty woman, a horrible woman! And she conducted herself very badly during the war. I recognize that she was very generous. She [was] a strange mixture of a woman, nasty, envious. She had every kind of success, everything one could imagine, and yet she was very ill at ease [mal dans sa peau], keeping a sort of resentment and bitterness toward people, which came from her difficult youth. Loc5494
”We left our concerns outside, our sorrows, our personal losses. She would not tolerate that!” What, then, did Chanel talk about? Often, her low opinion of others. Betty Catroux is one of many who remember Chanel's bitter view of the world. “She taught me to hate people and to trust no one,” Catroux says. “Everyone except her was at fault,” wrote Cecil Beaton. “When she talked about other people, it was always to speak ill of them,” says Gisle Franchomme. “She would say, 'Oh that one, she's horrible,' or 'She's an idiot,' or 'What a moron!' Things that nowadays are completely banal to say. But for an old woman, it was startling [to hear].” Loc6524
Disclosure: ARC received from Netgalley & publisher in exchange for an honest review. (They may regret this.) Any and all quotes were taken from an advanced edition subject to change in the final edition.
January 22, 2019
3 STARS OUT OF 5
A fascinating biography for any fan of fashion, history, or fashion history. Do not be daunted by the page number - it's actually only 429 pages. The rest is the bibliography and index! A testament to Garelick's stupendous research abilities.
This is a thick biography for anyone who isn't a massive fan of Chanel the person, or Chanel the brand. There are meandering descriptions of the lives of the people Chanel encounters that go on for pages. It is a testimony to the amount of work Garelick did researching this book, but also a testimony to the amount of labour needed to get through this for anyone who isn't intrinsically fascinated by every minute detail of Gabrielle Chanel and her choices.
The pages-long detours are both the worst thing about this book and the best thing. Often times you will find yourself learning about the history of European countries and the political movements within them and completely forget you're reading a Chanel biography. Other times, there's a detour through the history of fashion - with some philosophical takes on the French's fascination with and identity to it. There's brief psychoanalysis of the characters involved in Chanel's life, too, and it all comes together to paint a VERY DETAILED picture of Chanel's life, personality, mental machinations, and political inclinations.
The part I found most interesting was the chapter that delved into Chanel's relationship with far-right, bigoted, and fascist ideologies. Her relationship with France's occupying Nazis and the espionage committed for the Nazi's were mostly brushed aside in her lifetime but in this book it, and her fascist ideologies, are all on display. You learn how Chanel turned on her Nazi friends in order to save her behind in the months leading up to WWII ending and an imminent Allied victory.
You learn how she destroyed almost all personal and familial relationships, and the misery this imparted on her in her later years. You are shown that above all, Chanel existed to survive, conquer, and thrive. She blended feminist modernity with conservatism and fascism to create a fashion style that could defeat the social limitations of her time period and yet stood beside it as a reflection of the norms of the day. She blended charismatic charm and empathy with cold, calculating sociopathy and manipulation to create a larger-than-life personality that permeated the very fabric of her clothing, perfume, and accessories.
The author did a very good job of making sure Chanel's actions are painted in the correct light - that her actions against and mistreatment of people are not brushed aside or painted in anything but a disparaging light. Especially Chanel's disdain for Jewishness is explored in earnest. There are a few moments in the book that claim we live in a world in which fascism has vanished - which is endearingly naive in this current political climate. However, it also imparts vital wisdom as to how fascists can manipulate large groups of people.
Chanel was not a kind person to most people and her brand's identity merging with that of progressiveness in fashion history was more accidental that on-purpose - although Chanel claims differently. This book created a fascinating picture of the miserable, sad, charismatic, intelligent woman Chanel was, and not the all-powerful, all-controlling, ingenious, mythical being she portrayed herself as.
A fascinating biography for any fan of fashion, history, or fashion history. Do not be daunted by the page number - it's actually only 429 pages. The rest is the bibliography and index! A testament to Garelick's stupendous research abilities.
This is a thick biography for anyone who isn't a massive fan of Chanel the person, or Chanel the brand. There are meandering descriptions of the lives of the people Chanel encounters that go on for pages. It is a testimony to the amount of work Garelick did researching this book, but also a testimony to the amount of labour needed to get through this for anyone who isn't intrinsically fascinated by every minute detail of Gabrielle Chanel and her choices.
The pages-long detours are both the worst thing about this book and the best thing. Often times you will find yourself learning about the history of European countries and the political movements within them and completely forget you're reading a Chanel biography. Other times, there's a detour through the history of fashion - with some philosophical takes on the French's fascination with and identity to it. There's brief psychoanalysis of the characters involved in Chanel's life, too, and it all comes together to paint a VERY DETAILED picture of Chanel's life, personality, mental machinations, and political inclinations.
The part I found most interesting was the chapter that delved into Chanel's relationship with far-right, bigoted, and fascist ideologies. Her relationship with France's occupying Nazis and the espionage committed for the Nazi's were mostly brushed aside in her lifetime but in this book it, and her fascist ideologies, are all on display. You learn how Chanel turned on her Nazi friends in order to save her behind in the months leading up to WWII ending and an imminent Allied victory.
You learn how she destroyed almost all personal and familial relationships, and the misery this imparted on her in her later years. You are shown that above all, Chanel existed to survive, conquer, and thrive. She blended feminist modernity with conservatism and fascism to create a fashion style that could defeat the social limitations of her time period and yet stood beside it as a reflection of the norms of the day. She blended charismatic charm and empathy with cold, calculating sociopathy and manipulation to create a larger-than-life personality that permeated the very fabric of her clothing, perfume, and accessories.
The author did a very good job of making sure Chanel's actions are painted in the correct light - that her actions against and mistreatment of people are not brushed aside or painted in anything but a disparaging light. Especially Chanel's disdain for Jewishness is explored in earnest. There are a few moments in the book that claim we live in a world in which fascism has vanished - which is endearingly naive in this current political climate. However, it also imparts vital wisdom as to how fascists can manipulate large groups of people.
Chanel was not a kind person to most people and her brand's identity merging with that of progressiveness in fashion history was more accidental that on-purpose - although Chanel claims differently. This book created a fascinating picture of the miserable, sad, charismatic, intelligent woman Chanel was, and not the all-powerful, all-controlling, ingenious, mythical being she portrayed herself as.
April 26, 2018
In this 585 page book (I read the Nook version), Chanel's biography ends on p. 393. That gives some insight into the detail of this book. I enjoyed the parts about Gabrielle, how she came to be Coco, and reading about the people with whom she was involved. But the author included so much information on many of those individuals that I skimmed a number of chapters about counts, poets, musicians, artists and aristocrats. Coco was from a poor family, and was raised in a convent, which affected her behavior and personality throughout her life. She was always seeking a way to be accepted into the higher levels of society, but for a woman of a working class background - and she herself was a "working girl" on occasion early on, as she struggled to pay bills any way she had to - that proved to be impossible. Her talent for fashion was her own, but the money on which she began her empire , starting as a milliner, came from wealthy men who were enchanted with Coco's beauty and independent ways. She usually got what she wanted (except for the title of wife and mother), and it becomes clear to the reader she was a hard working businesswoman who expected her workers, down to the models who stood for hours while she fit her designs to their bodies, to devote their lives to Maison Chanel. There is too much one could share about her life in this paragraph. In sum, I would say Coco Chanel wanted fame and fortune, which she eventually achieved. But happiness? She lost her one true love in a tragic accident, and even her dalliances and affairs, her chateau costing millions of francs, along with her friendships and connections with the likes of Picasso, Dali, and Stravinsky did not satisfy her. An eye opener for me was her anti-Semitism and fascist leanings. So strong was her pro-Hitler stance that after the war ended, she and others removed themselves from Paris to Switzerland, where she semi-retired. Over a decade later, coming back to the fashion world necessitated a new business arrangement with stores like Nieman Marcus in the United States, and this allowed Chanel to sweep her past under the rug (for the most part) and eventually reclaim her footing in the Paris fashion world. She was active into her eighties, unwilling to "turn over the keys to the kingdom" (p. 389) to the likes of YSL and Dior. Up to the end, Maison Chanel employed thousands of people and provided her the means to maintain her lifestyle of living at the best hotels, drinking champagne, and entertaining the best known names in society.
May 28, 2017
The author writes well, and she brings the times in which Chanel lived and the people with whom she associated alive off the page. The book is informative, well researched, and the facts and conclusions are set forth clearly, allowing the reader to draw his or her own conclusions.
In general, I dislike books that glorify business practices that were detrimental to the workers because someone eventually got rich. I appreciated that the author made every effort not to let her celebration of Chanel's work, and the impact Chanel had on fashion and women's lives, bleed into hagiography. There are moments in the book, though, when this does happen. Two stuck out for me: the description of Chanel's collaboration with the Nazis (more extensive than I had realized) and the description of Chanel's relations with her workers.
Chanel certainly worked her way up from nothing, although through the largesse of rich lovers, and the author notes that her luck in being able to leverage this never seemed to make her more empathetic towards others. Her creations and conception of fashion continue to hold us today to a degree that I had not realized until reading this book.
However, I would have liked to have seen more examination of the way Chanel treated the women who worked for her. There are passages where Chanel is characterized as a "bad boss"--temperamental, nasty to workers personally--but it's couched in her "creativity" and implicitly excused as "diva" sort of behavior which is to be expected from someone as creative as she. Particularly since she was starting her fashion house in the pre-World War I years, a time when labor was fighting for rights all over the world and her rise coincided with the Triangle Shirtwaist fire in New York--it would have been helpful to have seen some examination of the sweatshops she ran in that context. The author certainly brings in history when it comes to the romantic figures in Chanel's life and when it comes to the rich and famous with whom she socialized. For me, it would have been more meaningful to have read about the labor history going on at the time and Chanel's working conditions in it.
(as an aside, there were parts where I disagreed with the historical analysis the author set forth--particularly with the Russian Revolution--which made me wary of her other historical analyses, although I lacked as much background to assess them as deeply).
The author goes into more depth with Chanel's collaboration with the Nazis--which is horrifying, particularly how she attempted to use the laws of the Nazis to take the perfume business from the two Jewish men who helped her make her fortune. After reading this book, particularly this part, it's hard for me to buy into the mystique any longer. I don't think I'll ever buy anything from Chanel.
There are two final aspects of the book where I would have been interested to see more development. With respect to the impact Chanel had on the fashion world, I would have been interested to see more analysis of how she influenced the way that women manipulate their bodies. The author makes some passing comment about how the voluptuous women who were the height of fashion in Belle Epoque France started to diet to be more like the willowy Chanel. But this seems superficial in comparison with the Cult of Thinness that has been cultivated all over the world ever since. The scandals about how thin models have to be and the new rules in the fashion world that have been instituted to keep from requiring extreme dieting and health consequences get no comment. Are they the consequences of Chanel's popularization of the thin, boyish figure?
In addition to the above, I gave this book 3 stars because I never felt I quite got to know Chanel. The author makes many efforts to show her as a full person--warts and all--yet, I never felt I understood the reason that she turned as bitter as she did. The author makes many conclusions about the reasons for the turns in her life with which I disagree. It's a strength of this book that the author lays out the facts so that the reader can draw his or her own conclusions. The author clearly feels that Chanel became bitter over her inability to find a life partner, but it's not clear to me that this is what caused her to be bitter. Her bitterness seems to start when her first love rejected her for a woman of higher class.
I do recommend reading this book. For me, it gave me an incentive to continue to explore the themes that the author did not.
In general, I dislike books that glorify business practices that were detrimental to the workers because someone eventually got rich. I appreciated that the author made every effort not to let her celebration of Chanel's work, and the impact Chanel had on fashion and women's lives, bleed into hagiography. There are moments in the book, though, when this does happen. Two stuck out for me: the description of Chanel's collaboration with the Nazis (more extensive than I had realized) and the description of Chanel's relations with her workers.
Chanel certainly worked her way up from nothing, although through the largesse of rich lovers, and the author notes that her luck in being able to leverage this never seemed to make her more empathetic towards others. Her creations and conception of fashion continue to hold us today to a degree that I had not realized until reading this book.
However, I would have liked to have seen more examination of the way Chanel treated the women who worked for her. There are passages where Chanel is characterized as a "bad boss"--temperamental, nasty to workers personally--but it's couched in her "creativity" and implicitly excused as "diva" sort of behavior which is to be expected from someone as creative as she. Particularly since she was starting her fashion house in the pre-World War I years, a time when labor was fighting for rights all over the world and her rise coincided with the Triangle Shirtwaist fire in New York--it would have been helpful to have seen some examination of the sweatshops she ran in that context. The author certainly brings in history when it comes to the romantic figures in Chanel's life and when it comes to the rich and famous with whom she socialized. For me, it would have been more meaningful to have read about the labor history going on at the time and Chanel's working conditions in it.
(as an aside, there were parts where I disagreed with the historical analysis the author set forth--particularly with the Russian Revolution--which made me wary of her other historical analyses, although I lacked as much background to assess them as deeply).
The author goes into more depth with Chanel's collaboration with the Nazis--which is horrifying, particularly how she attempted to use the laws of the Nazis to take the perfume business from the two Jewish men who helped her make her fortune. After reading this book, particularly this part, it's hard for me to buy into the mystique any longer. I don't think I'll ever buy anything from Chanel.
There are two final aspects of the book where I would have been interested to see more development. With respect to the impact Chanel had on the fashion world, I would have been interested to see more analysis of how she influenced the way that women manipulate their bodies. The author makes some passing comment about how the voluptuous women who were the height of fashion in Belle Epoque France started to diet to be more like the willowy Chanel. But this seems superficial in comparison with the Cult of Thinness that has been cultivated all over the world ever since. The scandals about how thin models have to be and the new rules in the fashion world that have been instituted to keep from requiring extreme dieting and health consequences get no comment. Are they the consequences of Chanel's popularization of the thin, boyish figure?
In addition to the above, I gave this book 3 stars because I never felt I quite got to know Chanel. The author makes many efforts to show her as a full person--warts and all--yet, I never felt I understood the reason that she turned as bitter as she did. The author makes many conclusions about the reasons for the turns in her life with which I disagree. It's a strength of this book that the author lays out the facts so that the reader can draw his or her own conclusions. The author clearly feels that Chanel became bitter over her inability to find a life partner, but it's not clear to me that this is what caused her to be bitter. Her bitterness seems to start when her first love rejected her for a woman of higher class.
I do recommend reading this book. For me, it gave me an incentive to continue to explore the themes that the author did not.
May 1, 2022
“I wanted to escape and to become the centre of a universe of my own creation, instead of remaining on the margins or even becoming part of other people’s universe. ”
Chanel is a religion and Coco is who you worship (or become) when you adorn a chic summer jacket with a tweed skirt and bathe yourself in Chanel No. 5, as you walk out to conquer, with the world as your runway. But hardly, other than the fashionably obnoxious and undulating image of Mademoiselle, does one know the story of Gabrielle or ‘Coco’ and the birth of the House of Chanel.
Several accounts have been written on this French woman, who took the world by charm with its straight and uncomplicated fits which draped easily over a woman’s body and not the other way round. Her idea of ‘Chanel’ was to create silhouettes for the liberated woman, disregard any social etiquette and choose comfort over society’s flawed expectations of the woman’s body. But the couturier herself was born in the most questionable circumstances and thus, every person who nearly identifies themselves with a love for culture or war history, should find themselves asking about the meteoric rise behind a girl, abandoned at the age of eleven only to find herself, twenty years later, reigning the French fashion revolution.
Rhonda Garelick’s stunning biography of Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel is a rare documentation of a gifted couturier’s life but, not only does she touch upon the personal and professional aspects of Coco, but she also albeit boldly puts the political perspective that has not been dared by any other author before. Throughout the book, there were instances when I felt that it just wasn’t the biographer speaking but Chanel herself. Her need to be understood, through every course of action taken by her, felt evident. Chanel was not keen to create couture that fell into order, she wanted to break rules, and make the world a little more empathetic to a woman’s body, thereby creating recognizable clones of her that still dominate the world stage, to date.
Chanel is a religion and Coco is who you worship (or become) when you adorn a chic summer jacket with a tweed skirt and bathe yourself in Chanel No. 5, as you walk out to conquer, with the world as your runway. But hardly, other than the fashionably obnoxious and undulating image of Mademoiselle, does one know the story of Gabrielle or ‘Coco’ and the birth of the House of Chanel.
Several accounts have been written on this French woman, who took the world by charm with its straight and uncomplicated fits which draped easily over a woman’s body and not the other way round. Her idea of ‘Chanel’ was to create silhouettes for the liberated woman, disregard any social etiquette and choose comfort over society’s flawed expectations of the woman’s body. But the couturier herself was born in the most questionable circumstances and thus, every person who nearly identifies themselves with a love for culture or war history, should find themselves asking about the meteoric rise behind a girl, abandoned at the age of eleven only to find herself, twenty years later, reigning the French fashion revolution.
Rhonda Garelick’s stunning biography of Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel is a rare documentation of a gifted couturier’s life but, not only does she touch upon the personal and professional aspects of Coco, but she also albeit boldly puts the political perspective that has not been dared by any other author before. Throughout the book, there were instances when I felt that it just wasn’t the biographer speaking but Chanel herself. Her need to be understood, through every course of action taken by her, felt evident. Chanel was not keen to create couture that fell into order, she wanted to break rules, and make the world a little more empathetic to a woman’s body, thereby creating recognizable clones of her that still dominate the world stage, to date.
February 4, 2022
I paid $4.95 plus tax for a used copy of this book. Can someone please find me a gently used Chanel handbag for approximately the same amount? Merci beaucoup in advance.
Any time I read captivating historical fiction based on a real person, I always want to learn more of the true account; Mademoiselle Chanel fit that bill. Obviously a fictitious retelling of actual events will require patchwork on the author's part, including creative license with details and dialogue that cannot fully be known. In this case, however, Gabrielle Chanel was a legendary work of fiction all on her own. She designed (and redesigned) her past often and without consistency, which makes the work of a thorough writer/researcher like Rhonda Garelick that much more commendable. She occasionally strayed a little far into conjecture and some very loosely-made connections, which is understandable to an extent. Assuming the motivations for a figure as complicated and mercurial as Coco Chanel is no easy task, so this compilation of as much context and evidence as possible was respectable.
And while Chanel was an absolute genius trailblazer who built an empire from nothing and literally changed fashion forever—the little black dress, ending the corset, costume jewelry, and so much more—she was not exactly a good role model in most other respects. I really appreciated Garelick's straightforward way of telling the grim truths regarding the Nazism, fascism, and racism that intersect with Chanel's legacy.
Any time I read captivating historical fiction based on a real person, I always want to learn more of the true account; Mademoiselle Chanel fit that bill. Obviously a fictitious retelling of actual events will require patchwork on the author's part, including creative license with details and dialogue that cannot fully be known. In this case, however, Gabrielle Chanel was a legendary work of fiction all on her own. She designed (and redesigned) her past often and without consistency, which makes the work of a thorough writer/researcher like Rhonda Garelick that much more commendable. She occasionally strayed a little far into conjecture and some very loosely-made connections, which is understandable to an extent. Assuming the motivations for a figure as complicated and mercurial as Coco Chanel is no easy task, so this compilation of as much context and evidence as possible was respectable.
And while Chanel was an absolute genius trailblazer who built an empire from nothing and literally changed fashion forever—the little black dress, ending the corset, costume jewelry, and so much more—she was not exactly a good role model in most other respects. I really appreciated Garelick's straightforward way of telling the grim truths regarding the Nazism, fascism, and racism that intersect with Chanel's legacy.
April 6, 2018
I struggled for a bit between giving 2 or 3 stars - the book is clearly well researched and for the most part, well written. The book could (perhaps should) have been condensed more, but there is a large swath of history contained in the pages.
When I first posted I was reading this book, a friend expressed surprise, since I could not have even told you what the Chanel logo looks like. Although uninterested in fashion, I expected to read a story about a strong, pioneering women who paved a path for others to follow, and get a great history lesson to boot
The latter expectation was met; I found the view of history through the lens of a number of social and artistic personages to be interesting. The story of Coco, however, I found to be disappointing. Beyond the fact that her character as portrayed was not one I respect, the number of times that she was linked with a "man who made her success" annoyed me to no end, as it directly contrasted what I had hoped to be the crux of the story.
And this is where the author walked a fine line in her writing - though she presented facts and also some speculation, she clearly tried to make Coco more sympathetic and brush over the less attractive truths in order to compliment the fashion genius of the icon. Toward the end of the book, I definitely had the sense the author had more facts than she conveyed due to restrictions placed upon her. In the end, it was this "spin" which led me to give 2 stars rather than 3.
When I first posted I was reading this book, a friend expressed surprise, since I could not have even told you what the Chanel logo looks like. Although uninterested in fashion, I expected to read a story about a strong, pioneering women who paved a path for others to follow, and get a great history lesson to boot
The latter expectation was met; I found the view of history through the lens of a number of social and artistic personages to be interesting. The story of Coco, however, I found to be disappointing. Beyond the fact that her character as portrayed was not one I respect, the number of times that she was linked with a "man who made her success" annoyed me to no end, as it directly contrasted what I had hoped to be the crux of the story.
And this is where the author walked a fine line in her writing - though she presented facts and also some speculation, she clearly tried to make Coco more sympathetic and brush over the less attractive truths in order to compliment the fashion genius of the icon. Toward the end of the book, I definitely had the sense the author had more facts than she conveyed due to restrictions placed upon her. In the end, it was this "spin" which led me to give 2 stars rather than 3.
May 16, 2018
This was an extremely interesting, if overly dense book. The amount of information Garelick compiled is just staggering, which makes it difficult at times to keep details straight. I did think the author took some liberties and made some sweeping assumptions based on a very small pile of evidence regarding some areas of Coco's life. But she did provide sufficient corroborating details in many of her stories, and I think it makes sense, after having gone to such great lengths in her research, to try and find connections in order to make sense of Chanel's motivations. By the end, the overall sense I got of Chanel's life is that it was really, quite sad. She was constantly let down by the men in her life, and she never truly developed any friendship with women that weren't at least in large part motivated by a sense of rivalry and competition. For someone who had so much, and gave so much to the world that still endures today, she never seemed, at least in this telling of her life, to find true happiness or satisfaction. I was blown away by the number of items that are considered staples in today's fashion world that were introduced by Chanel, and how unconventional they were at the time. I was also shocked by story after story about her personal life, from the cavalier way she twisted the truth about her past, to her involvement with the Nazis, to finding out that she first sought fame on the stage before finding her calling in the fashion industry. If you want to get to know the woman behind the name, this is an intriguing and comprehensive look at her life from start to end.
August 19, 2019
As someone who's familiar with the Chanel brand, but knew very little about the woman behind the name, I found this book quite fascinating. Garelick provides a detailed account of Chanel's life, from her childhood through her entire life and career. There was a heavy focus on her love life, but Garelick made a good case about how each of the men that Chanel dated had a significant influence on her beliefs and/or style. I also appreciated that she gave detailed backgrounds for each of the men, which provided a little more context than I was expecting for each of their relationships with her.
Chanel's influence on the world and the people in it was extensive. She completely revolutionized the fashion industry when she came on the scene, and managed to do it again when she was in her 70's with her fashion comeback. She was even involved with work for the Nazis, but wasn't above selling them out when she realized they weren't going to win the war.
Garelick doesn't gloss over the fact that Chanel could be (and usually was) a difficult woman, especially in her later life. Yet I have to admire a woman who started from nothing, yet managed to gain so much power, wealth and fame. But as the book came to a close, all I felt was pity for a woman who was so lonely and unhappy despite all of that. It just goes to show money can't buy happiness. I give this a B-.
Chanel's influence on the world and the people in it was extensive. She completely revolutionized the fashion industry when she came on the scene, and managed to do it again when she was in her 70's with her fashion comeback. She was even involved with work for the Nazis, but wasn't above selling them out when she realized they weren't going to win the war.
Garelick doesn't gloss over the fact that Chanel could be (and usually was) a difficult woman, especially in her later life. Yet I have to admire a woman who started from nothing, yet managed to gain so much power, wealth and fame. But as the book came to a close, all I felt was pity for a woman who was so lonely and unhappy despite all of that. It just goes to show money can't buy happiness. I give this a B-.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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