Icongraphics – Coco Chanel: The Graphic Novel

by Carola Di Giovanni

144 pages, Hardcover

Published December 9, 2025

Reviews

[MKF · Rating 2 out of 5]

The whole book felt disjointed and slightly incomplete because it constantly jumped from scene to scene. One page would be talking about a certain thing and the next page something else. I think it covered her life well but it's not an in depth story so there's a lot lacking.

[Bargain Sleuth Book Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Gemini Books Group for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

There are some good things about this IconGraphic biography of Coco Chanel. The book series does not offer a full biography. It features some key moments in her life, but is nowhere near a comprehensive biography, which is okay. However, some key details of her life aren’t even addressed, like her collaborating with the Nazis in occupied Paris so her shop would stay open.

There’s no doubt that Coco Chanel was a style icon, and some of her groundbreaking fashions that literally changed society are featured. The book starts with her childhood, living in poverty; it slowly shows her climb up into the upper echelons of society through her work in the fashion industry in France. She showed personal resilience as she made a cultural impact in the Western world.

Yet, there’s no sense of the woman herself. It’s all surface gloss. I appreciate that this graphic biography introduces the fashion legend to a younger audience, but the lack of substance makes this a superficial read. The artwork is pretty good, mimicking a fashion artist’s sketch pad.

[Anne Shirley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This graphic novel presents Coco Chanel’s journey in crisp panels and sleek design, effortlessly charting her rise from seamstress to style legend. The visual storytelling is undeniably chic—painstakingly composed and effortlessly stylish—making it a feast for lovers of form and fashion.

Yet, beneath the glamor, the narrative reads more like a timeline of breakthroughs than a window into the woman behind them. Chanel’s character is agreeable and poised, but one yearns for the grit and complexity that shaped her path. Little is revealed beyond the milestones—no glimpses behind her public persona.

A visually striking portrait, yes—but like one of Chanel’s own gowns, it dazzles in silhouette while leaving the seams of the story carefully hidden.

[Tara Breuer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This unauthorized Graphic Novel of Coco Chanel looks at her most iconic moments in life. It is a very quick read and as classy and simple in contents as Coco was, and the graphics reflect the class and simplicity of Coco herself. It starts with a short bit of her childhood and history of how she started in fashion. It then looks at some of her greatest achievements and follows through to her death. This is a nice quick overview of who she was and what she did in her life. She was legendary for the daring changes she made and took to influence the lives of women and fashion. Her confidence comes through in this book, especially as her younger years were when women were not looked at as leaders or innovators. This was a quick read and would make a good overview of her greatest achievements.

[Simi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book in the Iconographics series, showcasing a well-known figure in a graphic novel format. Much like the David Bowie book (which I previously read and reviewed), this offers an illustrated breakdown of the aspects of of Coco Chanel's life and career. I enjoyed the story-telling, the layout and how it was clearly broken down into sections, especially the different designs from her career (from straw hats to perfume the iconic suit). Beautifully designed and illustrated, with a clear and clean layout.

Thank you NetGalley & Gemini Books for this ARC for review, all opinions are my own.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Icongraphics – Coco Chanel by Carola Di Giovanni was a fascinating and interesting book especially as I am a fan of Coco Chanel. This book may be little but was packed with so much information I just loved reading and learning more about her. I loved the 🖼️ artwork throughout and I ended up reading and looking at it several times as I knoew I missed some pieces within the illustrations! Beautiful 😍

Big Thank you to NetGalley and Gemini Books Group for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Catarina | cat literary world · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for allowing me early access. All opinions are my own.

3.5 ⭐️

This graphic novel is a fast and engaging read about the icon that was Coco Chanel and how she came to shape women’s fashion. I think it could have had more detail about her childhood and how she overcame difficulties to become who she was, as I felt it was too fast and with little detail. Still, I recommend it!

[Mae B · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick story with beautiful artwork. Although we see the turning points of her life we don’t learn of her deeper motivations or why she approached fashion the way she did. I wish there a more depth but it was a nice introduction into her life. The only issue I noticed was the last image that had an error with the hand. I think it should be a left hand instead of the right hand drawn.

3.5 stars rounded up

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc

[Ije the Devourer of Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was fascinating. I am not really interested in fashion but the life of Coco Chanel is both gripping and engaging. This graphic novel is really well illustrated and tells the story of the woman behind the label. It is well worth reading and shows her tenacity, creativity, courage and diligence. I was immediately drawn into her story and really enjoyed it.

Copy provided by Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

[Patti Sabik · Rating 2 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations and somewhat interesting milestones in Coco Chanel’s life. It read a bit choppy for me and lacked cohesion and emotion.

[Mariam Mulla · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an inspiring book this was. The book captures the life of coco chanel. I didn't know that she suffered through A life of poverty yet she had this optimistic attitude that she can always survive the hard times no matter what. The fact that she has always listened to her heart and had cared less of what other people has to say is a great lesson for us to march forward in our endeavours . I like her quote that trends may come and go but elegance remains. It's sounds simple but the thought behind it is very deep. Now I know why she was so obsessed with black & white because she got the inspiration from cemetery and the white flowers that people left . This is too deep a thought but inspiration can come from anywhere. From an impoverished women with a dream to a remarkable famous designer styling the who's who of Hollywood and the first lady, coco chanel is an epitome of resilience and relentless dreamer. The fact that this book is an inforgraphic novel makes it even more fast paced and immersive to read. Consider it like a highlight of coco chanel's life. Loved this one ❤️