-By Justine Picardie
-International Bestseller
A Non-fiction Publication
Coco Chanel: The story of the legend or the ‘legend of the stories’ continues to unfold. I’ve simply been a fan of the brand, the name and the fashion legacy that is Chanel. I knew nothing about the mysteries or untold stories of Mademoiselle Chanel… (and for the record I should now say, Madame Chanel – thanks to last week’s post).
Stories of the legend—
Her name is Chanel…
Madame Chanel was born Gabrielle Chanel, in France, there was no ‘Coco’ at the time. The name Coco came much later in her life. Although she would tell stories of how her father would call her little Coco as a child. Part of Chanel’s legend was her mythical nature. She would fabricate or embellish stories from her past. She would make up stories.
Back to her name- The book talks about the misadventure of her birth certificate. Her last name was misspelled on her birth certificate as Gabrielle Chasnel– a typo. (Her paternal grandfather’s name was also misspelled on his birth certificate as Henri-Albert Charnet. It took two decades for the grandfather’s surname to be corrected as Chanel). She was christened as Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel. Her mother gave birth to her in a hospital for poor people, a poor house. One of the nurses was named Gabrielle Bonheur. She was named after her.
When you’re meant to be CHANEL-kind-of-great that’s all that matters…
Chanel was the ‘creative’ type not only with her fashion but also with her childhood. Regularly on-the-go was her father, who spent much of his time away and then ‘away to America.’ Chanel would come up with her own versions of her childhood to dispute such a misfortune. Her parents were not married when she was born, so add shame and “not-legit” judgment (from the town’s people) to her problems. Her family came from no money, they were poverty poor.
The story of the ‘true’ story makes you feel she [Chanel] had nothing to be happy or proud about in her young life. But Chanel’s story of it all is pretty different. For example, she loves her father, because he loves her, out of all the other children. It didn’t matter to her that her father wasn’t there- (quite the opposite) she thought he was brave to leave his family and live the youthful life he ‘should’ have. It didn’t matter to her that her father would go back and forth -in and out of their lives- even when her mother was sick and dying (eventually dead) from no wealth, no good health and no love. Or maybe refashioning the story shows her greatness.
Chanel was not about that “orphan” life…
The story of Chanel as an orphan is every bit of adventurous and well-kept as any one of her signature double C fashion collections. Young Chanel along with her two sisters were abandoned (left at an orphanage). Chanel would grow up in the Aubazine, a Roman Catholic convent, named The Congregation of the Sacred Heart of Mary. There she would live and pray within the gloomy halls and monastic establishment. You will find some of the inspiration behind her fashion legacy here. Her ‘auntie’ nuns would raise her here. During the stories Chanel would tell, people would think she was talking about her real aunts.
She had to wear black uniforms with the garb of white. We see what she did with that… Black & White: The two statement colors of chic fashion. Her peasant early-lifestyle would seem cruel and unfair. But this is not a story of defeat rather this is a story of how Chanel redefined her struggles. Chanel would not dare consider herself orphan. And wouldn’t understand why anyone else would consider it for her.
One line stood out to me about this part of her life. Chanel felt she was ‘without God’. Her memories were literally cold ones – in the monastery it would get dark at 5; there was this too close closeness of the other children; they only had dim lighting from candles. She ended that story with, [I said at confession afterwards it had inspired profane feelings in me].
To be continued next Wednesday – 12:30.