Welcome to the Coco Chanel Finale-

And forgive me for the post delay. I realized I never posted this before my break and the Team 12:30 Takeover.

–Much Love

The author drops a line toward the end of the book that says everything about the legend of Coco Chanel. Picardie wrote, [so much of Chanel remains enigmatic – the more you run after her, the more elusive her ghost becomes]. As I said at the very beginning of this book review, the story of Chanel is a big story. And this book really gets into it. My review doesn’t cover even a full sleeve to the ‘look’ that is Chanel. If you like fashion and the history behind it you should definitely read this book. But before we move along to a new chapter of the next book here are a few final pieces to the Grand Chanel story.

Chanel was rumored and accused of working with a Nazi. She dated a guy who may have been a spy in the German invasion of Paris. Whether her guy was a spy and Chanel knew or whether she was involved in any way or not – the whole thing put a negative brand on her brand. As much as CHANEL is associated with pretty and chic, this wartime and criminal association turned it ugly and gray. The legend and her brand sort of went cold. Her name and image was tainted.

America and Chanel. The image of Chanel had changed and not for the good. Instead of being known for her fashion godliness, Chanel’s name was tied to dark troubles. But it was America that would celebrate Chanel again. A top U.S. Magazine and fashion editors brought Chanel’s reputation back to life. Women in the United States started wearing her classic easy-elegant styles. Jacqueline Kennedy, Former First Lady of the United States, was wearing Chanel when her husband was assassinated. The blood stained suit from those iconic photos were out of the House of Chanel. Jackie was just one of many American women and figures who would celebrate Chanel and this would revive the brand.

My Final Thoughts. I liked reading this book not only for the depth of this fashion brand story and the business of it but also for the personal story – the humanness of Chanel. She is not simply a designer fashion label to me. I will now think about the soul of her story. She went from being born with much of nothing -to orphan -to a cold childhood in a monastery -while being rejected by her father (someone she truly loved) -to many relationships of ‘love’ and loss -to greatness in her business craft -to social and political controversy and accusation -to more loss, then a rise back to legendary.

Sharing Chanel’s story with my youth team partly inspired one of them to appreciate his own story. So much that he literally started to write a book about his life. You have to love this new age… he didn’t worry about publication and a marketing plan for his book, he’s already put out about five chapters of his book using an app. That’s pretty legendary to me. It’s wonderful. His action shows me how possible things are. We are everything we need with the right spirit behind it.

This was a great and chic read. Thanks for taking this literary ride with SOFLY 12:30.