The Story of Coco Chanel - Essay Example

Coco Chanel Coco Chanel was a famous fashion designer who lived between the years 1883 and 1971. She spent her early life in an orphanage. This was after he mother's death whereby her father put her in an orphanage since he was a peddler. During her stay at the orphanage, the nuns there taught her how to sew which led to her entry into the fashion world. Chanel earned herself the name Coco from her other career as a singer (Madsen 23). Exactly at the age of twenty, Chanel took her fashion to the next level.

There were two key men in her life who assisted her in propelling her fashion venture. Etienne Balsan helped Chanel to set up a millinery business in Paris's first fashion venture. Chanel started off by selling hats and thereafter began making clothes. The thriving of her business in clothes motivated Chanel to launch a perfume that was known as Channel no. 5 in the 1920s ( Picardie 139). Her thrive in the fashion world saw them become a public figure. Cocteau and artist Pablo Picasso became her friends while she was also a big figure in the artistic and literary side of Paris.

One of her many memorable quotes is “A woman who cuts her hair is about to change her life.” This quote does not apply to a woman’s hair only but to the various changes we need to embrace in our lives. Change may be hard at first but it is good to learn how to embrace it. Chanel’s life from how she grew up in an orphanage and defied all odds to become among the world’s celebrated fashion icons is proof that we all are in charge of our destiny.