Chanel’s mysterious Mademoiselle…

Gabrielle Chanel, or Coco as she was called was a paradox in many ways. Far ahead of her times she was very much traditional and even superstitious. She loved the camellia bloom for its elegant simplicity and would wear pearls around her neck. Yet highly practical, she introduced pants for women to make riding by gondola easier.

She was an unusual woman of her times who towered above others due to her exemplary vision and confidence. And though she was orphaned at a young age, she would be the only fashion designer listed on Time magazine’s list of 100 Most Influential People of the 20^th Century.  

One interesting tale indicates her deep sensitivity to metaphysical aspects. Shortly after the love of her life Arthur ‘Boy’ Capel passed away in late 1919, she undertook a journey to Venice to recover from her terrible heartbreak. There she would discover the lion of St Mark, the bronze winged lion sculpture of Venice in the Piazza San Marco of Venice, Italy. It brought her deep comfort as she realised her star sign was Leo, she being born on 19^th August. From then on she would collect lion artifacts and feature a lion motif on her tweed suits.

The latest video released from by the Parisian brand pays tribute to the paradox that was Coco Chanel…