Coco

Coco Chanel (Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel)

  • Birth

    Born in Saumur, France
  • Orphanage

    Left in an orphanage at the age of 12 with 2 sisters and 2 brothers
  • Fashion beginnings...

    Taught how to sew by a nun at the orphanage and later applies her skills to work at a local tailor.
  • Cabaret

    Sings at a cabaret called La Rotonde to make a living under the name of "Coco".
  • Chanel Modes

    After years designing and selling hats for her wealthy friends, opens a hat shop called "Chanel Modes" with the help of her boyfriend.
  • Chanel Boutique

    Opens a boutique in Deauville, France, and introduces casual clothes.
  • Chanel No.5

    After years opening new boutiques and heartbroken due to the death in a car accident of her boyfriend, Coco creates a fragance.
  • Iconic products

    Introduces her first makeup line and the iconic Chanel suit.
  • Fame and money

    Reaches her prime with 4 different business - a fashion house, a textile business, perfume laboratories and makeup factories.
  • Drugs

    Becomes a habitual drug used and consumes morphine daily.
  • World War II

    The outbreak of WWII leads to the closure of much of her bysubess and she moves to Germany, where she is said to be a Nazi Spy.
  • Haters and criticism

    At the age of 71, reopens some of her shops, but receives much criticism because she might have been a Nazi spy.
  • American followers

    Reintroduces her classic looks and gets many American buyers.
  • Death

    Dies at the age of 88 in her hotel room at The Ritz in Paris