Official Nazi papers found in French Defence Ministry archives show that Chanel was recruited by the Nazi military intelligence division, the Abwehr, and given an agent number – F-7124. No, I was interested to read of Chanel, a woman I absolutely despise with all her flaws as well as talents on display. I find her clothes to be boring and twee as opposed to the wonderful designs of Schiaparelli whose genre was surrealism, interpreted through the medium of clothes, inspired by her artist friends who included Jean Cocteau and Salvador Dali. I wasn't interested from the point of view of Chanel as a designer. And when Paris falls to the Nazis, Coco is forced to make choices that will haunt her.Īn enthralling novel of an extraordinary woman who created the life she desired, Mademoiselle Chanel explores the inner world of a woman of staggering ambition whose strength, passion and artistic vision would become her trademark.ġ star I was quite interested in reading this because according to Kirkus Reviews (which are paid for) it is historically accurate although the author portrays Chanel as beyond all reproach for absolutely everything.

But her fame and fortune cannot save her from heartbreak as the years pass. As Coco’s reputation spreads, her couturier business explodes, taking her into rarefied society circles and bohemian salons. Rejecting the frilly, corseted silhouette of the past, her sleek, minimalist styles reflect the youthful ease and confidence of the 1920s modern woman. But it is only when her lover takes her to Paris that Coco discovers her destiny.

She immerses herself in his world of money and luxury, discovering a freedom that sparks her creativity. Transforming herself into Coco-a seamstress and sometime torch singer-the petite brunette burns with ambition, an incandescence that draws a wealthy gentleman who will become the love of her life. The sisters nurture Gabrielle’s exceptional sewing skills, a talent that will propel the willful young woman into a life far removed from the drudgery of her childhood. For readers of The Paris Wife and Z comes this vivid novel full of drama, passion, tragedy, and beauty that stunningly imagines the life of iconic fashion designer Coco Chanel-the ambitious, gifted laundrywoman’s daughter who revolutionized fashion, built an international empire, and become one of the most influential and controversial figures of the twentieth century.īorn into rural poverty, Gabrielle Chanel and her siblings are sent to orphanage after their mother’s death.

Mademoiselle chanel by cw gortner