The most personal account of the life and work of legendary designer Coco Chanel ever published, with contributions from her great-niece and from the archives of her eponymous fashion house. Coco Chanel_s life and work have been recounted often in print and film_everything except the details of her most private self: her fondness for symbolism and poetry, the men she loved, her family, and in particular her nephew André Palasse, whom she raised like a son. His daughter Gabrielle Palasse-Labrunie_Chanel_s only direct descendant and goddaughter to both Chanel and the Duke of Westminster_enjoyed a close-knit relationship with the designer for more than forty years. In this biography, she opens her doors and shares personal memories of her great-aunt. This work_divided into five chronological parts, including Chanel_s dark periods_plunges the reader into the private world of the icon, offering intimate insight. Photographs of Chanel_s personal effects, many of which have never before been seen or published, include presents from her great love Boy Capel, furniture, favorite jewelry, talismans, clothes, family photographs, rare documents, correspondence, and books with personal inscriptions. The Chanel fashion house offered privileged access to the couturiere_s iconic pieces in their archives. In Intimate Chanel, Palasse-Labrunie discloses all that was _important_ to her great-aunt and recounts their private conversations, unveiling who her _Auntie Coco_ really was: a very different Chanel from her public persona.