Biography of Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel,a fashion icon unlike any other by Edmonde Charles-Roux, her official biographer and close friend.

Das Leben der berühmten Modefachfrau.
Ihre Zeit im zweiten Weltkrieg

I don't believe I have ever been quite so disillusioned after reading a book. As an aspiring designer, Chanel is my hero because of what she did for fashion and for women in general. She is the reason women look like they do today and, at least in my opinion, can be credited for liberating women in a sense. It was technically Poiret who freed women from the corset, but Chanel freed women from the choking frivolity imposed on feminine fashion by men, not once but twice in her long life. Every time anyone wears a little black dress, buys their thousandth piece of costume jewelry, or pulls an article of jersey, they should be thanking Coco.

If only she had been as admirable a person as she was a designer. Charles-Roux's biography portrays Chanel as an insecure peasant who labored all her life to keep everyone from finding out about her humble origins. Furthermore, her life unfolds as merely a series of disappointing romances in which Coco, the fearless courtier, depends completely on her lovers. Indeed, the Chanel empire was financed by a rich boyfriend. The worst of it are Chanel's Nazi connections during the Occupation. Coco not only had an affair with an SS agent but was involved in a Nazi-backed mission in which she was meant to convince Churchill to offer Germany a peace that didn’t involve unconditional surrender. This episode is thrilling but completely changed what I thought about Chanel. Her life was exciting but in the end rather sad and not in any way heroic, as I had hoped it would be.

As biographies go, this one isn't the best. The translation is either very bad or Charles-Roux is just not that good of a writer. Also, I had hoped she would have spent a lot more time discussing how Chanel built her empire and why she developed the clothing and unique style that she did. Charles-Roux only gives the reader Chanel's personal life when I was looking for at least as much information on her professional life. On the other hand, Charles-Roux ties Chanel's life together nicely, pointing out themes that popped up from time to time in Coco's work and personal relationships. If you can get past the writing, it is a pretty good read. Skip it if you have only a passing interest in fashion or perhaps if you are too interested in fashion and in Chanel's work; it's difficult to go on regarding her as a hero after reading it. ( )

Haven't read it yet! It's beautiful to flip through, tho. ( )