Was Coco Chanel a spy?
Coco Chanel, born Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel, is one of the most famous fashion designers of all time. Historians ascribe the origins of the little black dress to Chanel and her unmistakable Chanel No. 5 perfume is reported to sell approximately 10 million bottles each year. While the designer revolutionized women's fashion, there's a scandalous side to her that's often overlooked: she was also an alleged Nazi sympathizer and informer.
Want to know more? Click through this gallery now to learn about Coco Chanel's controversial past.
Who was Coco Chanel?
Coco Chanel was a French fashion designer famous for her elegantly casual designs that encouraged women to abandon the uncomfortable, complicated clothes that were prevalent in the early 20th century.
Birth
Coco Chanel was born on August 19, 1883, in Saumur, France, to parents Eugénie Jeanne Devolle Chanel, a laundrywoman, and Albert Chanel, a street vendor.
The move to Moulins
When Chanel turned 18, she moved to Moulins, where she attended school while living in a convent.
Relationships
Chanel had affairs with various wealthy men, notably Arthur Capel. With his financial assistance, she opened Chanel Modes, a small millinery shop in Paris, in 1910.
"Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury"
Chanel's simple yet elegant designs offered influential, wealthy women a much-needed alternative to restrictive corsets, ultimately revolutionizing the fashion industry.
Chanel No. 5
In 1921, with the help of Ernest Beaux, one of the most talented perfume creators in France, she developed her Chanel No. 5 perfume. Some say the name came from her choosing the fifth scent of the perfume, while others say it's because five was her lucky number.
Operation Modelhut
Chanel was involved in Operation Modelhut, a scheme in which a Nazi general enlisted Chanel to travel to Madrid in the hopes of getting a message to her friend Winston Churchill, suggesting they negotiate an end to the war.
Anti-Semitism
Chanel attempted to use the Nazi's Aryan laws preventing Jews from owning businesses to take control of her perfume company from her Jewish partners.
Move to Switzerland
Chanel left for Switzerland to escape any retribution and stayed for nearly a decade. She continued her relationship with Hans Günther von Dincklage for years after the war and never faced any official consequences for her wartime activities.
A return to fashion?
In the early 1950s, Chanel began to consider a return to fashion. French fashion had undergone a major change, led by Christian Dior. He created the New Look, a style defined by ultrafeminine and highly sculptured clothing.
1954 fashion show
Chanel's collection featured in the 1954 fashion show earned her place in history, ensuring her name would be remembered as a fashion icon.
Legacy
Chanel's collaboration may have tarnished her legacy, but she is still celebrated as one of the most influential designers of the 20th century. Even in more recent years, acclaimed designers are still making successful comebacks after outrageous scandals. John Galliano, whose career parallels Chanel's, is a perfect example.
Death
Coco Chanel died in her suite at the Hotel Ritz on January 10, 1971. Her last words to her maid Celine were, "You see, this is how you die."
Sources: (BBC) (Britannica) (Business Insider)
