Coco Chanel: Pearls, Perfume, and the Little Black Dress

Gr 5–8—This slim work on the life and legacy of Coco Chanel begins in 1883, the year of her birth. Coco, née Gabrielle, was born into poverty and deposited at age 11 in a Catholic orphanage. It was there that she learned a sense of austerity that she later translated to the simple, clean lines of the clothes she designed. Chanel was an industrious self-starter who worked her way from seamstress to hat maker. As she expanded her range, she was credited with originating the little black dress, trousers made for women, costume jewelry, and—perhaps most importantly—liberating women from their corsets and girdles. Rubin's simple, straightforward writing conveys not only the high styles of wealthy European women in the 1900s but also provides a glimpse into the limitations women faced during that time. Though Chanel was immersed in the world of women's fashion, it was an industry dominated by male designers. Furthermore, she had to rely on men to finance her at the start of her career and, later, for the production of her iconic Chanel No°5 perfume. Rubin's work also depicts the broader historical context of European life for the upper class during and between the two world wars, including information on Chanel's anti-Semitism and rumors that she was a Nazi sympathizer. Photos and illustrations throughout visually complement Rubin's detailed descriptions of Chanel's designs.