Reading Reflection No.1

Coco Chanel: An Intimate Life

Author: Lisa Chaney

· What surprised you the most?

o Her bisexuality and drug use. In high school, I read a biography on Coco Chanel and it did not go into depth about her bisexuality. In fact, it was a rumor, in this book however, Chaney really went into depth of finding out what was fact and what was myth.

· What about the entrepreneur did you most admire?

o One of the many things I admire about Chanel was her mystery. She wasn’t like how most celebrities are these days where we know everything about their life. She kept it to herself and wasn’t fond of the limelight. I can relate to her. Sometimes, isolation is needed to keep the mind sane. After enduring such neglect and hardships so early in your childhood, I believe it is necessary.

· What about the entrepreneur did you least admire?

o What I least admire about Coco Chanel are all the lies and myths of her life that in the end it was almost all she really had. I believe you are not defined by your past but what you make of it. There are bunch of women and entrepreneurs who have come from nothing but share it with others to show others that they too can succeed. I don’t believe she became that platform until after her death. I do understand that her situation was different because of the times but it would have just made me respect her even more.

1.) First off, Chanel came from a very poor upbringing. Although all the odds were against she rose. She became a milliner and opened her first shop but it failed. She then returned to it for it to become a success. She learned how to sew and make hats in the orphanage in Aubazine. Her background in this is what fueled her desire to open a milliner and later open a fashion house. Her fashion house would see be an international powerhouse and she would become a legendary icon.

2.) Chanel was a very complex human being. She was mysterious, brilliant, witty, Brilliant, witty, self-conscious yet very confident, her pride was her virtue but her flaw as well. She hid her early life very well but because of this she created her own illusion of herself. She was notoriously known for this.

3) She was having an affair with a German spy and didn’t know it. According to the text, although he may have been a “master of seduction and deception”, how could she have not suspected it. According to other biographies, many show that Gabrielle is witty and clever, so it kind of shocked me. It was refreshing more than confusing to see Chaney try and humanize Gabrielle. In other, 

4) Question 1: If you could do it all over again would you change certain things or do it the same way? For this question, I would ask it because there were so many rumors about her life that I wanted to know if they were true. If she could, would she provide clarity or do it over so that her credibility wouldn’t be questioned like it was in her time.

Question 2: How did you determine what women would love? It is very hard to know when you have set trends. Coco was known as a fashion icon all over the world. Her class and style were timeless and she pioneered the independent modern woman. What skills would I have to develop to provide that to my customers?

5) For fun: I think the entrepreneur's opinion of hard work is essential in gaining the independence and freedom you want. After meeting her close friend and lover Arthur Capel, he opened her eyes to what she could have. She then realized that her pride would be her strength and virtue and driving force behind her worth ethic. She proved everyone right and would eventually tell Arthur she didn’t need him as her guarantor. She was an independent woman. I agree with Chanel that your hard work determines what you get. You don’t wait for your independence to be given to you, you go out, work hard, and take it.