Coco has been consistently described as an
amazing woman who possesses unlimited mesmerizing energy.
Whether she was running her business, creating her designs, or
the host of a dinner party, she was always the center of
attention. Although she lived an independent life, she was never
without a man. As the founder of the first fashion empire, she
was her own self-made millionaire. Her hard-earned successes
occurred naturally through a unique style that followed her
throughout her life. Although she turned out to be an extremely
flourishing fashion designer, her roots were not so glamorous.
Born in despicable poverty to a family with a
sickly mother and wandering father, Coco spent her free-time
dreaming of a life of luxury and wealth. After the untimely
death of her mother and complete abandonment of her father, she
was orphaned at the age of 12. After living within the strict
walls of the orphanage, she was sent away to boarding school.
The school was a hierarchical society with strict boundaries
between the social classes. As an orphan, Coco was regularly
mistreated as part of the poorest members of the school. This
segregation led her to be particularly aware of the way people
looked – especially in the upper classes of society.
At school, she learned a critical skill – the
ability to sew. This helped her land a job at a tailor which was
the first jump toward her career in fashion. The skills she
learned as a seamstress combined with her natural talent in
fashion ultimately were her stepping stones to victory. When she
first began to initiate her creations, it was the hats that set
her apart. As she became better known for her designs, she truly
transformed the fashion of the time – providing women more
freedom and simplicity with their selection of dress. It wasn’t
only her clothes that grew the company, but her personality as
well. Known for her potent ability to flirt and her strong goals
of independent wealth, she managed to thrive within a business
world previously dominated by men.
Coco Chanel has left behind her a legacy, both
as a woman and as a brand. We remember her designs, but also her
attitude. It was Coco who not only created fashionable clothes
for women, but also liberated them from the restrictive outfits
of the time. As they say, you are what you wear, and Coco
helped women recognize their personal freedom through clothing.
The Perfume
As a fashion designer, Coco was destined to
create a signature perfume. Plus, like other designers, her
perfume was bound to be more profitable then her clothing line.
What no one could have guessed was exactly how lucrative this
one product would be.
Coco used her connections to hire a renowned
perfumer to the Czar Nicolas II to conceive her perfect scent. A
chemist by the name of Ernest Beaux, who tried numerous
fragrances before eventually discovering the one she liked.
Chanel No. 5 was born containing eighty different florals, with
a strong jasmine note. The finished scent was fresh and lively,
with a perfectly universal appeal.
Although the fragrance itself was delightful,
Coco knew that it would take creative marketing to sell it.
Taking on the challenge, she applied her style and a resistance
to conformity to create a distinctive marketing effort. The
first step was to switch from the frilly bottles of the time to
a classic simple perfume bottle. The next step was the name,
being the first to attach her name to the fragrance, plus
breaking the tradition of giving the scent a fancy name – she
simply called it Chanel No. 5. In order to draw additional
attention to the release of her new product, she handed out
small samples to all the rich and wealthy - thus, creating a
sense of being part of an exclusive club. She also sprayed it in
all her fitting rooms and would have her assistants spray it
before every event she attended – just as she walked into the
room.
A few years after the initial success of No.
5, she partnered with Pierre Wertheimer and Theophile Bader to
spin-off the perfume production to a new organization labeled
Parfums Chanel. Although, this scent eventually became the most
popular perfume in the world – due to this management change she
actually lost most of its financial success.
Parfums Chanel has released numerous new
fragrances throughout the last century. While many have been
quality classics and natural best sellers, none have replaced
Chanel No. 5 in popularity.
Modern Times
The current company has continued the
traditions of luxuries in clothing and fragrances. They have
also expanded their brand influence into beauty and skin care.
Their makeup brand is about extravagance and not price. For the
cosmetic consumer who is looking for romantic touch and sensual
sensations to their beauty routine, Chanel fits the niche.
A quick visit to their website (http://www.chanel.com)
will echo this sentiment. They also have a section of
professional application videos, almost like a personalized
visit to your own online makeup artist. With detailed
follow-along demonstrations, you can learn techniques for face
makeup, lips and eye makeup.
Newest Products
Mascara
An all-in-one lash delight that delivers
volume, length and curl in a single stroke. The unique brush
design reaches even the smallest of lashes.
Professional Finish Concealer
A new style of liquid brush on concealer for
seamless coverage and easy application.
Fragrance
In addition to the classic staple, Chanel No.
5, the same bottle design delivers a variety of new scents. The
current highlighted collection is Allure. With the men’s
Homme as a sexy and warm cologne with fresh woody spices,
and the women’s Sensuelle offering a rounded character
constructed from six fragrance facets providing a warm floral
scent.
