Chanel biography book

Notoriously guarded. Welcome to the secret world of Gabrielle Chanel. Chanel is the symbol for class and I wanted to know all about the woman who changed the fashion chanel biography book. This book was well written and very interesting. I learned so much about Coco I feel like I personally knew her. She is truly amazing.

Ghost of the Library. Chanel as always been - and will remain - an enigma, no matter how many attempts are made, book or movie form, no one will ever get a real understanding of the woman behind the myth. And frankly that is how it should be What did i know of Coco before this book? Number 5, her pearl necklaces, her love of fashion, her commitment to elegance and style, her devotion to her Maison, a love story with an Englishman and rumours of nazi simpathies.

Now what do i know? This isnt an easy book to read, mostly because at times the author seems lost on which direction to take, so quotes from everyone who knew her pop up all over the place, slowing down the pace and making one a tiny bit bored. Happy Readings! I wish that I hadn't persisted with this book. For a relatively short book with pictures!

It was frustrating, leaden and inconsequential. Chanel blurred her past so successfully that large swathes of the book were essentially saying 'but of course, nobody really knows Very insightful and a great escapist read. It tackled uncomfortable topics and didn't gloss over them such as what happened with her collaborationism in WW2and it was well balanced with business info too not just personal life tidbits.

The biography is so beautifully written about my favorite style icone. Ancestral Gaidheal. Why did I read it? I've always had a fascination with this self-made woman, and I remember reading a review of the paperback version of this book on a blog a few years back, and thinking I must read it. When I saw it was available in audio form, I took the opportunity to select it for my commute.

What's it about? It's a factual biography of Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel, better known as Coco Chanel, the orphaned girl who rose to be one of the most famous names in fashion, if not the most famous; credited for the creation of simple, elegant, comfortable designs, most notably the "little back dress" now considered an essential item in any wardrobe.

What did I like? It was a book focussed on revealing truth and facts, and I learned some things about Chanel I had not known before. It's always a good thing when an author attempts to avoid speculation, even if not always successful. The audio version of the book, which was downloaded from Audible, was clear and without fault. What didn't I like about this book?

Where to start? This audio book annoyed me immensely, and I think it may have started with the narrator Cassandra Harwoodwhose voice droned through each sentence making it hard to concentrate on the information being presented. I don't speak French, but I can only hope the times she employed that language she did better than with the English, when words were mis-pronounced e.

Had the text been more interesting, perhaps her voice might not have grated as much, alas The book was full of facts, but much of the book seemed to stray into the lives of those around Chanel. At one point, it seemed as though quite a few pages had been dedicated to the wife of a lover and, try as I might, I failed to grasp as to why this information was necessary to the book, as it apparently had no bearing on Chanel's life itself.

I think that was the focus of my dislike of the book: very little on the woman herself, with far too much about friends, family, business associates, and acquaintances. I felt the book really could have been considerably shorter, with the cutting of extraneous chanel biography book. The way the information was presented was also rather tedious; with no nuance to the writing.

It might as well have been a text book. Would I recommend it? I wanted to enjoy this book; I really thought I would; but I didn't, and I feel any reader would think their time better spent on other books. Jennifer JC-S. But what of the woman behind the name: what do we know about the woman who designed simple yet sophisticated clothes, practical but elegant bags and shoes, and presented Chanel No 5 perfume to the world?

There is little simple about Coco Chanel. She was born Gabrielle Chanel on 19 August — a date that she later changed by hand in her passport. Gabrielle Chanel was born in a poorhouse; her parents were unmarried and, according to Chanel, her mother Jeanne died of tuberculosis when Chanel was aged six. According to Chanel, her father left her in the care of two unmarried aunts when he actually placed her in a convent orphanage in the village of Aubazine, where she was raised by nuns.

I picked up this book knowing very little about Coco Chanel and wanting to read a little more about the woman who had such an influence on style during the 20th century. By all accounts, Coco Chanel 19 August — 10 January lived a remarkable life. Jennifer Cameron-Smith. This is no chanel biography book. This is a HUGE disappointment. I wonder how this book made it to "Official Biography".

Merely a pile of unfinished research paper draft, or trash, if you ask me. If you were to write a biography of someone like Chanel, at least dig up some truth. The only thing I learned about Chanel in this book is that she told nothing but lies. Coco Chanel : The Legend and the Life. Justine Picardie. Fascinating because she could maneuver through just about anything, it seems.

She had quite a few admirable qualities and confidence in spades. The boring parts, for me, were all the names and places. Granted, this book was published in so maybe Lady Abdy was a more recognized name or pick just about any royal title in this book but I ended up just glossing over most of them. There were a lot of names and I ended up not caring.

So that was hard to get through. If you are super into Chanel or fashion designer biographies, give this a whirl. Great pictures are included and I referred to them frequently. Apryl Anderson. This was really quite interesting: I'd already assumed that Ms. Chanel's life was quite an adventure, but comprehensive biographies aren't always such a dependable thrill ride.

Madsen obviously did heaps of research, and managed to piece the bits together to highlight the crucial elements, dropping the unessential like dressmaker's pins to the floor careful where you step. I've bookmarked a half-dozen pages for my own furthered research: Movies she costumed, crucial style elements, personalities she clothed, and shoulders she rubbed.

Here's evidence that she was inspired by those she inspired, and I'd give anything for a community like that! Aside from the wealth not that I'd scoff itChanel was an artist who communed with artists--people who challenged standards, and grew with and from each other. No wonder she left her mark! I had a hard time deciding between "it was ok" and "I liked it" for this book.

Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel was an interesting character, of that there is no doubt.

Chanel biography book

But for reasons I can't really put my finger on, Axel Madsen's telling of her story left me cold. Chanel seemed to spend most of her life reinventing her personal history. Her talent as a designer was never in question but her life before, during and after WW II is something else. Was she a heartless Nazi sympathizer or just a woman with a dysfunctional family background trying to survive as best she could?

I think that you would draw your own conclusion after reading this book. Or, like me, you could remain confused and just admire her very evident talent for design. It was really interesting to see Coco without the glamorisation that evokes her image and legacy. We can see her lights and shadows, just like every human being has to deal with.

The book contains a lot of historical and political data of the times. It was great to place her life during that time, plus she participated in important events of history and after all, fashion is a representation of the times and its society. However one difficult aspect for me was knowing the different personalities that appear in the book, I knew some of them but I got lost a few times and lost interest as well but I kept reading because her life overall was fascinating.

You can see how she managed the brand during very difficult times and in a period of big changes in the fashion industry. Zara Priestley. The story of Gabrielle Chanel - a rags to riches story of a girl who grew up in a convent where she developed the skills to sew which lead her to be a fashion icon of the 20th century. Fiercely independent and ahead of her time.

Great read. This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers. Show full review. Kirja vaikuttaa kattavalta ja uskottavalta. Se ei jotenkin tuntunut oikeudenmukaiselta. Lysbeth Van Valkenburg-Lely. Het was een interessant boek vooral om dat de schrijver hierbij echt de geschiedenis mee neemt. Dat maakt het een mooi compleet beeld van de enorme invloed is uitgegaan van Coco Chanel.

Zeker in een tijd dat vrouwen nog zo weinig in beeld waren heeft zij veel gedaan voor de positie en het idee over vrouwen en hun kleding. The opening chapter is fantastic and really draws you into her life. They love the pink binding and spine. Customers consider the book a great gift and a good investment. AI-generated from the text of customer reviews.

Customers appreciate the book's style. They find it visually appealing and a great investment. This is a beautiful book that just adds a certain touch of class to my coffee chanel biography book. If you are a Coco Chanel fan you need this book in your library. An amazing woman in terms of what she overcame and accomplished in her early life.

Her story is remarkable Highly recommend! Customers appreciate the book's detail and context. They find it interesting and well-written, with amazing pictures of Chanel. The book provides a perfect picture of an era and a fascinating woman. It captures readers' attention and is remarkable. It reads interesting, capturing the reader's attention Her story is remarkable.

I bought this book as decor and placed it on my coffee table. It looks great and is a conversation piece for sure! Customers appreciate the visual content of the book. They find the drawings and photos interesting. The old photographs provide a visual format for the narration. The book includes pictures of Chanel's early life and dress styles in Paris.

The old photographs are interestingas well. I was pleasantly surprised and not at all bored by her life story and the manner in which it was told It is a fairly quick read. Loved the abundant images on every page. You visually immerse yourself in her world While it does have great picturesit is more of an overview of her life and the era she lived in Customers like the book's decor.

They say it's a nice addition to their coffee tables, with a classy binding and thick cover. Super thick and substantial book" Read more. The pink binding makes it even more beautiful. Customers enjoy the book's pacing and find it interesting. They appreciate learning about Chanel's life and not getting bored. Superb quality, hard cover, totally chanel biography book it if you want to know more about her story and legacy!

It is great to read about a person or place in Chanel's life and then look to the photo above and see what the author is describing I was pleasantly surprised and not at all bored by her life story and the manner in which it was told. Customers like the book's pink binding. They say it's a great coffee table book and the spine is pink, which goes well with their decor and makeup room.

The pink bind is cute but it can also be really nice without the book cover as well. Once you remove the cover it is a black book. Great coffee table book! Customers appreciate the book as a gift.