No one person changed fashion in the twentieth century than Gabrielle (Coco) Chanel. From orphanage to couturier, she singlehandedly pulled women out of the 19th and into the 20th century. At a time when working women were still a rarity, Chanel lived as she wished, dressed as she wished and scorned the social mores of her day.
Lesser known is her influence on interior design. For much of her life, she lived above her atelier at 31 Rue Cambon, Paris. Interestingly, there was no bedroom. She kept a suite at the Ritz, nearby, for that purpose. Had she not found her place in the history of fashion, she surely would have found it in the world of interior design. With no formal training, she created a suite of rooms that are today iconic to students of interiors. As in her life, she broke the rules and did as she pleased. What resulted was nothing less than magical.
Her sofa, designed by Chanel, is still made today. Both classic and contemporary, it looks at home here in her rooms, as well as in the contemporary apartment of fictional television sitcom character Frasier Crane.
To learn more about this iconic woman, there are several biographies and three movies that have been released in the last few years. She suffered many losses in her life, but kept her head held high. There are facinating video interviews with her from the early seventies. She speaks strongly and firmly. Emphatically and directly. A woman with an iron will and an unerring eye. A true Design Star. Here is a look at her apartment at 31 rue Cambon, Paris.
Click on each image to enlarge.
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