The Arts & Crafts Section

To enhance the essence of my blog, I decided to create a painting that depicts some of Chanel's designs and productions that have become infamous symbols of her work. When one sees the double C logo today, no matter what gender or age, he or she instantly can identify the designer's creation. That type of recognition does not come by so easily, let me tell ya! The background of my artwork is quilted because that is Chanel's trademark handbag design. It is one style that no one can copy and be able to capture the same amount of elegance, class, and vogue that Chanel succeeds in doing.

Here is one of my favorite Chanel bags...can't get any more chic than this ladies!

The Chanel N°5 perfume, launched in 1921, is one of the first major creations that Chanel formed.
N°5's success was outstanding because it grew so rapidly. Furthermore, it made Coco Chanel rich, and her face became as renowned as her logo.

In 1924, Chanel began her first costume jewelry collection that Harper's Bazar named "one of the most revolutionary designs of our time." Among Chanel's designs is the long pearl necklace. This pearl necklace has the special superpowers to make any outfit an instant classic. I wanted to incorporate the staple in my painting in some way, so I figured why not wrap it around the whole piece? It adds definition to the work and strengthens the Chanel impression I was trying to convey. 

The final product :)

Now tell me, what do you think??

The Dawn of Coco

When Gabrielle Chanel turned 18, she left the orphanage at Aubazine in which the nuns introduced sewing to her. She was not permitted to stay because the nuns only kept girls that had a pious desire to be a part of their training. Although Chanel had no parents present, she had aunts and grandparents. Chanel went to visit her aunt Louise and got sent to the Notre Dame School in Moulins, which was a religious establishment managed by canonesses (women that lived according to the rule of nuns) where her aunt Adrienne was attending. When Chanel was in Aubazine, she played the organ and sang, dazzling the nuns. Contrastingly, no one was amazed by Chanel at the Notre Dame school because she was a charity child living in a free place, and consequently everyone treated her differently because she was not as fortunate as other girls there. She was given more education at Notre Dame thinking that there would always be accessible work as a seamstress. Chanel learned how to shape and embroider hats from her aunt. When Chanel was living with her aunt, she dreamed about escaping to Paris.

How did the name Coco come about if her name was Gabrielle? In Moulins, Chanel would go to a pavilion in a small park where concerts took place. Due to her talents in singing, she was committed to going on stage and singing in public. One of the songs she knew was called, 'Qui qu'a vu Coco?', which was a short song about a girl who lost her dog. The audience gave her the nickname of the lost dog. Therefore, Gabrielle became Coco, a transformation that seemed insignificant at the time but led to birth of an icon. 

Say What?!

As I have been delving deeper into my research, I have stumbled upon some surprising facts. 

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, fashion was a significant matter that people cared for (as it is today, of course). During that time, many new fashion houses, such as Elsa Schiaparelli and Balenciaga, opened up in Paris. However, during World War II, numerous fashion houses closed due to the invasion in Paris. The Vichy Regime, the French government that combined with the Axis powers, marketed the model of the mother and wife, the strong, muscular young woman. This type of physique was more appropriate with the new political standard. Simultaneously, Germany was taking over a large part of France's high fashion, and was thinking about moving French haute couture to Vienna and Berlin, which were not even fashion cities! Unsurprisingly, Jews were prohibited from the clothing industry. Throughout the occupation, the primary way a woman put herself on display was by wearing a hat. This couldn't scream Coco Chanel any more since she started her fashion line with hats!

Many would assume that Chanel learned how to sew in a formal Parisian school. However, that is not the case. Following her mother's death, Chanel's father who worked as a peddler, put her in an orphanage. She was brought up by nuns that taught her how to sew...I couldn't be more grateful to these nuns for giving Chanel the skills that shaped her influential accomplishments in fashion. This goes to show that anyone can be a star if they work hard and believe. 

Chanel

Skipping over a few decades, Coco Chanel emerged as a fashion designer. Not only was she involved in clothing, but she also reveled her artistic abilities through jewelry, perfumes, and handbags. She was the only fashion designer to turn up on Time Magazine's list of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century. That fact alone speaks a million volumes. She played a big role in freeing women from the limitations of the "corseted silhouette." Following World War I, Chanel gracefully seized the challenge of publicizing the toleration of the sporty-chic style.

Project+Paper...Let's Get Cracking!

I will be making a project in addition to my paper for the Frisch Leads assignment. Now the obvious question is: what project could possibly encompass the history of fashion's capital and the life of Chanel? A scrapbook of course! I plan to fill it with pictures of fashion's most prominent time periods intertwining with Chanel's major contributions to the clothing and accessorizes industries. Throughout the scrapbook, I will put together descriptive captions and chic patterns. As a conclusion, I will add images of today's fashion world and be able to compare it to the various eras throughout the history of female style. Who knew history could be so fun?!

Interblog 1

While reading Oshrat Nachum's blog,  I've found myself eager to read her future posts. Oshrat shared her journey of constructing the perfect theme with her readers, which made her blog all the more realistic. By conveying her thoughts in a methodical manner, she successfully captivated readers to find out how her blog would develop. After deliberating on what her topic should be, Oshrat came to the conclusion that she would focus on the history of Israeli food and movies since the state's formation in 1948. She cleverly named her topic: "Dinner and a Movie: Israeli Style." 

Because I love watching foreign films and eating foods from various cultures, I'm confident that I will truly enjoy reading the rest of Oshrat's posts. Furthermore, I love visiting Israel, so learning new things about its culture will enhance my future trips there. I advise everyone to check out Ms. Nachum's blog in order to appreciate and acquire a knowledge of Israel's societal history.  

The Birth of Fashion's Capital

It all began in the 16th century when Anne Boleyn was recognized for adorning an alluring French-style hood that revealed her hair. Who knew that the French were known for their liberal outlook toward seductiveness so early on in history?

Fast forward to the 18th century, when Haute Couture - a division of fashion where premier custom-fitted clothing is made from expensive fabric and is meticulously sewn - emerged. Originally, the wealthy and important people told designers what type of clothing they wished to wear. A century later, Charles Worth (aka the founder of modern Haute Couture), an Englishman employed in Paris, presented his name on his garment labels. Worth changed the entire system of Haute Couture because not only did he start labeling his clothing, but he also fabricated his own ideas and exhibited them on live models. His new approach to fashion gave clients the ability to approve or condemn his creations. Worth's imagination resulted in a groundbreaking contribution to the fashion world; designers started to determine what was stylish.

One of Charles Worth's Haute Couture designs. This was certainly this mannequin's heyday!