Life before Chanel

The era of Coco Chanel began in the 1920s, however Gabrielle’s less than glamorous early life was said to have paved the way for the legacy Gabrielle was about to leave. From the age of 12 she lived within an orphanage, a strict institute whereby she was as a lesser. Her father took it upon himself to put Gabrielle and her sister into the orphanage to pursue work, from that day onwards she never saw her father again. Although there was no relationship with her father Gabrielle spent a summer learning to sew and create bonnets with one of her aunts, perhaps one of the most important summers in Gabrielle’s life and career as her spark and passion for fashion design began from the small time spent creating those pieces with her aunt.

After 7 years of living at the orphanage Gabrielle left, in 1903 she was offered a job as a seamstress. Although an extremely good job for a young woman of her social class, Gabrielle took up another job in order to pursue her bigger dreams. This was to be one of the first conventions Gabrielle would break. Gabrielle began working at the music hall whereby Coco Chanel was born, Coco’s interest in wealthy men, particularly Étienne Balsan, would be her steppingstone in breaking away from the world of poverty. Within a short 12 months she would be socialising with some of France’s wealthiest people, during her time spent with Balsan Coco left her job as a seamstress and began horseback riding, her love for equestrianism evolved as she took a deep interest in the clothing worn whilst participating in the sport.