Chanel: The Couturiere at Work

by Amy de la Haye, Shelley Tobin

In the years around World War I, Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel challenged the world of fashion head on. Jersey knit fabrics, easy-to-wear garments based on men's sportswear, showy costume jewelry, and "the little black dress" are just a few of her innovations that have become fashion staples. In this lavishly illustrated book, for the first time the focus is on Chanel the couturière and her immense influence on the way women choose to look in the modern world.

Under the design stewardship of Karl Lagerfeld, the House of Chanel is today more relevant than ever, and in January 2010 Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky will be released nation-wide. As exciting as a front row seat at a couture show, The Couturiere at Work is a compelling look at the fashion empire of one of the indisputable geniuses of twentieth century fashion.

Genres: Fashion, Nonfiction

136 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Amy de la Haye is Professor of Dress History and Curatorship, Rootstein Hopkins Chair, London College of Fashion.

Reviews

[Dierregi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not a professional dressmaker, but I have always been interested in fashion. After all, we wear clothes every day, so we might as well try to do the best of our daily obligations. Chanel is a controversial figure in the world of fashion, but it is undeniable that she was a hard-worker, who helped freeing women from long skirts and corsets. I was fascinated by the story of her life, starting in poverty and growing to fame and fortune. Also intriguing the fact that she never married but pursued her career instead - very unusual for her times. Some of her sartorial innovations are truly groundbreaking. Obviously as a woman, she understood the constraints of some garnments and worked hard to provide alternatives to working women like her.

The book offers a large selection of photos and some technical explanations without going into too many details, so it is perfect also for the non-professional. The only thing I did not like was the complete lack of reference to her war years, when she was notoriously involved with an SS and her fall from grace in the years following the end of the war. She had to leave France and came back to Paris only a decade after the end of the war. It was certainly a sign of her tenaciousness that she managed to become successful again - probably because Dior New Look must have been so uncomfortable to wear....

The final chapter feels rushed and offers a small selection of photos of the Lagerfeld years, which compared to the glorious Mademoiselle's years, look tacky and vulgar.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chanel is one of my favorite fashion designers. I found out about her when I went to study fashion. She inspire me.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book to read if you are interested in Chanel's work as opposed to her personal life. Very helpful that the text is accompanied by copious amounts of photographs of the work it describes.

[TrenTren]

Since I was young, I ALWAYS get some sort of music or fashion book from someone at Christmas. I received this from a co-worker and if you want to read on the life of a powerful,uncompromising, driven by creative impulses woman, (who also has alot to teach this generation about being a real lady and having good manners)- read this. What an inteteresting and inspiring life- am kind of reading this piecemeal before bed.

[Candice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing.

[Sherri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice look at Chanel's work history with nuggets of personal life thrown in.