Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Pickwick's Reads: The Gospel According to Coco Chanel

Artistic revolutionary Jean Cocteau said of his friend Coco Chanel, “Her spectacular liaisons, her rages, her nastiness, her fabulous jewels, her creations, her whims, her excesses, her kindness as well as her humor and generosity, all those were part of her unique, endearing, attractive, excessive, and very human personality…. She looks at you tenderly, then nods her head and you’re condemned to death.”



I’m a Chanel girl. Simple lines, classy cuts, and colors that can be found somewhere between a summer sky and the shade of rich soil- she put all of the pieces together when it came to dressing independent women and wrote the book on what we consider a “classic” look today. Still, Chanel is the legend, and “The Gospel According to Coco Chanel” gave me a peek into the world of Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, the individual, instead of just the Chanel-lore, a deep well of fashion mythology. I was so grateful for Karen Karbo’s little book. Her writing was zippy, honest and so clearly heartfelt that I was as much enamored with her as I was with Chanel by the conclusion. She gave wonderful and unique insight into Chanel and created a very sweet homage to a complex and, of course, utterly fabulous woman.


Queen Coco (credit to Fashion's Collective photo archive)
I recommend this to any catwalk watchers, but more importantly, to those interested in a great underdog story. Filled with sweet personal anecdotes from the writer and testaments to the passion and self-made nature of Chanel’s empire, it will inspire you and add a touch of lovely to your day.

Check out Karen Karbo's website!



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What great women inspire you? Tell us about it!
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