Coco Chanel Designs

Coco Chanel Designs

A couple of definitions have been devised to suit the word feminism. .many of the descriptions is majorly surrounded on it is a theory of political, economic and social equality for the sexes[1]. It is an organized activity that champions the rights and interests of women. The thesis will discuss in details women dressing before, during and after Coco Chanel. The gradual transformation of the dressing codes among women.

Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel, who is famously known as Coco Chanel, is a French Designer who was born in 1883 and has lived for an estimated sixty years. Her fashion did great in the Parisian culture and was the force to reckon for the close competitors in the market at the time. Her career witnessed a lot of success with her merchandise gaining acceptance all over the world outgrowing her influence in the market for over six decades. Although she was a woman, she was able t fight the stiff competition that existed, thus proving that women can also be a source of inspiration to many who consider taking bold steps as Chanel did.

Chapel started as a café singer in her early years basing on her humble background. She later becomes associated with a series of wealthy men in 1993 of whom one of them (Arthur Chapel) aided her financially to start a small shop in Deauville, France, selling tinny millinery, simple sportswear like sweaters[2]. Within five years, she was able to create classy fabrics. After getting associated with some wealthy men, she got financially assisted. She started a smaller shop that had limited garment wears but thrived through her strategy of having a clientele business.

Upon taking new roles in the workforce, the gender-dictated dressing was loosening, the long skirts became shorter in length, and the bold colour prints became dull. With time the wealthy in the society begun to support her superb work in the clothing industry. Among them was the successful women in society, who dictated the dressing codes that were prevailing in the era. The continuous change in the mode of dressing started changing over from decade to the other.

However, the trend that was stereotyped was the type of clothing for different genders. Mostly, the bright clothes were preserved for the women and the dull ones for the male population. The male population preferred the dark colours basing on the nature of their daily activities in the world.

Shortly before World War I, the women dressing was sophisticated in terms of fashioning and how dressing was generally taken down[3].  Women would change clothes to about four times a day, and many populations among the wealthy in the community had nannies that would help in cleaning the clothes often.  Most of the apparels during this period imitated rich people clothing in the society and the upper class.

During this period, the Paris clothing fashion was the best in the world hence sold the best fabrics the market that was hard to find in the market. Given that fashion was dictated by gender, most of them would wear the best and most recent styles.  The women wore mostly long clothing and tightly fitting corset, but men were only contented with a simple dress that allowed natural movement as they undertook their activities.

As times passed and fashion evolved, women also steadily changed their preference into developing a liking for short skirts[4]. The male started to develop a liking for long clothes. In some way, this was seen as an exchange between the womanhood and their counterparts. In this period, the First World War was in owing and required men to fight in the fields. Many of them were drafted to join the army to fight. The type of clothing seemed to suit the army fighters for men.

On the other hand, women were on the mission of maintaining economic stability. Many of them were forced to join the workforce to fend for their families. They, therefore, seemed to have developed a liking for the simple short skirts overriding the multi-layer, long dresses which were seen as obstacles to entering the workforce.

The women dressing was defined by their environment, their cleanliness and sobriety, which was also the case to Coco Chapel who liked this type of clothing.  Her inspiration was mainly from the working class who want fitting, short skirts and comfortable clothing for the working population.

Basing on the fact that the working class inspired chapel’s designs, she made the most comfortable clothing that mostly met the needs of most women around the world. It had more mobility and was considered to be boyish. It meant that Chapel’s clothing was the best at the times enabled to be rivalled across the globe since it provided the users more mobility than the available clothing.

The uncommon and unclutter styles designed by Chanel, the shortened skirts, allowed most women to leave their corsets, therefore allowing them to carry out practical activities. The unclutter styles were way far beyond what was availed in the market by other clothing companies. Chapel was able to streamline the available opportunity to change clothing landscape of the era.

Chanel’s design and creation from jersey gave life to women’s dressing, leading to the growth of feminine dressing style from the little black dress to suit[5]. The jersey fabric was and is still perceived to be challenging to work with, but Coco’s design skills were epic and straightforward, which were often inspired by men’s wear and the fabric suited her designs ideally. Therefore, her garments were ideal for most women that were the sole rightful breadwinners for their families during the war. Her fashion sense would, be emulated and glorified amongst her peers and the women community.

The colour was used mainly for given reasons.  Black was used to simplifying grief and mourning. It was also used by widows and maids who could otherwise be viewed as a way to suppress the women. Coco Chanel, however, designed the little black dress as one of the most significant designs even with the prevailing perspective of the black cloth.

Even at the times when the women clothing was well developed, Coco Chapel would wear what was seen as man’s cloth. She was fearless and powerful and was daring to go against the odds just to prove the power of the feminism. While other women were wearing dress shirts and dresses, she would wear breeches and jackets. Men’s clothing, at some point, inspired chapel’s clothing. Collared shirts, simple sweaters, and belted jackets. Her creation freed women from rigid clothing by making clothes that allowed natural movement and mobility.

The Chanel’s suit and little black dress were significantly effective in revolutionizing the fashion world as they helped in defining the fashion and dressing code of the modern woman[6]. The suit and the little black dress help women to say bye to the long dresses and tight-fitting corset. The jackets that she made were viewed as men’s wear, but on the contrary, he helped in revolutionizing the general thinking and attitude in women.

In conclusion, women wear come from a long way and continue to revolutionize even after the demise of Coco Chapel, who is one of the influential feminists. Her designs were inspired by the fact that women should be considered as equally the same sexes.

References

Hillman, Betty. 2013. “The Clothes I Wear Help Me To Know My Own Power”: The Politics Of Gender Presentation In The Era Of Women’s Liberation”. A Journal of Women Studies 34 (2): 155-185. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5250/fronjwomestud.34.2.0155?seq=1.

Marcangeli, Sveva. 2015. “Undressing The Power Of Fashion: The Semiotic Evolution Of Gender Identity By Coco Chanel And Alexander Mcqueen”. A Journal of Bucknell Digital Commons 2 (1): 24-65. https://digitalcommons.bucknell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1299&context=honors_theses.

[1] Marcangeli, Sveva. 2015. “Undressing The Power Of Fashion: The Semiotic Evolution Of Gender Identity By Coco Chanel And Alexander Mcqueen”. A Journal of Bucknell Digital Commons 2 (1): 24-65. https://digitalcommons.bucknell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1299&context=honors_theses.

[2] Marcangeli, Sveva. 2015. “Undressing The Power Of Fashion: The Semiotic Evolution Of Gender Identity By Coco Chanel And Alexander Mcqueen”. A Journal of Bucknell Digital Commons 2 (1): 24-65. https://digitalcommons.bucknell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1299&context=honors_theses.

[3] Marcangeli, Sveva. 2015. “Undressing The Power Of Fashion: The Semiotic Evolution Of Gender Identity By Coco Chanel And Alexander Mcqueen”. A Journal of Bucknell Digital Commons 2 (1): 24-65. https://digitalcommons.bucknell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1299&context=honors_theses.

[4] Hillman, Betty. 2013. “The Clothes I Wear Help Me To Know My Own Power”: The Politics Of Gender Presentation In The Era Of Women’s Liberation”. A Journal of Women Studies 34 (2): 155-185. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5250/fronjwomestud.34.2.0155?seq=1.

[5] Marcangeli, Sveva. 2015. “Undressing The Power Of Fashion: The Semiotic Evolution Of Gender Identity By Coco Chanel And Alexander Mcqueen”. A Journal of Bucknell Digital Commons 2 (1): 24-65. https://digitalcommons.bucknell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1299&context=honors_theses.

[6] Hillman, Betty. 2013. “The Clothes I Wear Help Me To Know My Own Power”: The Politics Of Gender Presentation In The Era Of Women’s Liberation”. A Journal of Women Studies 34 (2): 155-185. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5250/fronjwomestud.34.2.0155?seq=1.