When one thinks of fashion icons, you can't help but think of Coco Chanel. You may have been introduced to her through her famous perfume, Chanel N⚬5, or maybe it was her defining Chanel suit with its collarless jacket and fitted skirt. Maybe you learned about her from one of the numerous books or movies that depicted portions of her life. And did you know that it was she who gave us "the little black dress" and the quilted purse (and more)? However you came to know her, she had her own style and vision for what her life was to look like...and she went after it!
When it wasn't at all fashionable for women to make a name for themselves, Coco Chanel began her professional fashion life by opening a millinery business. Keep in mind that was in 1910, long before most women entrepreneurs became fashionable (pun intended). She persuaded various men in her life to invest in her talent and business accumen and she used both their assets and hers to assert herself onto the fashion scene. One of her earliest successes was her jersey dress, which she had first made for herself to ward off the cold. Yet its style, like many of her other notable designs, transformed the ways in which women chose to dress themselves and these garments became part of her sportswear apparel in her second shop, opened in 1913!
So, why am I blathering on about Coco Chanel and her accomplishments? Well, in truth, I find innovators fascinating. Their outlook on life and on what inspires them to just put themselves out there for all the world to see is so beautiful that I try to pay hommage to them whenever I can. Coco Chanel hit the nail on the head when she said "A girl should be two things--who and what she wants." And this is something we tend to easily forget as we move through life. We spend so much time getting caught up in our roles, that as women we often lose sight of who we are and what we stand for. And that is such a shame! Let's face it. There's just one of each of us and we need to be proud of ourselves and announce who we are to the world for all to see!
Some of you, reading that last sentence, were fist pumping the air and yelling out, "Hell, ya!" Others immediately went to places of shame, guilt or fear and had stomach butterflies. I get it. I truly do. Life is filled with haters and those who would gladly shame us or put us in "our" place (that being the place they want us to be). So instead we need to be our own champions, our own heroes. We need to stand up for who we are and what we believe in. We need to show the world our greatness and, too often, we need to be reminded about who we are or how we want to go out into the world as our authentic selves.
We're delightful, let's admit it. And that deserves to be celebrated! We look forward to celebrating you in all your fun and quirkiness. We can't wait to honour your joy and accomplishments.
Stay tuned for a year of celebrations and please be sure to let us know how YOU would like to be introduced to the world in the comments below.
Have a fantabulous day!
Smiles, Brenda