'Coco Chanel watched her mother suffer and die - it influenced her fashion'

ok.co.uk:

We may not all be rich enough to afford a wardrobe of Chanel but, to this day, fashionistas worldwide consider the label to be the epitome of timeless chic.The simplistic aesthetic is recognisable a mile off (women’s fashion wouldn’t be the same without the little black dress) and Chanel No5 remains the best-selling perfume in the world.

Coco Chanel is credited with not only inventing a new way of dressing for women, but a new attitude to creating and marketing fashion.

However, much of her private life remains a mystery. While she hit the headlines during her relationships with dukes, aristocrats and composers, how she chose to tell the tale of her life doesn’t always tally up with the facts.

This one-off documentary unpicks the story of Chanel, who died in 1971. For someone so strongly associated with black, she led a very colourful life.The film looks at how her experiences influenced her work – from the tweed suits to the masculine silhouettes.They are styles that still resonate through both fashion and society today. “Coco got women wearing trousers and suits,” says model Jerry Hall, who has a wardrobe full of Chanel. “I think she was a great feminist.” The Chanel story is a real rags-to-riches tale.