I read "CoCo Chanel: an Intimate Life" by Lisa Chaney
1.
What surprised you the most? I never knew just how awful her childhood was. Most people do not come from the Kardashian-like upbringing, but hers is a true story of rising to the top from the absolute bottom.
What did you admire most? Her drive and ambition to be successful- no matter the cost
What did you least admire? Her pride, while sometimes a good thing, she altered her childhood and refused to write in French because she did not know how to write proper French. Pride can hold people back.
How she encountered adversity and failure? She went from living essentially at a nunnery where her father abandoned her, took skills the orphanage gave her like sewing, and began working in shops. Coco could have easily been a panhandler on the street or sold food like her street vendor father, but instead she used the abandonment and adversity to her advantage.
2.
Competencies I noticed: Coco has the ability to have anyone levitate to her, men and women. She has this energy that draws people in. Whether it be the men at the cabaret or drawing customers into her small boutiques, Coco always had a way to attract people to her and what she was selling. It is as if her personality was a marketer, I believe she could sell anything.
3.
Confusing:
For me, while I understand I also don't to why she hid or altered her childhood. She is the true underdog story. Often times she would contradict herself throughout her life about what occurred during her childhood. I think a backstory is important to who we are in our adult lives. I am most confused about how when it came to inspiration she would use her painful past, but when put in the spotlight would alter the facts. I just do not understand why she could not be authentic.
4.
Question 1: What drew you to fashion? Coco out of nowhere, at least in my book, just joined a hat shop and from there went into more fashion. But what ultimately drew her to fashion? I am interested in what triggered the passion to make wearable art.
Question 2: If you were not a fashion designer, where would you see yourself working? Coco at a young adult age was surrounded by fashion and accessories. I am curious if Coco was not in fashion, where would she work. Would she be a street vendor? A nun?
5. I believed Coco loved hard work. She knew she earned the respect she was given. Coco worked so hard and pushed past her limits that sometimes it affected her relationships, but she was willing to give it all up in order to be successful and rich. I do not share the same opinion as Coco. I think having people you can rely on is important because money does not equal happiness. Additionally, sometimes the higher you are in a social pyramid, the more fake people you are surrounded by who may not always have your best interests at heart.
Hey Megan,
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting what you wrote, I don't know much about CoCo Chanel but as you mentioned, she seemed to be someone that would achieve anything she wanted. I also see a pattern between most entrepreneurs, they all are willing to give up any social life or any people they could care about. I read about Ray Kroc, he also preferred his ambition above his wife. Hence why he achieved the building of a company as McDonalds. I see that Coco also was willing to do so, Steve Jobs too!
Hey Meg! I am happy you read about Coco since most people read about Steve Jobs. I absolutly love the CoCo Chanel brand and I find it very interesting when you mentioned she was a beast at being marketable. I beleive and starting entrepreneur, how she was, has the ability to reflect similar energy. Being marketable allows people to craze your talent and your purpose. Also, it would be interesting to know what exactly drew her into fashion. Was it her family and upbringing or religious beliefs? The questions you have proposed are vital to further understanding CoCo and her brand.
ReplyDeleteHi Megan,
ReplyDeleteI have never been into fashion that much. However, this resume of this autobiography was very educational and entertaining for me to read. It was very impressive to learn how a person that lived in an orphanage turned into fashion icon. I guess that her creativity and her desire for success made her succeed. Regarding your confusion on Coco using her past as inspiration; I think I might have an explanation. If a person comes from an orphanage and in a few years turned out to be a fashion icon gives a people a message of faith. In her circumstances, becoming what she turned out to be was almost impossible and yet she made it. I liked how detailed your answers to the questions were. Thank you for sharing!
Hi Megan,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading this assignment, I feel like you did a good job of semi-summarizing the book. I would have never guessed that Coco Channel had such a trying childhood. I agree that she did the best she could have done with her resources (rather than being a panhandler) and she seems like an entrepreneurial icon. I read about Steve Jobs and it's apparent that his pride also held him back, it seems like a common theme with entrepreneurs. Regarding your confusion, I believe she may have used her passed as motivation to defy all odds of her failing. I find your questions to be extremely relevant, I would probably ask her the same thing.