From her first women’s hat shop, opened in 1910, Gabrielle Coco Chanel rose to become one of the most important fashion designers in Paris. Her fashion themes included simple suits and dresses, women’s trousers, perfume (香水) and so on. She claimed a birth date of 1893 and a birthplace of Auvergne; she was actually born in 1883 in Saumur, though. Her mother worked in a nursing home for pool people. Gabrielle was born there. Her mother died whet she was only six. She began to use the name Coco during a brief career a, a cafe and concert singer from 1905 to 1908. By the 1920s，her fashion house had expanded greatly. Her relaxing fashions, such as short skirts with casual look, were very different from the fashions popular in the formal decades. In 1922 Chanel introduced a perfume, Chanel No.5 which became very popular and still remains a popular product today. Pierre Wertheimer became her partner in the perfume business in 1924. Wertheimer owned 70% of the company, Coco Chanel 10% and her friend, Bader, 20%. The Wertheimers continue to control the perfume company today. She briefly served as a nurse in World War I. The fashion business in Paris was thus off for some years. In 1954 she came back and her women’s clothing business returned to its former popularity. Her natural, casual clothing once again caught the eye of women. She was still working in 1971 when she died. 小题1:All of the following fashions belong to Chanel’s design style EXCEPT _____
① Chanel began to do business with Wertheimer. ② Chanel served as a nurse. ③ Chanel worked as a singer. ④ Chanel introduced the perfume, Chanel No. 5.
|