Habitually Chic Chanel
by habituallychic
03 . 24 . 08
I was very excited to read recently that they are making a mini-series about the life of Coco Chanel with Shirley MacLaine, above, playing the designer in her later years. I was not as excited to hear that the series will air on Lifetime Television. One comment on Jezebel summed up my feelings about this best, “A Lifetime miniseries? Are they going to have Coco be stalked by a ex-husband while fighting an eating disorder and taking vengeance on the woman who stole her identity and the babysitter who seduced her man?” But if you know anything about Chanel’s hard-knock life, this actually isn’t that far fetched. As MacLaine states, “What’s wonderful about her is she’s not a straightforward, easy woman to understand. She was born into poverty and would do anything to keep from going broke again.”
I love reading biographies of inspiring women like Chanel so I might have to finally finish Axel Madsen’s biography Chanel: A Woman of Her Own before I watch the mini-series. Her story might be the kick in the pants I need to get some of my business ideas off the ground too!
Mademoiselle Chanel lived at the Ritz but she kept an apartment at 31 Rue Cambon to entertain which is also inspiring as it looks exactly the same today as it did when she was alive! If walls could talk, just imagine the stories they could tell! C’est magnifique! Now if I can just imagine I’m watching a normal channel when the mini-series airs and not Lifetime, I’ll be all set!
11 Comments
I saw this article as well, am excited about this movie. I am a Chanel fanatic and think of her as a great inspiring business woman – one of the first! I thought I’d read everything on the subject – somehow I missed some of these photos. Thanks for sharing!
Did you know that this same sofa was knocked off and used for the TV show Frasier?
Vie Chaotique, She was an amazing business woman in a time when women didn’t own businesses. So inspiring! I am definitely going to read her biography again!
I had no idea that they knocked the sofa off for Frasier. What a great bit of trivia!
Everybody seems to do a version of that sofa; I wonder who the original designer was? Chanel’s apartment is unbelievably sensual; I spent an afternoon there a few years ago and was totally dazzled. Curiously, it’s a very masculine, gutsy, strong-willed space, all browns and golds with glints of rock crystal and splashes of black.
Hi there.. I don’t want to leave any remarks about Coco Chanel so much as your comment about getting your business ideas going. You have a real gift and should really do something with it!! On 1stdibs.com, founder Michael Bruno has written an article (“Think Big”) about how he got his website and online business started…it definitely gave me a little kick in the pants to “just do” everything I’ve been thinking about doing. Maybe you’ll find it inspiring too!
An Aesthete’s Lament, I’m so jealous that you were able to visit the apartment. I know they sometimes conduct tours and I think that would be such a treat! I think it also matches her personality perfectly. I love it! Also, the quilting on the pillows matches the quilting on the handbags. I wonder which came first.
Smitty, I read that article! So inspiring! I’m going to have to post a link to it so more people read it. The only thing stopping me from opening my own small design firm is the business side of it. I am creative not business oriented. But I think I’m just going to go buy a book and learn!
Agreed, the airing on “Lifetime” is a worry but I will still have to devour this one! I especially like the choice of Shirley MacLaine rather than some insipid actor.
that picture of her is so gorgeous. you can just see the steel in her eyes…her determination as well as sense of femininity and style. such a force.
Ah don’t be so ready to diss on Lifetime! They partnered up with Starz to produce their movies, hence all the new, good film line up, so I’m sure this one will be no exception. Lifetime one me over with (don’t hate me for saying it) The Nanny re-runs!
I have always the Chanel apartment .. it’s like God’s attic !