I exited the screening room feeling envious (I want to be in France!), inspired (by Gabrielle, aka Coco, and her life) and in need of some vintage Chanel. The story concentrates mostly on her life as a young adult and progression to becoming the most influential designer of the 20th century. There are three themes in this lovely film starring Audrey Tautou that inspire me to recommend it. Here they are and why they’re compelling:
1. Independence: After the movie, I immediately let the world know (well, my Facebook friends) that Coco Chanel had it right when it comes to love and marriage. In this portrayal, she’s shown as a young woman with lovers, but determined not to marry or give up her freedom. She didn’t want to do what was expected of her, simply because they were the social norms. So she didn’t dress in over-the-top frilly frocks and frothy hats – she wore menswear that she tailored to fit her body. She didn’t want to rely on a man for money, so she pursued a career. And she wanted freedom, so she decided she would never marry, and she never did. And didn’t seem any worse by it! It’s ironic that someone so staunch in individuality would dictate the trends for the rest of women to follow.
2. Fashion: I won’t ruin it, but the final scene of the movie is more delicious than a platter of éclairs and pains au chocolat. It shows the timelessness of Chanel designs, notably the tweed coat, black dress and stripes. Throughout the movie, we get hints of where her inspiration could’ve come from (black and white stripes at the horse races, for instance.) I give major props to phenomenal costume designer Catherine Leterrier, who created (with her team) loads of amazing dresses, hats and simpler looks for Coco. I asked Catherine if there was a look she liked best from the film. She said no; that each is important: “I do not cherish one outfit among all of them because each costume is an evolution in Chanel’s fashion. At the beginning she is very poor and in the style of her times, then she takes off the corset, designs a loose waist using her old dress and recutting it, mixing it with a man’s shirt. She also uses a man’s outfit recut for herself and later she invents her own clothes that are sophisticated but with a comfortable and elegant line.” Catherine worked with the Conservatoire Chanel and Karl Lagerfeld for the pieces in the final scene. She said she and her team found it “awe inspiring” to create costumes for the film – “Chanel is mythical,” she said. But she and her crew weren’t the only ones caught up in the excitement: She recalled, “Audrey showed great interest in the costumes and during fitting sessions I watched her concentrate and suddenly metamorphose into Coco Chanel.”
3. Relationships: The story is dominated by Coco’s relationship with two men, but in the background are the relationships with her father (and how that destroyed her belief in marital bliss) and with her sister. As one with a sister, I enjoyed/related to them – the younger one learning from the elder’s mistakes, making up dance routines together – the stuff sisters do. But the love stories take center-stage and at one point when she and her lovah (the one who would become the love of her life) are walking on the beach in Deauville, you can just feel the utter happiness of that moment…and a twinge of sadness knowing it’ll rarely be that good again. You can come to your own conclusion about her affairs and ardent decision not to marry, but I think she may have been onto something.
This film celebrates the magic of a woman whose influence is one of the greatest of our time. Her independence, individuality and sense of self are inspiring. . .oh and did I mention she drinks champagne all the time – in that, we are kindred spirits.
Coco Avant Chanel hits theaters September 25th
–Meg
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Meg, your writing is incredible. You make me want to get up off this sofa and rush out to the movie theater immediately!! Thank you for this fantastic review. And yes, anyone who drinks Champagne all the time gets an A++ in my book!