The Story Behind Coco Chanel's Name
L'OFFICIEL celebrates the revolutionary designer's birthday with a look at how she earned her ubiquitous nickname.
One of the most famous designers in the world, Gabrielle Chanel pioneered minimalist and casual style and is known for helping free women from corsets by designing more modern and more subtle pieces. Chanel, who became known by her nickname, Coco, remains extremely relevant today 51 years after her death, because of her lasting impact in style.
The daughter of a laundress and a street vendor, Chanel didn't always have an easy and peaceful life. She was placed in an orphanage with her 12-year-old sister. As it was a strict institution, Gabrielle had a very regimented routine, but it was there that she learned to sew.
Gabrielle left the orphanage and moved to a boarding school for Catholic girls in Moulins, a region of France. In order to support herself financially, the future designer started working as a maid and singer in cabarets, where she became famous for singing the song “Qui qu'a vu Coco?” It was the origin of her nickname Coco, which also means “darling” in French.
It was at the cabaret that Coco also met people who were important to her future in fashion: among them was Etienne Balsan, who helped her sell hats in a borrowed apartment. Years later, Coco opened a studio and quickly began to gain a reputation as a designer, a notoriety that never stopped growing.
Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel passed away at the age of 87 in 1971. In May 2021, her perfume Chanel N°5 celebrated a century of creation, prevailing as a classic, timeless scent.
