Reading Reflection No. 1

I read Coco Chanel by Lisa Chaney. I did not previously know anything about Gabrielle Chanel’s life or development of her career, so I was surprised by everything I learned.

I admire that she did not accept circumstances that she did not find satisfying. I admire that she found creative ways to find satisfaction. I admire that she embraced her independence and sexuality.

I did not find much that I did not admire about her. The chips were stacked against her with her upbringing, so while I could criticize her for her insecurity, discontentment, and disillusionment I can certainly understand where those feelings originated. In fact I admire that she used these feelings of disillusionment to empower her to move forward with revolutionary ideas and lifestyle choices, even if she felt insecure about her abilities or success at times.

She did encounter adversity and failure in her attempts at becoming an actress and a dancer. She adapted, and found ways to get by. She used the resources she gained through these experiences to fuel her success.

I certainly noticed that she exhibited some of the competencies we have discussed in class. I found it interesting that her initial business seemed to stem from the identification of her own unmet need for independence and a sense of control over her life. She used her talents and resources to satisfy these needs. 

 I was slightly confused by the historical context of the book, as I am not very knowledgable about French history, and the names and terminology became a bit complicated for me to follow, mostly because of the language barrier. 

I would like to ask Gabrielle Chanel what she thinks of this depiction of her journey. Does she find it accurate in terms of events and more importantly the interpretations of her emotional and personal journey through these events? I would also be interested to know her opinion of the current Chanel brand.

I think Gabrielle valued hard work, which is why she was discontent with the simple life of a mistress in the first place. She was not satisfied to live the leisure life of a kept woman, and she consistently engaged in extracurricular activities, which leads me to conclude she valued learning as well as hard work.