Today is the birthday of my favourite designer Co Co Chanel, she was sassy, fierce and in general a bad ass bitch. She made some fabulous clothes, timeless accessories and was all about girl power!

Last year i visited the Saatchi Gallery to see their exhibition all about Chanel and her life’s work titled Mademoiselle Privee. It was beautiful, insightful and only made me love her more. She is a true inspiration and achieved so much while remaining true to her vision and who she was every step of the way.

After starting as a hat designer she went on to change the fashion industry for the better and always looked to empower women with her fragrance’s, clothes and accessories. Today her bags remain my favourite and the day I wear a Classic Chanel Jacket with a Medium Double Flap 2.55 my life will be complete.

Here are some facts about the amazing Co Co Chanel in honour of her birthday.

• She was born Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel on August 19, 1883 in Saumur, France. CoCo regularly claimed she was actually born 10 years after that date.

• Co Co Chanel’s life did not start out glamorous, after her mother’s death she was placed in an orphanage by her farther and raised by Nun’s who taught her to sew. This time in her life is part of the inspiration behind the iconic 2.55.

• Chanel was a singer for a brief amount of time in Cafe’s. It is claimed her nick name was given to her by the soldiers she sang for because of two of the songs she regularly sang. Chanel claims that her nick name CoCo comes from a shortened version of “cocotte”, the French word for kept woman.

•  Although CoCo Chanel regularly had a man by her side she never married and was a fierce independent woman claiming “I never wanted to weigh more heavily on a man than a bird.” After meeting the duke of Westminster aboard his yacht around 1923, the two started a relationship that would last ten years. But in response to his marriage proposal, she is rumoured to have said “Everyone marries the Duke of Westminster. There are a lot of duchesses, but only one Coco Chanel!”

•  She loved to see women succeed in business and it is claimed she designed the famous ‘Chanel suit’ for women to encourage women to pursue their professional goals in style. In 1938 she retired from the fashion business with a string of success behind her. However, 16 years later she made a determined comeback. It is claimed she did this as she was “fed up” at seeing French fashion becoming dominated by men.

• Not only did she create the ultimate women’s suit she also was the creator of the LBD in 1926, changing women’s fashion for ever.

Happy Birthday to this amazing woman!!!

Love Lottie xxx