Coco Chanel – Legacy of A Lifetime

"My life didn't please me, so I created my life." Whether you are searching for your life’s purpose or you’re trying to turn your dreams into reality, her story, success and determination will make you want to pursue your desires fiercely and never give up ever again.

Coco – Beyond Time Coco Chanel was and will remain a fascinating woman – she was just like you and me, except she was amazingly good at overcoming obstacles in everyday life. Obstacles like poverty, abandonment, menial jobs and apparently no bright future. Overcoming prejudice and ridicule. In time, she put everything behind and rose to prominence in a post-war scarred world, through persistence and determination. By discovering her life, her passions and her undefeated spirit, we too can learn how to overcome such hindrances. Whether you need inspiration to get started building your own company or seek inspiration to pursue with your already existing vision for your life and business, there is so much that we can learn from this amazing 20th century pioneer and visionary innovative woman and if you wish to become successful too, you will take her lessons and apply them in your life as well.

The Beginnings Conventionally, clothes makers had never been part of high society but she changed that and became a magnetic figure, welcomed into the most exquisite homes. It didn’t surprise her. She said: "I did not go into society because I had to design clothes. I designed clothes precisely because I did go out, because I was the first to live the life of this century". That said, she wasn't just ahead of her time –she was ahead of herself with her work and creative wit.

There was much more to her brilliance than just fabulous fashion sense, including the priceless words of wisdom and incredible business flair. The following is a look back at five key life lessons that we can all learn from Coco Chanel today:

Lesson 1: Be You. "In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different", she said. This applies to everything we do, especially in business. The truth is, every employee is replaceable; however, if you bring something unique to the table, chances are you will be remembered. Ask yourself, how can you do things differently? What are the areas in your business that could be improved? She said, "People laughed at the way I dressed, but that was the secret of my success: I didn’t look like anyone." Coco Chanel was a resourceful designer who tried to infuse creativity into her products in a unique way. For example, she got tired of holding her purse and so she became the first designer to ever add a chain to a purse. A nonsense at the time, it was only a matter of time before her invention had become the industry standard, thanks to her unique vision. When she wanted a shoe that would compliment her feet and have the appearance of a longer leg, she designed the iconic Two-Tone Slingbacks, a shoe that was beige at the foot but black at the toe. Inspired by men’s leisure shoes, it took a visionary like Chanel to see that it was possible to create something that had never been done before. It was this type of problem-solving intuition that Coco Chanel put into all of her creations that made her so incredibly successful. Often, innovation is a matter of asking the right questions. How can you formulate questions differently, so you can get a fresh perspective on your business and your target market? In his book "Flash Foresight", Daniel Burrus explains how redefining and reinventing and deeply connected. In fact, it is a very powerful way to harness the transformation force by simply looking at what is with new eyes. Your eyes. You can bring your own uniqueness to the table of what’s already been done.

Lesson 2: Be Bold. "In fashion, you know you have succeeded when there is an element of upset", she said. When Chanel first introduced her jersey and tweed suits for women, she was highly disapproved by the fashion critics. She couldn't care less. From the beginning, her career had been defined by her eagerness to defy conventions time after time. Whether it was through her own personal style or her work, Chanel was bold and gave no attention to those who wouldn't value her vision. She said, "The most

courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud." How you too can be bold in what you do and pursue your vision assertively? Chanel made her scarlet shade lipstick before this color was ever used for a proper woman’s lips; she wore open-necked shirts when the rest of the women were buttoning theirs up; she wore trousers that revealed her ankles which only men could do. "Success is often achieved by those who don't know that failure is inevitable", Chanel said. She disregarded the critics and continued expressing her bold insights of fashion and femininity.

Lesson 3: Don't Give Up. During World War One, when Chanel was just starting to grow her reputation, she encountered problems with fabric supplies. She had no idea how she was going to continue her work – she could have given up, closed down her business, waited for the storm to pass and hoped that she could start again afterwards. But giving up was not an option for Chanel. "How many cares one loses when one decides not to be something but to be someone," she said. When she accidentally burned her long hair one night, instead of panicking, Chanel boldly decided to cut it all off. She continued her evening by going to the opera with her radically short hair and almost instantly, she had created the latest trend in hairstyle, called the "bob". "I’ve never done anything by halves", Chanel said. Giving up is the easiest thing to do; there'll be times where you want to quit, but it's been proven that when you are most likely to give up, you are the closest to the finish line. Remember, walking the extra mile is never crowded, so don't give up on yourself.

Lesson 4: Be Inspired. "Fashion is not simply a matter of clothes", she said. "Fashion is in the air, born upon the wind. One intuits it. It is in the sky and on the road." Chanel’s inspiration came nearly as much from her personal accomplishments and experiences as it did from her creations. From Pablo Picasso to Salvador Dali to Stravinsky to Diaghilev, Chanel befriended many of the most influential and exquisite men of her time. But, she wasn’t just wasting her time enjoying their company – instead, Chanel was drawing her inspiration from them. Chanel also found inspiration in the natural environment around her. She had a passion for the camellia, a graceful flower with simple leaves alternately disposed. She became famous for trying to capture the flower's beauty in fabric and for wearing a white camellia herself as often as she could. The camellia is a symbol of brightness and purity and would soon become one of Chanel’s distinctive trademarks. Throughout most of her career, Chanel lived at the Ritz in Paris. "The Ritz is my home", proclaimed Chanel, who would live there from 1934 for over 30 years, adding a personal

touch to her elegant suite. Her view overlooked the Place Vendôme, a prestigious octagonal square in the heart of Paris. It was this shape that inspired many of Chanel’s products, including many watch models and the impressive stopper for the Chanel No.5 perfume bottle. "A fashion that does not reach the streets is not a fashion", Chanel said. Not only did she take her creations to the streets, but she also brought fashion from the streets, using the character of a city and its natural atmosphere to inspire her work. How much time do you spend in your own head? How often do you stop and listen to your inner voice for guidance and inspiration? Take long walks, this will keep half of your brain occupied, so the other part is free to be creative.

Lesson 5: Create A Strong Impression. "Dress shabbily and they remember the dress, she said. Dress impeccably and they remember the woman… It’s best to be as pretty as possible for destiny." She understood the importance of leaving a strong impression, especially in the business world. Looking her best wasn’t just a matter of self-flattery and wanting to be attractive – for Chanel it was a way to gain respect. It only takes 30 seconds to make a first impression and she believed that time must capture elegance and class. She wanted women to be and feel beautiful so that they could become someone and do something noteworthy. Her entire career was marked by her desire to be bold, to take chances, to rebel against conventions and to defy stereotypes. Chanel ignored society’s norms and created a style of her own. It was her zeal to be brave and to follow her own way that set Chanel apart from everybody else and attracted faithful customers throughout the world. She gave women exciting new possibilities and opened the door to a new world of fashion and freedom of expression. Chanel turned the industry upside down and her fantastic influence on haute couture was so impressive that she was the only one in her industry to be named on Time Magazine's 100 most influential people of the past century.

Why Is Coco Channel A Disruptive Innovator The story of Coco Chanel reveals how an entrepreneurs' discontent with the status quo is the key to them breaking the norms. Chanel's story reveals her norm-breaking desire to connect with an emerging need and her approach found fertile soil in the changes in women's roles and freedoms of her time. It also shows how current businesses can banish simple innovations because they do not fit with their view of the world. Today, the story suggests that if, maybe because of past success, you are not unhappy with something in your niche, that leads to something important in society, you are ready to be disrupted.

Don't forget to add your favorite articles, books or success strategies to your own "Creative Toolbox" on our website. Following you have six more resources on Coco Chanel's life and work, innovation principles and more!

Additional Resources:

1. The Movie "Coco avant Chanel" (Coco Before Chanel) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coco_Before_Chanel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvDFPjx-uBU

2. "Coco Chanel: The Legend and the Life" by Justine Picardie http://www.amazon.com/Coco-Chanel-The-Legend-Life/dp/0061963852

3. "Coco Chanel: A Biography" By Axel Madsen

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Coco-Chanel-Biography-Bloomsbury-Lives/dp/1408805812 http://books.google.ro/books?id=UqGbvmGV574C&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

4. "Coco Chanel: An Intimate Life", By Lisa Chaney http://www.amazon.com/Coco-Chanel-Intimate-Lisa-Chaney/dp/0670023094

5. The Movie "Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coco_Chanel_%26_Igor_Stravinsky http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ax58yPFj0ac

6. "Flash Foresight: How to See the Invisible and Do the Impossible", by Daniel Burrus http://www.amazon.com/Flash-Foresight-How-Invisible-Impossible/dp/0061922293 http://www.burrus.com/speaking/keynotes/flash-foresight-seven-radical-principles-that-will-transform-your-business/