Summary
For readers of The Paris Wife and Z comes this vivid novel full of drama, passion, tragedy, and beauty that stunningly imagines the life of iconic fashion designer Coco Chanel -- the ambitious, gifted laundrywoman's daughter who revolutionized fashion, built an international empire, and become one o... Full description
Summary: |
For readers of The Paris Wife and Z comes this vivid novel full of drama, passion, tragedy, and beauty that stunningly imagines the life of iconic fashion designer Coco Chanel -- the ambitious, gifted laundrywoman's daughter who revolutionized fashion, built an international empire, and become one of the most influential and controversial figures of the twentieth century. Born into rural poverty, Gabrielle Chanel and her siblings are sent to orphanage after their mother's death. The sisters nurture Gabrielle's exceptional sewing skills, a talent that will propel the willful young woman into a life far removed from the drudgery of her childhood. Transforming herself into Coco -- a seamstress and sometime torch singer -- the petite brunette burns with ambition, an incandescence that draws a wealthy gentleman who will become the love of her life. She immerses herself in his world of money and luxury, discovering a freedom that sparks her creativity. But it is only when her lover takes her to Paris that Coco discovers her destiny. Rejecting the frilly, corseted silhouette of the past, her sleek, minimalist styles reflect the youthful ease and confidence of the 1920s modern woman. As Coco's reputation spreads, her couturier business explodes, taking her into rarefied society circles and bohemian salons. But her fame and fortune cannot save her from heartbreak as the years pass. And when Paris falls to the Nazis, Coco is forced to make choices that will haunt her. An enthralling novel of an extraordinary woman who created the life she desired, Mademoiselle Chanel explores the inner world of a woman of staggering ambition whose strength, passion and artistic vision would become her trademark. |
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Physical Description: |
1 online resource |
Format: |
Requires OverDrive Read (file size: N/A KB) or Adobe Digital Editions (file size: 760 KB) or Kobo app or compatible Kobo device (file size: N/A KB) or Amazon Kindle (file size: N/A KB). |
ISBN: |
9780062356444 |
Author Notes: |
C. W. Gortner was born and raised in Spain. He moved to the United States when he was a teen-ager. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in San Francisco and a Masters of Fine Arts in Writing from the New College of California. He soon found his passion for writing and became an author of historical fiction. His titles include: The Last Queen, The Confessions of Catherine De Medici, The Queen's Vow: A Novel of Isabella of Castile, Mademoiselle Chanel, and Marlene. He was named one of the top ten historical novelists by The Washington Independent Review of Books. (Bowker Author Biography) |