Coco Chanel & Women's Liberation

“She did not just make beautiful clothes but she advanced women’s rights.” – Actress Audrey Tautou. Coco Chanel was a woman that have changed the needs and giving the right advantages to women.

The first movements date back to the days of suffragettes, women that wanted to be considered as more than just wives and mothers. They also wanted to have the exact same rights like all other men. The only way for women to get noticed was through actions that were considered as extremely provocative were like riding a bicycle, wearing pants or organizing protests. From the 1920s, the only one who was able to satisfy the changing needs for women was the inimitable Coco Chanel who designed for the women, become independent , started working and playing sports.

Chanel’s designs are made typically for these women. She used to design sophisticated clothes that were elegant yet comfortable.  A two-piece suit which Coco created represents the most important, richest and powerful men.  

Another instrument of ‘torture’ was the corset which caused serious physical injuries. It was in the post-war period when Coco Chanel felt the need for a revolution in women’s clothes. She started by liberating women from the bondage of the corset and encouraged a casual but elegant range of clothes.

Ethal Granger - The woman with the smallest waist ever

It was thanks to Coco Chanel when women started to be seen in professions and jobs. Her fashion symbolised the social and political changes that were happening at that time. Significant clothing that Coco Chanel helped women pioneer included:

• The collarless jacket
• The bias cut dress
• The shoe string shoulder strap
• The floating evening scarf
• The wearing together of junk and real jewels

The collarless jacket

Coco Chanel - Wearing the junk of real jewels 

You can say that it’s true that fashion proposes a feminine image but it must be said that most of the achievements and freedoms that we now have are thanks to what the world has given us today.

References:

• VOGUE ITALIA, N.D. Fashion and Women's Liberation [online] available at: http://www.vogue.it/en/encyclo/fashion/e/fashion-and-women [accessed on 26th January, 2014]

• Reuters, N.D. Chanel Advanced Women's Rights [online] available at: http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/09/21/us-chanel-idUSTRE58K2EK20090921 [accessed on 26th January,2014]

• Biography Online, N.D, Coco Chanel Biography [online] available at: http://www.biographyonline.net/artists/coco-chanel.html [accessed on 26th January, 2014]