13A - Reading Reflection No. 1

Coco Chanel by Lisa Chaney

1)  What surprised you the most? What surprised me the most about Coco Chanel is that she never had any children. As a woman, I want to become a mother someday but I guess she had her own reasons as to why she never became one.

What about the entrepreneur did you most admire? What I most admire about Coco is her willingness to be different and practical when it came to fashion. At the time, corsets were what women used which are extremely uncomfortable. She was able to find a way to create fashion that was both comfortable and luxurious. She helped change the fashion world forever.

What about the entrepreneur did you least admire? What I least admire about Coco is that she once had a relationship with a Nazi during World War II. Maybe she did it for survival or maybe she really did have genuine feelings for him, but knowing the terrible things that Nazis did and that she was in a relationship with one, seems sad and disappointing to know.

Did the entrepreneur encounter adversity and failure? If so, what did they do about it? Coco's ideas from the beginning were very different and could have ended in failure but she was able to make it work. She did face failure at some point when she had to close down her shop due to the economic depression during World War II which isn't directly her fault but it still affected her business. However, later on she made an impressive comeback and showed that she still had what it takes to be an innovative designer despite the gap in time. 

2) Coco has shown many competencies including leadership and problem solving abilities. She started a fashion revolution with her innovative designs. Many women at the time faced issues with their corsets being extremely uncomfortable. Coco found a way to solve that problem by creating clothing that was fashionable but comfortable. 

3) One of the most confusing parts about reading about Coco Chanel was her perfume. I had not realized that Chanel No. 5 was her first perfume yet it is numbered No. 5. It makes me wonder if there is a specific reason as to why she may have the named the perfume that way. 

4) First Question: Why did you name your first perfume No. 5? Referring to my response in the previous question, I really am curious as to why she did name her perfume like that. Did the number 5 have a specific significance to her?

Second Question: Do you like the way your company has evolved into what it is today? Although it has been a very long time since her passing and the company has changed so much since then, I'm curious to see what she would think of it today and if it is what she hoped it would. Was her legacy carried out the way she would have wanted?

5) I think that Coco Chanel believed that hard work is what truly helps you reach success. She was an orphan who although may have felt alone in the world had a big dream which started when she learned how to sew. Facing all the challenges she faced with being a woman and introducing completely new things in fashion that were out of the norm, she took a huge risk. However, through her hard work and perseverance as well as her networking skills, she was able to overcome all of that and succeed. I agree that success can only be obtained through hard work the way she did. Although I know luck and talent may play a role, hard world is the greatest factor.