La Parisienne, Chanel

Chanel has always had a connection with Paris, both in its inspiration and its situation. Its also connected with France, but how do you think these that the country has inspired the fashion house?

Well I'm going to take possibly one of the most well known stories about Coco Chanel and how the climate (now the geography comes in :P) has possibly affected people all over the world.

The French Riviera

http://www.midwest-charters.com/

In the 1920's a nice, pale, white, clear complexion was thought the most fashionable, hence all the parasols in the sun! This was because a tan was seen as a sign of class. They thought as simple as this... the French middle class generally holidayed in the riviera area and the cote d'azur, which has of course a Mediterranean climate, which has hot, dry summers; and wet, mild winters where they would get tanned, bronzed skin. So a tan became a symbol of class, if you had bronzed skin, you were seen to be lower class.

Then strolls in,

Madamoiselle CoCo Chanel. Going on a cruise in the cote d'azur, not to be seen for weeks. And when she came off the ship with bronzed, tanned skin, it instantly caught on. CoCo Chanel had already popularized red lipstick, bobs, and made wearing black chic rather than mournful, so why would her tan be any different. Over the years obviously, the roles reversed and it was tres chic to have a beautiful, dark tan, rather than the delicate pale skin beforehand.

So although, I love everything Chanel has done for us, next time someone harms themselves just for the sake of a tan... you can blame Coco!

Tara x.