“An intriguing, well-rounded portrait of a fascinating woman whose many important contributions to art and fashion remain popular today.” —Kirkus Reviews

Award-winning author Susan Goldman Rubin introduces readers to the most well-known fashion designer in the world, Coco Chanel. Beginning with the difficult years Chanel spent in an orphanage, Goldman Rubin traces Coco’s development as a designer and demonstrates how her determination to be independent helped her gain worldwide recognition. Coco Chanel focuses on the obstacles Chanel faced as a financially independent woman in an era when women were expected to marry; as well as her fierce competition with the Italian fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli; and some of her most memorable firsts for the fashion industry, including the little black dress, the quilted purse with gold chain, and the perfume Chanel No. 5. The book includes a bibliography, a list of where to see her work, and an index.

“Rubin’s biography is clear-sighted about Chanel’s faults while extolling her fashion genius. Her source notes and bibliography are meticulous, as is the book’s design . . . This will attract young fashion mavens eager to learn about design history.” —Booklist

“Rubin expertly chronicles Chanel’s life in this biography . . . Rubin captures the authenticity of Chanel alongside her psychological need to portray a luxurious lifestyle.” —VOYA

“A well-researched primer packed with details on a significant trailblazer.” —School Library Journal

“Well-designed biography of a fascinating woman.” —School Library Connection

“A succinct, balanced portrayal of controversial haute couturière Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel.” —Publishers Weekly