Quezi

Chanel store, Tokyo (photo by Guwashi999 - CC-BY)

Coco Chanel was born on 19 August 1883 as Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel, although her surname was erroneously recorded on her birth certificate as Chasnel.

That mistake later made it difficult for others to trace her family history, which suited Coco as she had concocted a false story of her early years to hide the fact that she spent seven years in an orphanage after her mother died and her father left the family. However, her origins and early history are now well established.

In 1901 at the age of 18 she left the orphanage to work in a tailors, where she developed an interest in designing hats, which eventually led to her starting her own fashion business.

The brand founded by Coco Chanel lives on strongly, decades after her death. In the answer to a question at Google Answers, she was named her as one of the top brand-founders of the 20th century, alongside the likes of Henry Ford and Max Factor.

Chanel also appeared in other Google Answers research, because of her involvement in the development of costume jewellery (she encouraged her clients to mix-and-match costume jewellery with genuine gem pieces).

Coco Chanel was a wise and insightful woman, and her influence was not limited to fashion. She helped to change the self-conception of women at a time when it was becoming more acceptable for women to be more independent, party outside of the home, drink cocktails, etc.

Also at Google Answers, we can read of the memories evoked by her perfume bottles. And someone even asked if Coco Chanel was Jewish (but it seems she’s not).

I’ve strayed from the original question about her real name, but if you find Coco Chanel an interesting character you can read more about Coco at Wikipedia, or can watch Audrey Tautou playing her on the silver screen.