Chanel. (brought to you by, JPC)

Our fabulous History of Couture teacher, Jean-Pierre Constant, gave a fantastic tour around the high-end stores and the history of the set locations. But, the tour definitely felt Chanel centered, and rightly so.

The dynamic Jean-Pierre Constant and a top student, Gabriella famous chocolate cafe where Chanel would have coco (no pun intended, well yes) The actual staircase! THE actual staircase. The actual staircase that Chanel would use for her fashion shows. She would stand a the top of the staircase and oversee the shows, and the slated mirrors provided an all angles for her keen eye to view the clothes. Truly dramatic. Miss Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel The famous Didier Ludot's vintage boutique. Chanel vintage bijoux prominently shown in the window.
She also had another shop in this circle and lived a couple of blocks away at the Ritz for the later portion of her life.

I am truly getting a sense of the importance that Gabrielle Chanel has had on the world of fashion. This recent understanding may show my ignorance, but when you only see her as an icon and her work restyled by other designers, the courage and reality of her work is not as tangible. I see how she wanted women to feel precious, cared for, and confident to be women. To come from nothing and be able to dictate fashion during war and fashion barriers/men's rules, is as Jean-Pierre would say, "INcredible."