Where I am? Coco CHANEL’s apartment 31 Rue Cambon Paris
I’m Wearing: Dana Sidi
Photos: Daniel Waks
Name one thing that comes to mind when you say “fashion” I bet you though of Chanel, that’s not a surprise because this name and its legacy has been synonymous with high end fashion for over 100 years.
Even if fashion is not your thing and you might find luxury clothes over priced or over rated you can still appreciate the history and the impact Coco Gabrielle Chanel left to this industry and even 35 years after her passing she is still an important figure and a trendsetter who’s philosophy inspires millions of people around the world.
The apartment remained exactly as it was while madmoisle Gabrielle was living there, her couture atelier still functions the same way as Karl Lagarfeld has been doing an incredible job in keeping many of the rituals of the Maison and her legacy.
What I discovered in the apartment is the many different codes of Chanel, every single piece in this opulent home had a meaning and was somehow translated into an item of clothing or an accessory. For example the quilted pillows on her sofa were the inspiration for the famous 2.2 bag. Every single furniture, art piece, sculpture or book has a meaning and a story and learning about it was beyond fascinating.
Gabrielle Chanel was a nomad with not much of a childhood, growing up in an orphanage and was and while she was opinionated, talented and uncompromising with her work she was struggling to get her personal life in order, with many failed love affairs and dramatic situations she left a major impact on many women’s lives including mine of course.
There is probably not enough words in the vocabulary to describe how it felt to visit her apartment on the famous 31 Rue Cambon in Paris, walking up those stairs and sitting on her sofa sent chills down my spine. This visit is a real mile stone in my career, and understanding how emotional I can be to fashion means that I am really doing what I’m passionate about.
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