Coco Before Chanel – Review
I’d like to believe that I’m a pretty snazzy dresser and am cognisant of the modern styles, I mean, when I leave the house I try to look my best. However, I am fairly clueless when it comes to the history of the various fashionistas of the world. Only in the last several years have I become more knowledgeable by watching episodes of Project Runway and What Not To Wear with my wife.
Coco Before Chanel opens with a young Gabrielle Chanel (Audrey Tautou) being orphaned by her parents and sent to live in a convent school. It’s here she learned the rudiments of sewing, and was eventually employed as an assistant in hosiery. From there she worked in an assortment of cafes-concerts, crooning audiences that eventually would give her the name “Coco”. One night she meets a rich racehorse owner named Etienne Balsan (Benoit Poelvoorde), who invites Coco to live with him and his entourage of women.
Coco befriends one of Balsan’s employees, Arthur “Boy” Capel (Alessandro Nivola), who eventually becomes the love of her life. He encourages her to make hats, even loaning her money to open her first milliner’s studio in Paris’ rue Cambon. She drew inspiration from her lover in her designs, sometimes even wearing his clothes, resulting in some of the outfits having an androginistic look to them. At the end of the day “Coco” was able to pay “Boy” back in full, and the beginnings of her empire were becoming a reality.
Coco Before Chanel’s strengths are in the overall look of the film. Production designer, Olivier Radot, studied the life of Coco at length. From the sets of the orphanage to the cabaret Moulins she performed in, much detail was put into making everything feel authentic. Costume design was equally important, keying on the the influences that shaped the Chanel style.
The biggest downfall for me is since it’s a backstory driven film, no time was spent showing Chanel reaping all the perks of her hard work. I would of enjoyed seeing the launch of Chanel No. 5 and the runway shows that were to become legendary.
Rating: 
