Coco Chanel

Coco Chanel is one of the most successful women in fashion history. From rags to riches, she has built her name as one of the best couturiers and trendsetters in high fashion. She is the person behind the iconic and famous perfume, Chanel No. 5, and the reason why little black dresses are a must-have in every woman’s closet. Though she became a prominent personality in the past, especially in Europe, with many suitors and dalliances in hand, Chanel never married.

Born in 1883 at Saumur, Loire Valley in France, she lived her childhood in poverty. At an early age, Chanel was orphaned and worked in a bar to fend for herself. Living hard and inadequate, some credits her childhood experience as her reason for not marrying. Quoting her words upon declining a marriage proposal from a duke, she said, “There are lots of Duchess, but only one Coco Chanel” – marks her love for her craft over marriage. Likewise, upon sudden passing of Arthur Capel – her one true love – Chanel dismissed the ideas of marriage but rather enjoyed herself as a free woman.