Gelleesh: Coco Before Chanel - An Icon and an Inspiration

“A woman who cuts her hair is about to change her life...”

I have watched its trailer a few years back but it is only now that I have really took the time to download and watch the movie. I really don’t know what I was searching for in Youtube that made me stumble upon this movie’s trailer but I must say – it was definitely worth seeing.

The story basically revolves around Gabrielle (Coco) Chanel and how she was inspired and pushed through her career in the fashion industry.

Women Empowerment – there’s a lot of it in this movie. It was always a leap of faith for Gabrielle. It gave me this feeling that I can really be strong and independent without a man beside me. Gabrielle lived during the time when women cannot and has never considered being fully independent and successful, career-wise. It is like they live and become better women in preparation to being a full-time wife just riding horses and entertaining their man’s guests. That was never Gabrielle. She chose to dress differently; she chose to be classy and sophisticated while looking very strong and powerful. I can say that Audrey Tautou has really done a great job in portraying the role of the legendary Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel.

There was this line in the movie when Gabrielle (yes, I love calling her Gabrielle) said, “Better to be a mistress than a wife.”And yes, it was not a very ideal statement but it showed how little expectations Gabrielle has and how she just lived life as it is: no projections just risks and seizing each day that comes. It’s one of those films that have this deep connection within me. Hey, I’m not saying I will be one hell of a Chanel myself but what I am trying to point out here is that everything I have learned these past few days have just been rubbed on my face once again by this movie.

Honestly, it’s hard. I don’t why my mind has been automatically creating these grand projections and I am stopping myself, honestly. I am not enjoying the feeling. I want to be as strong and firm as Gabrielle, and although I am not there yet, I believe I can be that kind of woman. I will push through things because it’s what makes me happy. I will control the things I can control and not the things which may drive me insane.

He loved Arthur “Boy” Capel but he never mentioned the dangerous “L” word. You can see it in her eyes, in her actions, in the way that it pushed her to be the iconic woman that she is. I suddenly come to thinking that love is not really complex. It’s the relationship that makes everything so complicated – the label, the marriage, the projections and everything else packed in it. That’s how Gabrielle said that “a woman in love is helpless, like a begging dog” because we always associate love with relationships. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want it (I mean love, not the “being a like a begging dog”). But that’s the thing; love becomes complicated and it’s very tasking to deal with but I still want it – we all do.

Oh well.

Coco Before Chanel is a very good movie to watch. You will not learn so much about the brand but more of just about Gabrielle, herself. It is a slow-phased movie which gives you all that emotions and impact in a very subtle manner. It got me hooked and tuned, honestly.