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Worshipping Coco

10/25/2009

Instantly recognizable, the world-renowned name in luxury Chanel had much humbler beginnings. The story of the woman who made it famous is encapsulated in a French film called Coco Avant Chanel (Coco Before Chanel), which was recently shown at an exclusive screening hosted by Rustan Commercial Corp. and attended by Manila’s fashion cognoscenti, style followers and watchers, and celebrities.

Hosted by the local entertainment world’s Boy Abunda, the sneak preview cocktails was a veritable sea of black-clad men and women. The guest list included former First Lady Imelda Marcos, National Artist Pitoy Moreno, architect Tonichi Mendoza and a host of social and business luminaries, leading fashion designers Frederick Peralta, JC Buendia, Randy Ortiz, Dennis Lustico, Joey Samson, Ito Curata and various celebrities such as Anne Curtis, Raymond Gutierrez, Vina Morales, among others. After cocktails and a trivia portion on the iconic Coco Chanel, everyone proceeded to the cinema to enjoy the movie.

An icon’s life

The birth of a fashion icon is captured in this film, one of the year’s most celebrated works in and beyond the fashion industry. Coco Avant Chanel chronicles the young Parisian couturier Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel’s training years — her journey from modest beginnings as an orphan to her rise into the French elite through her exceptional personality and vision.

Coco Avant Chanel features the glorious French backdrop meshed with the luxurious fashion of the time. Faithfully depicted throughout is Chanel’s revolutionary “less is more” approach to style. Chanel is best known for having broken all the fashion rules early on in her career, with her modern style outlook and slightly masculine aesthetic. She made famous tweed jackets and trousers, form-fitting little black dresses and a subdued palette preference for black and white for women at a time when ladies were wore corsets, flap dresses and colorful ensembles.

Through the collaboration with Karl Lagerfeld, Chanel’s current creative director, this Anne Fontaine independent film was given rare access to archives and was lent elusive pieces from Chanel’s personal collection of apparel and fine jewelry.

The film features acclaimed international actress Audrey Tautou, who plays the elegant Coco, and is the newest face behind the world’s best-selling and most successful fragrance in history, Chanel No. 5.

It was in 1921 when Coco launched Chanel No. 5, her first-ever fragrance. After 88 years, it continues to be the world’s most legendary scent, and remains the company’s most famous perfume.

Rustan’s, the official and exclusive distributor of Chanel cosmetics and fragrance in the Philippines, is hosting the film’s exclusive Philippine previews made possible through the support of the French Embassy, The Peninsula Manila, Mandarin Oriental Suites, Moet and Chandon Champagne, Gateway Cineplex and Rockwell Powerplant Cinema.

The brilliant portrayal by Tautou had garnered her raves from critics the world over — capturing Coco’s muted aggression and unapologetic discernment for elegance. In conjunction with the movie, Tautou’s much-talked-about Chanel No. 5 commercial was also recently revealed where she reunites with her Amelie director Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Tautou is the latest to join elusive roster of Chanel No. 5 muses, including the likes of Marilyn Monroe, Catherine Deneuve and most recently, Nicole Kidman.

Chanel No. 5 was a revolutionary scent, the first perfume to evoke the true woman’s unique and individualistic personality. In an era where perfumes were floral and pretty, Chanel wanted a fragrance that reflected strength and character, without losing her femininity.

Chanel No. 5 is exclusively distributed by the Rustan Commercial Corp. and is available in all Rustan’s Department Stores: Makati, Shangri-La Plaza Shopping Mall, Gateway, Alabang, Robinsons Place and Ayala Center Cebu.