It is as if Audrey Tatou was born to play the role as the legendary couturier Gabrielle Coco Chanel in the period piece Coco before Chanel.Looking at the window displays at the Chanel boutique, I've always admired the style of Coco, that classic simple but elegantly expensive design. She was able to get away with the creations that are boyish in look but were worn in style by many socialites. Among her signature pieces that became fashionable were strands of pearls, the simple black dress, cardigan suit and the menswear-inspired suit vest.
What I didn't know was behind all the success as a fashion designer her early life was tumultuous. Hardly free of hurdles, she somehow lived through the struggles bravely and with such resilience. The movie is a classic much like Chanel's style. Tatou is the perfect model for the elegant clothes. During an interview with Charlie Rose, she claimed she hardly read up on the life of Coco, but it appeared that she captured the character she played in the movie.
Coco's designs remind me of the style popularized by two of the best dressed women I've admired - Katharine Hepburn and Diane Keaton. Known for their non-conformist style, both broke the dress code for women. Nobody wore pants like they did.
Headstrong but extraordinary, that's Coco Chanel and for Audrey Tatou, a very fine performance portraying the complicated life of a pioneer in design with true elegance.
