Talisman for Coco: What Inspired the Great Mademoiselle

Coco Chanel's share was not easy, she got ups and downs, recognition and disappointment, success and difficulties. Maybe that's what made her so attached to some of the symbols and memorabilia she immortalized in her collections. For the Great Mademoiselle was a true lover of stories told by subjects which had passed with her through her own difficult life.

"I am a lioness and hazard makes my claws out. But believe me, it is better to heal wounds rather than hurt others." True, born on August 19 under the constellation of Leo, Coco Chanel believed in horoscopes. She was true to say that as Leo wearing gold and Topaz suited her. It is no coincidence, after the death of her lover Arthur Capel, she went to Venice, the coat of arms of which depicts a lion of St. Mark, and in the streets there are numerous magnificent statues of the king of beasts. Visiting in that Italian city had restored the woman's peace of mind and made her want to move on and overcome the loss. It is the lion that arrays the buttons of Chanel's legendary tweed suits and is also immortalized in her jewelry collections. And, of course, in the famous mansion of Mademoiselle's  De Rue Cambon there were gilded figures of lions, one of which always stood on the desktop as a talisman for good luck.

Coco Chanel also believed in numerology and considered "5" to be her lucky number, especially since her sign of the zodiac - Leo - is the fifth to go in the circle. The legendary fragrance "Chanel No. 5" was also named for a reason. It was ordered by the Royal perfumer with the wishes that "perfume should smell like a woman". When several numbered vials were presented, Coco chose one without even touching it. So the world saw one of the most mysterious fragrances, in a bouquet of which more than 80 ingredients were mixed and which still remains the best-selling in the world. The "Five" went on playing an important role in the Chanel's life and work. For example, she called 5 colors her favorite: black, white, red, gold and beige. And in her very first collection of jewelry there were 5 themes: a star, a comet, a bow, a feather, a spike. Even the classic Chanel bag has a name with "fives" - 2.55, which means the date of its creation - February 1955. After such coincidences it is difficult to remain uninterested in the magic of numbers…

"The odorless flower is the only one that does not make one detracted from the fragrance of "Chanel No.5". That's how Coco Chanel explained her love of camellias. By the way, according to an ancient Greek legend, an angry Aphrodite turned the cold beauties into these flowers  because they rejected Cupid. Therefore, the wonderful white buds have no smell, just as soulless  girls lacked the heart. Chanel made this fragile flower her mascot, choosing exclusively white camellias. According to rumors, it was these flowers that the first bouquet was made by   Duke of Westminster and dedicated to Coco with whom the woman had a beautiful affair. And later Chanel made these flowers eternal in her eponymous jewelry collection - Camelia.

Could these symbols bring Coco Chanel's world-wide success? It is most likely, though that it took her talent and diligence. But such personal talismans give faith in oneself and make any obstacles easier to overcome and climbing peaks adventurous.

The author of the rubric Nata Balaban

The Z&F project founder

Zodiac flower design