December 2, 2008

Gabrielle "Coco Chanel x First Televised Interview x 1959::


First televised interview with Gabrielle Chanel in 1959


Some Translation:


1st Question: can you tell us what fashion will be like this year?

Coco: No!


Q: Why, because you don't know?

Coco: Because I don't know! And even if I knew, I wouldn't tell you!


Q: But is it possible that you don't know it? Your fashion show is in 3 weeks after all.

Coco: Yes, but in 3 weeks one can do lots of things. Even change fashion! You understand, because it goes very fast and it is impossible - first of all I never finish any of the dresses, so I don't know what may come out of it, I keep them until the last minute, because, you know fashion is something like this you know (making hand gestures).


Q: You work on them until the last moment.

Coco: Oh, until last moment, you can even say until last minute: I take away all that what I find useless.


Q: In what state are the dresses at this moment?

Coco: Huh! In pieces, Monsieur, in pieces!! And I'm telling you the truth.


Q: This is true?

Coco: It's true! It's absolutely true.


Q: Fashion in these last 10 years has been very often eccentric. Are there eccentricities you wanted to point out?

Coco: Mh, I din't find fashion eccentric. I found it extravagant, which isn't the same thing. I don't like extravagance.


Coco: Fashion to me is not stuck in history. Fashion is onwards, not backwards; you don't move backwards! One has to live with one's time.

(...)


Now, enjoy a 1959 fashion show:


Sidenote: the models are allowed to comment on the fashion they wear...



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