Coco Chanel

IF you get have Cable or satellite TV (I think) there's a program about Coco Chanel tomorrow night at

8:00 PM on Lifetime TV. I don't know if this is available outside the continental US.It stars Shirley McClain. Juno
Reply to
Juno B
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I have the DVR set to record it and am excited about seeing it, when I have a chance. Emily

Reply to
Emily Bengston

I watched the show, but I was disappointed. First, Shirley MacLaine's over the top over-acting (channeling?), was...over the top, however that's a small fault. I was completely confused by the "manager" character. The actor who played the young CC was lovely, but c'mon, can't we portray the twenties and thirties without all the cigarette smoke? I'm sure I have read that CC had a child, and there was no hint of it here. In addition, the choppy flash-back-flash-forward was disconcerting. The two male companions were gorgeous, and easy to watch.

I did enjoy the fashion show at the end...

JMHO

Beverly

Reply to
BEI Design

I was also conflicted by the program. They could have left Shirley home. Chanel was tiny, Shirley,not. Far to much make up made her look like yuck. Commercials interfered with the story line,of course I should have expected that on Lifetime. I just resent it. The young men were beautiful even though I m not a big fan of facial hair. The fashions were beautiful at the end of the show. I always loved her things. I can live with flashbacks but prefer a story that follows a straight line. The worst part of flashbacks is that they drive DH nuts and he keeps asking me what happened. Over all I'd give it a sort of "C" grade. I'm still trying to figure out the manager as well. He didn't seem to know her very well. Juno

Reply to
Juno B

I, too, was disappointed by the show. It was pretty much a re-hash of a movie made several years ago. Chanel told so many stories about her early life that it's hard to pick out the fact from the fiction. Shirley Maclean is not my favorite actress, but she resembled Chanel as she was at age 70. I'm 70; I hope I don't look that used up.

The fashions were lovely at the end of the show. I wonder if they are the real ones from her 1950s second showing. They could be worn right now, and look great. I was fortunate enough to be able to examine some Chanels in one of the collections I curated. One of her innovations was a chain sewn inside the jacket. It helped the jacket hang just right, and move gracefully with the wearer as she walked. I also loved the skirts. Not too tight, but form fitting. Still a great look.

Even though I taught fashion design for years, I don't know the names of a lot of today's designers. Much of what young people wear today is gaudy, too tight, too short, and not made well. Give me a fifty- year old Chanel any day!!

Teri

Reply to
gjones2938

Terri, The chain in the jacket was mentioned but I never did catch just where it was placed. Was it sewn into the hem? They also showed her using a ribbon around someones waist and I read she had one in all her skirts. Was it used to keep the blouse down? Was it attached to the skirt? At one point proportion was mention, I believe the line was, proportion is was counts. Again a quick mention and that's it. As someone who loves well fitting, well made clothing, these are the things that I want to know. I really don't care how many affairs she had or how many cigarettes she smoke, I want to know what little things she did to make her style so great. Juno

Reply to
Juno B

That was exactly how I felt, it seemed to have been a much longer film with more plot and character development, but which got chopped up a lot.

I had to dig out the book I bought when the Metropolitan had a big exhibit of her dresses and gowns in '05. A friend who lives in NY raved about the exhibit:

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{82DD6651-BDB4-4592-A16E-81B228F42967}It's a great book. I am astonished at her designs, and how current many of them still look. The detailed descriptions in the back of the book are amazing.Beverly

Reply to
BEI Design

At the end of the program where they had the fashion show several of the models opened the jackets for the clients to see how well they were made. On these particular outfits the chain was exposed and it could be seen at the bottom of the jacket in the hem area. If that's how she really did it or had the chain enclosed within the lining, I don't know.

And I agree, the movie was uneven and could have been better made/ edited. Completely jumped over the mid-20's, all of the 30's and 40's and the movie ends with her 1954 show. What the?????????????

Reply to
itsjoannotjoann

Threads magazine had an article years ago on the construction of the Chanel jacket. The chain is exposed and tacked in several places along the inside, about one inch above the fold of the hem. This is no ordinary chain from the hardware store. Think of it as a way to use a long Monet or Trifari quality necklace.

The article may have been written by Claire Shaeffer, as her book "Couture Sewing" shows the waistband technique. I don't know the date, but it was most likely in the eighties.

R
Reply to
rtc

I didn't know if the chain was exposed in the movie to show what she did with or if she actually did sew the chain into the jacket that way. But I see by your post and Juno's, with the reference to that great blog site, that indeed it is sewn onto the hem. Very interesting!! And the pictures of the blog site of the Chanel jacket the lady made is just beautiful! And yes, they are timelss fashions and not dated looking at all.

Reply to
itsjoannotjoann

I didn't spoil my day. I found the old Threads article almost straight away and my memory was wrong. rtc was quite right, the chain is shown exposed in the Threads article by Susan Khalje. If anyone wants to refresh their memory on Chanel, the article is in threads 121, November 2005.

I know I've seen concealed chains in jacket somewhere, now back to the tailoring section of the sewing room library.........................

Reply to
FarmI

The movie is not that bad, just not what we thought or expected it to be. Uneven and large gaps of her life. Watch it and see what you think of it.

Reply to
itsjoannotjoann

I've been moving things around lately since DD went to school, but today I found it.

Threads #23, June/July 1989, "The Comfortable Side of Couture; Practical techniques of Coco Chanel' by Claire Shaeffer. She also gives details for making matching braid, edge finishes, and making buttons.

R
Reply to
rtc

LOL. You wouldn't say that if you knew how many prezzies I can manage to justify for myself.

Reply to
FarmI

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