SPEAKER_04: Reboot your credit card with Apple Card. It gives you unlimited daily cash back that can earn 4.15% annual percentage yield when you open a savings account. A high yield, low effort way to grow your money with no fees. Apply for Apple Card now in the Wallet app on iPhone to start earning and growing your daily cash with savings today. Apple Card subject to credit approval. Savings is available to Apple Card owners subject to eligibility. Savings accounts by Goldman Sachs Bank USA. Member FDIC, terms apply.
SPEAKER_03: Sick of paying $100 for groceries and getting nothing but eggs, orange juice, and a paper bag? Then download the Drop app. Drop lets you earn points with your everyday shopping and redeem them for gift cards. Want a free dinner with those groceries? Drop it. How about daily lattes? Drop it. So download Drop today and get $5 just for signing up. Use invite code GETDROP777.
SPEAKER_01: At Toyota electrified doesn't just mean plugified. So you can go off road in a hybrid Tundra and take the scenic, Rutified. Or step inside a plug-in Prius and get glamified. Or hop in an all electric BZ4X and take it Easyified. Toyota is electrified, diversified. And the more ways we can choose to reduce carbon emissions, the closer we all get to Toyota's beyond zero vision. Toyota, let's go places.
SPEAKER_00: This Women's History Month Encyclopedia Wamanica is brought to you by Mercedes-Benz. Mercedes-Benz celebrates all women driving change and is indebted to those trailblazing women who punctuate the brand's history, like Bertha Benz and Evie Rusqvist. These women defied the odds to change the auto industry forever. And Mercedes-Benz applauds the tenacity and courage it takes to pave the road ahead. Listen along this month as we share the stories of inspiring women in charge and at the top of their fields. Powered by Mercedes-Benz. Hello, from Wonder Media Network, I'm Jenny Kaplan and this is Encyclopedia Wamanica. All month we're talking about women in the driver's seat. Our story today begins in a French orphanage and ends with one of the most iconic fashion brands in the world. The creator of the little black dress and a revolutionary force in 20th century fashion. We're talking about the one and only Coco Chanel.
SPEAKER_00: Gabrielle Chanel was born on August 19th, 1883. She was the second of five children born to Albert Chanel and Jeanne de Vaux. Her parents were not married. In 1895, when Gabrielle was 11 years old, her mother died. Her father, a traveling merchant who had never been a reliable presence in the family, abandoned the five children. Gabrielle and her two sisters were placed in a boarding school run by nuns. Her brothers were sent to a local farm as child laborers. Despite her humble beginnings, Gabrielle's lot in life quickly took a turn. When she was old enough to leave the orphanage, the nuns helped Gabrielle get a job as a seamstress at a local boutique. It was during this time that Gabrielle began frequenting a local cafe, La Rotonde. The cafe frequently hosted cabarets, where amateurs were welcomed on the stage to sing between acts.
SPEAKER_00: Gabrielle, known for her boldness, frequently stepped up to the mic. It's rumored that her iconic nickname, Coco, came from her frequently singing the song Who Has Seen Coco? Hey, Coco! The audience, largely filled with rambunctious cavalrymen, would shout, Coco, Coco, back at her while she sang. During Coco's reign at La Rotonde, she met Etienne Balsan, a cavalryman from a wealthy French family. Balsan, enchanted with Coco, invited her to stay at his estate. The two became quick companions, but their relationship was not without turmoil. Balsan was a modern-day playboy who spent his time indulging in expensive racehorses, parties, and women. In the early 1900s, a wealthy Frenchman was not gonna risk his status and reputation by marrying an orphaned seamstress.
SPEAKER_00: Nevertheless, Coco made the best of the situation. During her time with Balsan, Coco was introduced to French high society and drew attention as a burgeoning fashion designer. The French tabloids took note when hats of her design were worn by Balsan's elite social circle to the horse track. Coco aspired to open her own boutique in Paris, but lacked the funds to do so. In 1914, she met a man who would help make her dream a reality. Arthur Chappell was an Englishman who met Coco during a week-long fox hunt. Chappell was also a bit of a playboy, and the two entered into a complex romantic relationship. Five years later, Chappell tragically died, but before he passed away, Chappell offered Coco the financial support she needed to open her first shop at 21 Rue Cambon. At first, the shop exclusively featured hats, but it quickly grew to include a few clothing items. Coco's designs were a shock to the industry. Women's fashion at the time was restrictive. Corset bodices, full skirts, and ruffles were in vogue, but Coco's designs emphasized straight lines, muted colors, and comfort. Her clothes exuded a simple elegance previously reserved for menswear. She used jersey, a fabric typically reserved for men's underwear at the time, to make simple dresses. Her aesthetic drew inspiration from her working-class beginnings, highlighting function and practicality through accessible fabrics. The Chanel style was a huge success. By 1919, Coco had a staff of 300, and she was selling dresses for today's equivalent of $2,000 apiece. In 1923, she introduced her signature perfume, Chanel No. 5. In developing No. 5, Coco partnered with experts to create what she referred to as a woman's scent. Much like her clothes, Chanel No. 5 rebuked traditionally feminine perfumes that were filled with rosewater and flowery scents. Even the bottle design was consistent with the Chanel brand. It came in a sleek, square bottle, a departure from the opulent perfume bottles more commonly seen at the time. Coco's success reached new heights when, in 1925, she introduced the classic Chanel suit. To this day, the look features a collarless cardigan jacket with fitted sleeves and braid trim. The matching skirt falls just below the knee. The success and ubiquity of the Chanel suit was only eclipsed by the introduction of the perennial little black dress. Coco created the little black dress in 1926. It was praised for its day-to-night flexibility. Vogue called it the Ford of Dresses, alluding to its near-universal popularity. It's not hyperbole to say that the introduction of the little black dress permanently transformed the fashion industry. The Chanel brand expanded to include cocktail dresses and evening wear. Coco herself made headlines when she started a new trend, wearing trousers. While it might seem silly now, it was quite unheard of at the time for a woman of high society to wear pants in any upscale setting. But Coco's soaring popularity took a huge hit with the onset of World War II. When Nazis invaded Paris, Coco closed up shop and dismissed her staff. But that wasn't so much the issue. The controversy that surrounded Coco arose from her affair with a young Nazi officer. The full extent of Coco's involvement with the Nazi party remains unclear. But in 2011, an investigative journalist named Hal Vaughan on Earth documentation that named her as a German agent. Vaughan alleges that Coco traveled around Europe, using her influence to recruit people for the Third Reich. When France was liberated in 1944, Coco was interrogated by French authorities for hours over the relationship. The result was a deeply tarnished public image and self-imposed social exile. 10 years later, at the age of 70, Coco staged a comeback. Following the end of World War II, 1950s fashion saw a return to tighter bodices and fuller skirts. Coco felt the latest trends did not represent the resourceful, capable women who had greatly contributed to the war effort. So in 1954, she reopened the House of Chanel. Her new line initially received mixed reviews in Europe, but it was a hit in America. The following year, her sleek designs were back in good graces with the European fashion elite, and her legendary status was restored. The Chanel suit, with updates to its iconic tweed and braided trim, once again became a status symbol for a new generation. On January 10th, 1971, Coco Chanel passed away at the Ritz Hotel in Paris. She was 87 years old. She left behind an estate worth over $90 million. Despite being born into abject poverty, Coco rose through the ranks of Parisian high society and created one of the most enduring names in fashion and perfume. Her emphasis on simplicity, elegance, and sensible style permanently transformed women's fashion. All month, we're talking about women in the driver's seat. For more on why we're doing what we're doing, check out our newsletter, Womanica Weekly. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at Encyclopedia Womanica. Special thanks to Liz Kaplan, my favorite sister and co-creator. Talk to you tomorrow.
SPEAKER_05: If the Caribbean is calling, but your wallet is keeping you from answering, here's some great news. Now you can get more sand for your dollar on your next all-inclusive beach vacation with the cheap Caribbean.com Budget Beach Finder. Just set your price range and the Budget Beach Finder will show you the best deals across tons of different beach destinations. Easily compare vacay packages in Mexico, Jamaica, Punta Cana, and more, to find exactly what you're looking for at the best price possible.
SPEAKER_02: Do you hear it? The clock is ticking. It's time for the new season of 60 Minutes. The CBS News Sunday Night tradition is back for its 56th season with all new big name interviews, hard-hitting investigations, and epic adventures. No place, no one, no story is off limits. And you'll always learn something new. It's time for 60 Minutes. New episode airs Sunday, September 24th on CBS and streaming on Paramount+.
SPEAKER_05: Enhance your child's reading journey with the Good and the Beautiful's Reading Booster program. Choose from three all-in-one kits for kindergarten, first, or second grade at ReadingBooster.com. Each kit includes reading cards, books, and games designed to create fun ways to learn phonics, sight words, and vowel sounds. There's even a free ad-free app with additional games and kid-safe content. Bring home a love of learning with the good and the beautiful. Visit ReadingBooster.com today.
