Art · Business · 1883–1971
Born: 19 August 1883 · Died: 10 January 1971 · Age at death: 87
Coco Chanel died aged 87. She was born on 19 August 1883 and died on 10 January 1971.
French designer who founded Chanel, freed women from corsets and created the little black dress and Chanel No. 5
Did you know?She was credited with popularising the sun tan after accidentally getting burnt while on a cruise in the Mediterranean.
Coco Chanel changed how women dressed in the 20th century. She grew up in an orphanage and started as a hat maker. She freed women from tight corsets with simple, comfortable clothes. She used jersey, a fabric once used for men's underwear. The little black dress, the Chanel suit and Chanel No. 5 perfume became icons. Her relationship with a German officer during the Second World War remains controversial. She closed her house during the war and returned to fashion at 71. The brand she built still leads luxury fashion.
Gabrielle Bonheur "Coco" Chanel ( shə-NEL; French:; 19 August 1883 – 10 January 1971) was a French fashion designer and businesswoman. The founder and namesake of the Chanel brand, she was credited in the post–World War I era with popularising a sporty, casual chic as the feminine standard of style.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Profile
French designer, 1883–1971
Gabrielle Chanel was born in Saumur on 19 August 1883.
She grew up in an orphanage.
She opened a shop in Paris in 1910.
Chanel No. 5 was launched in 1921.
Career highlights
Did you know?Her name was "Coco" from a song she sang in cafés.
Questions people ask
b. 1946
1969–2023
1924–2011
b. 1967
AD 232–AD 276
1921–1991Missing someone? Suggest them
1930–2012
b. 1961
1769–1821
1749–1832A newspaper from their birth date
The front page from the day they were born, a classic keepsake.
Shop on AmazonLeo zodiac gifts
Jewellery, prints and candles for the Leo in your life.
Shop on EtsyStar map of August 19
A custom print of the night sky on their birthday.
Shop on EtsyMilestone birthday gifts
Ideas for 18th, 30th, 40th, 50th and beyond.
Shop on AmazonWe may earn a small commission from purchases, at no extra cost to you.
Reviewed by the Who Shares My Birthday editorial team.
Last reviewed: October 2026