“A woman should be two things: who and what she wants.”
— Coco Chanel
Widely attributed to Chanel from interviews. She built her empire from an orphanage with no money, no name, no training. The quote embodies her philosophy of self-determination.
I grew up in an orphanage. No money, no name, no future. In 1954 at 71 I reopened my fashion house after 15 years. Critics wrote: she's finished, outdated, a joke. I didn't argue. I kept working. Six months later those same critics were wearing my suits. I worked until 87. The little black dress, Chanel No. 5, the tweed jacket are all mine. Your past is not a sentence. Your age is not a limit. The only opinion that matters is yours. Decide who you are and become her.