An intriguing, well-rounded portrait of a fascinating woman whose many important contributions to art and fashion remain popular today. Kirkus Reviews Award-winning author Susan Goldman Rubin introducesareaders to the most well-known fashion designerain the world, Coco Chanel. Beginning with the difficult years Chanel spent in an orphanage, Goldman Rubin traces Coco's development as a designer and demonstrates how her determination to be independent helped her gain worldwide recognition.aCoco Chanelafocuses on the obstacles Chanel faced as a financially independent woman in an era when women were expected to marry;aas well as her fierce competition with the Italian fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli;aand some of her most memorable firsts for the fashion industry, including the little black dress, the quilted purse with gold chain, and the perfume Chanel No. 5.aThe book includes a bibliography, a list of where to see her work, and an index. Rubin's biography is clear-sighted about Chanel's faults while extolling her fashion genius.aHer source notes and bibliography are meticulous, as is the book's designa.a.a. This will attract young fashion mavens eager to learn about design history. BooklistRubin expertly chronicles Chanel's life in this biographya.a.a. Rubin captures the authenticity of Chanel alongside her psychological need to portray a luxurious lifestyle. VOYAA well-researched primer packed with details on a significant trailblazer. School Library JournalWell-designed biography of a fascinating woman. School Library ConnectionA succinct, balanced portrayal of controversial haute couturire Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel. Publishers Weekly