Coco Before Chanel
To talk about Coco before the founding of Chanel seems somehow redundant, like writing a biopic of Scott that ends as he sets out for the Antarctic, or one of Churchill that ends with his first election to Parliament in 1900.

To talk about Coco before the founding of Chanel seems somehow redundant, like writing a biopic of Scott that ends as he sets out for the Antarctic, or one of Churchill that ends with his first election to Parliament in 1900. But the recent penchant for such films shows that much can be gleaned from the early lives of our modern icons. Contextual details, whether elaborated for the big screen or not, resonate when seen in the context of their later achievements, as seen with The Young Victoria, Becoming Austen, and Nowhere Boy. Combined with the success of fashion documentaries, from  The September Issue to Lagerfeld Confidential, places Coco Before Chanel in a very beneficial position.

Audrey Tautou, who has developed a reputation as one of France’s greatest cinematic exports, sparkles as Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel. She encapsulates the gamine aesthetic of her subject perfectly and manages to portray her defiant confidence with subtle precision. To roll out an old cliché, it is hard to imagine the film working as well with another leading actress. In the final scene, Tautou appears as Chanel at her most recognisable; chic in black with pearls and red lipstick, and the resemblance between them is extraordinary and so convincing that immersing yourself in the story is made very easy. Chanel’s well-documented ability to morph into various versions of herself, re-inventing her history and creating a false sense of mystery is emphasised in a way that adds layers of obscurity to the character and the audience is left as unsure of her true motivations as any of the characters in the film.

The interplay between Chanel, her sometime-lover Etienne Balsan (Benoit Poelvoorde) and her great love Arthur “Boy” Capel (Alessandro Nivola) is intriguing. None of the characters are entirely sympathetic, but the strength of connections between them is compelling and woven into an interesting narrative. Chanel is effectively batted between the two men, treated as a commodity, sometimes willingly and other times not, but her air of ambition to use this to her advantage ultimately sees her succeed in her career, if not her love life. Chanel is often portrayed as skulking around the sidelines of the rich parties held by Balsan, she is originally asked by him to stay away so his guests are unaware that she is living with him, but refuses to be marginalised, skillfully implanting herself into high society. She is the welcome outsider, bringing an air of simplicity and grace into a world full of pretentious fops and flouncing, overdressed women.

Visually the film is stunning. On several occasions the film nods to Chanel’s fashion inspirations with shots lingering over bateau tops, pearl earrings, and monochrome dresses, which is sure to please a majority of the audience. The transition between various stages in the chronology of the film are signposted by changes in fashion and the transition that Chanel makes from seamstress to designer is carefully touched on in each scene. Coco Before Chanel knows its audience well; there is an abundance of romantic entanglement and a serious amount of clothes, pretty much the perfect fashion biopic.

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