Coco Chanel Gabriel Bonheur "Coco" Chanel was born in 19 August 1883, she was a French fashion designer and businesswoman. One of the most remarkable things about Coco Chanel is that she achieved success in an age where men held all positions of power, this is all decisions about money were made by men. In those days women accepted this reality, and used to dress it in an uncomfortable way, I mean women wore long dresses, that almost touched the ground. This type of clothing prevented women from moving freely so women used to need help from men. Coco Chanel changed that with her new style for clothing design, her new style was more comfortable, more sporty and lighter than the old style.