Coco Chanel

Coco Chanel is back.

For fifteen years the gates of

the Chanel fashion empire have been closed.

Now, at the age of seventy,

she's returned from her self-imposed exile

to make an eagerly anticipated comeback.

The fashion world is holding its breath.

Today, the legendary designer is unveiling her first collection...

in more than a decade.

Mr. Bouchier?

How will Coco Chanel respond to today's market...

dominated by designers like Dior?

Coco Chanel is a woman who dresses women.

I'm sure her collection will reflect that.

And what about-what about your relationship to Coco Chanel?

She's referred to you as an old bandit'!

Old bandit?

Old friend, more like.

I hope you enjoy the show.

Thank you. How are you?

Good. Good, good, good.

Ah, hello.

Hi.

Good to see you.

Hello!

Aah! How lovely to see you again! Lovely to see you!

Welcome. Thank you.

Marc!

I'll... I'll see you after the show.

Okay, great. Yes...

Adrienne!

What a pleasure to see you. How are you?

Very well

Odette. You look beautiful.

Thank you.

How is she?

As you might think,

Though she probably looks less nervous than you.

Are you coming up? Uhm... in-in a moment.

They're fighting to get in.

Cocteau, Visconti, Dali: they're all here.

All your old friends.

Some of my old enemies.

Aunt Coco... some more telegrams have arrived.

"You will always be the greatest of them all":

Marlene Dietrich.

"Only Parliament prevents me from coming there to salute you":

Winston Churchill.

Lift your arm, lift your arm.

No, no.

This isn't working.

Coco, please.

The crowd's getting restless.

Scissors, scissors.

Go.

Go, go.

Oh, dear! This is all rather underwhelming!

No. It was a fiasco.

I know. They had their knives out.

I'm so sorry, Coco.

Marc, I do not need... your condolences, please.

Maybe it could have been avoided.

Coco. Please, try not to be...

Adrienne.

Don't you worry.

I've suffered rejection before, as you well know.

Even when I was still being called Gabrielle.

Let me finish this.

Gabrielle...

You have to promise me something.

Take care of Julia.

You are stronger than her.

Of course.

Gabrielle, Julie! Hurry up!

I wish you could stay with us.

I know you do, Adrienne.

You see, the situation is that... I can't quite afford to pay.

I understand.

Once I'm established in America, I'll be back to collect you.

Please let us come with you.

I'll be back soon.

Promise?

I promise.

Turn around.

Please... turn around.

Le Combat says: "Coco Chanel is stuck in the past".

"A collection for grannies", ...the Express.

What did they know.

Well, they certainly weren't wearing kid gloves...

Ah! Please.

Spare me the infamous... 'Chanel silence'.

Let them write what they choose. I know what women want.

I admire your confidence.

But... maybe... times have changed.

And now we've lost... millions of Francs.

Perhaps you've lost faith in me too, Marc...

Alright, let's be honest.

I warned you of the risks, ...and of course... you insisted.

Let's hope... that this...

unmitigated disaster doesn't affect perfume sales, because if it does...

then that's going to be the final straw.

You have nothing more to add?

Mademoiselle...

What if they are right after all?

What if I am... just a relic from the past?

Yes! Yes!

Little darling, little darling, little candy.

Where did you go? Why did you run away?

I thought I saw our father! But I was wrong.

He's in America.

I'm afraid he'll never come back.

Good morning! Up you get! Come, come, come on! Up you go.

Today is your eighteenth birthday.

But the world outside is not an easy one.

Especially for a woman without experience and means.

I can work hard, as you taught me.

Have you asked God for his help?

Yes. Many times.

Just as I asked him to keep my mother alive...

and to bring my father back.

Maybe it's best if Julia stays.

She can make herself useful here. She's not as wilful as you are.

Adrienne tells me you were the best seamstress at the convent.

Let's hope that living with the angels taught you to sew like one.

I will try not to disappoint you, Madame.

I demand accuracy...

No, no, do it again

punctuality... and hard work.

Work hours are from seven o'clock in the morning...

to eight o'clock in the evening.

Room and board are deducted from your wages.

Gabrielle?

Bring Madame Rochefort's dress up here!

Yes, madame.

Carole?

Take this. I'll take this, go.

Pull your tummy in!

A bit more! More!

I couldn't breathe!

Beauty requires a bit of suffering.

Uh... uh... uh... Padding.

I spent thousands of Francs on this dress.

The latest fashion from Paris!

And look at it! Look at it! I'm the size of a house!

Your legs, madame.

My legs?

They are too short for the dress, madam. Mademoiselle Chanel!

If we raise the hem of the jacket at the front...

and leave it lower at the back... you'll seem slimmer.

It's all about proportion.

You want to alter the latest Paris fashion?

If you spent all this money... for the dress...

shouldn't you be happy with it?

You know... I think it will work.

Madame. The officers are here.

Chanel... get the lieutenant's coat.

Hurry up, girl!

Yes, Madame. Hurry!

I'm sure this would look even better on you than any of your customers.

It's far too expensive for me. Oh...

I know plenty of men...

that would buy it for you in a heartbeat.

Are you volunteering, Nexon?

I don't want to compete with you, Balsan.

Ah, I feel a lot more at ease!

Such elegance.

Such elegance can only come from Madame Desboutin's hands.

Thank you, lieutenant.

To dress such a...

beautiful lady is like... playing a Stradivarius.

Oh, thank you. Uh! You're welcome.

Stradivarius...

She's certainly about the same age as one.

Come on, Nexon.

He's written to me.

It's from one of the officers... from yesterday.

He's a baron.

But which one? The handsome one?

Yes, of course the handsome one.

And... he wants to see me again.

Tonight, at the Cafe Chantant.

You have to come with me, you know?

Let's go.

Adrienne!

It's him.

Him? Yes, of course.

Adrienne. Hmm!

Even more beautiful than I remembered.

Oh, good! You brought a friend.

I'm delighted you could make it too.

Come with me, I'll lead the way, come.

Come! No!

Hello!

Come and sit down with us.

A glass of champagne maybe?

You look like you've never seen champagne before.

Of course I have. I was raised on Champagne.

Are you from round here, Miss?

No. Oh... I'm from elsewhere.

And what do you do?