This graphic novel presents Coco Chanel’s journey in crisp panels and sleek design, effortlessly charting her rise from seamstress to style legend. The visual storytelling is undeniably chic—painstakingly composed and effortlessly stylish—making it a feast for lovers of form and fashion.

Yet, beneath the glamor, the narrative reads more like a timeline of breakthroughs than a window into the woman behind them. Chanel’s character is agreeable and poised, but one yearns for the grit and complexity that shaped her path. Little is revealed beyond the milestones—no glimpses behind her public persona.

A visually striking portrait, yes—but like one of Chanel’s own gowns, it dazzles in silhouette while leaving the seams of the story carefully hidden.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel. I barely knew anything about Coco’s life so everything was new to me and I appreciated getting bits of her life that gave me a bigger picture of who she was.
Although I tend to pick up graphic novels due to the art style, this is not the case. Being an artist myself, this artstyle is not what I tend to lean towards and while that wasn’t a deal breaker for me I did find that it gave the story a sad and melancholic feeling.
I did notice a couple of issues in the graphic part of the storytelling, mainly in two conversations.They show both people from the same angle but they are supposed to be talking to each other. To demonstrate a conversation usually one character is viewed from the right and the other from the left as they would see each other. This makes the story more fluid and easy to follow.
And the other thing that I found was in an illustration of Coco sitting in a chair, but in the way that it is, it looks like the chair is missing at least two more legs. They might be there but it looks like Coco is balancing in a one leg chair.
Despite my previous notes I ate up the chapters and if anything I would’ve liked the graphic novel to be longer.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for allowing me early access. All opinions are my own.

3.5 ⭐️

This graphic novel is a fast and engaging read about the icon that was Coco Chanel and how she came to shape women’s fashion. I think it could have had more detail about her childhood and how she overcame difficulties to become who she was, as I felt it was too fast and with little detail. Still, I recommend it!

What an inspiring book this was. The book captures the life of coco chanel. I didn't know that she suffered through A life of poverty yet she had this optimistic attitude that she can always survive the hard times no matter what. The fact that she has always listened to her heart and had cared less of what other people has to say is a great lesson for us to March forward in our endeavours . I like her quote that trends may come and ho but elegance remains. It's sounds simple but the thought behind it is very deep. Now I know why she was so obsessed with black & white because she got the inspiration from cemetery and the white flowers that people left . This is too deep a thought but inspiration can come from anywhere. From an impoverished women with a dream to a remarkable famous designer styling the who's who of Hollywood and the first lady, coco chanel is an epitome of resilience and relentless dreamer. The fact that this book is an inforgraphic novel makes it even more fast paced and immersive to read. Consider it like a highlight of coco chanel's life. Loved this one ❤️