In the years around World War I, Gabrielle Chanel challenged the world of fashion head on. Jersey fabrics, easy to wear garments often based on men's sportswear, showy paste jewelry & the little black dress are just a few of her innovations that have become fashion staples. Other books have dwelt on Chanel's tempestuous private life, Here, for the first time, the focus is on Chanel the couturiere, her innovations & the immense influence she has had on the way women choose to look in the modern world. The story is brought up to 1994 in the final chapter based on an interview with Karl Lagerfeld, who showed his first haute couture collection under the name of Chanel in Jan. 1983. Color & black & white photos.