What Happened to Coco Chanel Siblings?

Coco Chanel is a name that is synonymous with fashion. She is known for revolutionizing the fashion industry and creating timeless designs that are still relevant today. However, not many people know about her personal life and what happened to her siblings.

Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel, also known as Coco Chanel, was born on August 19, 1883, in Saumur, France. She was one of five siblings, but unfortunately, her early life was marked by tragedy. Her mother passed away when she was just six years old, and her father sent her and her sisters to an orphanage.

Coco’s siblings were Julia-Berthe (born 1882), Alphonse (born 1885), Antoinette (born 1887), and Lucien (born 1889). Julia-Berthe passed away in infancy before Coco was born.

Alphonse went on to become a soldier and died during World War I in 1914. Antoinette became a seamstress like Coco but never achieved the same level of success. Lucien moved to America and started a successful business selling perfumes.

Coco had a complicated relationship with her surviving siblings. She was very close to Antoinette and even hired her as a seamstress for her fashion house when it first opened in Paris in 1910. However, their relationship became strained over time due to Antoinette’s alcoholism and financial struggles.

Coco had little contact with Lucien after he moved to America but did visit him once in the 1950s. They reportedly had a good relationship despite their distance. It’s unclear if Coco had any contact with Alphonse before his untimely death.

In conclusion, Coco Chanel’s personal life was marked by tragedy and complicated relationships with her surviving siblings. While some of them achieved success like Lucien, others struggled with addiction and financial difficulties like Antoinette. Despite the challenges in her personal life, Coco Chanel went on to become one of the most iconic fashion designers of all time, leaving behind a legacy that still inspires designers today.