January marks the passing anniversary of style icon Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel, more commonly known as Coco Chanel. Becoming an icon for her simple, yet sophisticated style has left an everlasting imprint that we still use today for inspiration.

Chanel was born Aug. 19, 1883 in Saumur, France. After her mother passed away when she was six, she was sent to live in an orphanage where she was taught to sew. Before taking on fashion full force she had a brief career as a singer. It’s rumored that her nickname “Coco” came from a song she used to sing and is a shortened version of cocotte, the French word for “kept woman.”

Utilizing her connections, Chanel was able to open her first hat boutique in Paris in 1910. As the store became more successful she started to add clothing designs and began to open more store locations. By the 1920s, Chanel took a risk and launched her first signature fragrance, Chanel No. 5, which was the first of its kind to feature the designer’s name. 

In this era of fashion, women were bound to corsets and confining garments. Chanel turned this upside down by drawing inspiration from menswear and emphasizing comfort. Thus emerged the legendary Chanel suit and “little black dress.”

Love and war had its effect on the success of Chanel’s business. When WWII broke out in the 1930s, it unfortunately took its toll on the company and Chanel had to close her stores. During the war while German occupied France, Chanel became emotionally involved with one of the German officers. When the war ended, Chanel was interrogated about her scandalous relationship, but never charged. Although she never legally paid the price, the public viewed her relationship with a Nazi officer as betrayal to their country.

Letting the dust settle, she didn’t make a return to the fashion world until the age of 70. While first receiving negative reviews, consumers were quick to change their minds as her feminine and simplistic designs took over. The trademark Chanel suit features a collarless jacket and fitted skirt, while the “little black dress” offers a chic simplistic design giving new light to the color black.

After her passing in January of 1971, it wasn’t until a decade later when renowned designer Karl Lagerfeld took the reins of her company to continue the legacy. Product offerings include luxury fragrances, clothes, handbags, and watches. According to Forbes, the Chanel brand today is valued at $7 billion, earning about $4.7 billion in sales and ranking #79 in Forbes list of the World’s Most Valuable Brands of 2014. Chanel’s timeless designs of “little black dresses” and trademark suits have forever been embedded in our culture and her legacy will live on.