Book Review: I am Coco

Award-winning French illustrator Isabel Pin turns her attention to the life of Coco Chanel in this charming book aimed at youngsters aged six and over – and like all good children’s books, it’s a great read for adults too.

The beautiful drawings bring to life the tale of Gabrielle, from her early life as an orphan in a convent school to her work as a seamstress and cabaret singer to being one of the most influential fashion designers the world has ever known. Young readers will learn how her earliest creations presaged the concept of sportswear and discover her iconic designs: the little black dress, the impeccable suit, the squared-off perfume bottle and the acclaimed logo.

And they will learn how a free-thinking young artist who freed women from the extravagant ornamentations of the early 20th century grew into a ferociously ambitious designer who changed the way women dress.

I am Coco
Isabel Pin
£12.99
Prestel

From France Today magazine