The Debut of Coco Neige with Margot Robbie Had Deep Roots in Chanel's History

The Debut of Coco Neige

THEN: Margot Robbie, who became a Chanel ambassador in 2018, has forged a deep connection with the luxury house. In the mutually synergistic relationship, Chanel has cemented Robbie’s status as a style icon.

In 2018, Margot Robbie launched Chanel’s first Coco Neige campaign, which was Chanel's first official subbrand for ski and après-ski wear. Featured in these images by the now-passed creative director Karl Lagerfeld himself, Robbie spoke very fondly about the experience of working with the head of the House of Chanel from 1983-2019.

This collection is not the first time that the house of Chanel promoted ski-related style and fashion. In fact, ski slopes heavily influenced Coco Chanel’s approach to fashion design and fabric development at a time of great changes in the lives of women.

NOW: AOC posted Chanel’s Coco Neige 2018/19 campaign, after exploring the history of the House’s relationship with winter sports in the new Chanel Coco Neige 2024/5 campaign, posted today and lensed by Juergen Teller with model Loli Bahia.

In today’s Coco Neige 2024/5 writeup, AOC learned that in February 2006, Victoria Beckham enjoyed a winter ski trip to the slopes of Spain’s Baqueria ski resort, attired in “head to toe Chanel skiwear.”

And then we fell down the rabbit hole of Coco Chanel’s early professional life on the ski slopes of St. Moritz.

AOC probably puts AI to the best use of any of the large fashion blogs. We’ve never done anything simply and have always written in-depth about AOC content. Our university-research level AI provider has just thrown open the doors of Anne’s love of history recent and back to the evolution of humans and our migration out of Africa.

With this fantastic research resource, Anne asked if Coco Chanel herself was a skier. What a human story unfolded before our very eyes!

Elite Winter Sports Required Functionality and Fashion

Although historical records don’t clearly document Chanel as an avid skier, the influence of alpine sports on her designs is palpable. In the early 20th century, as skiing gained popularity among Europe’s elite, Chanel astutely recognized an opportunity to merge functionality with high fashion.

During her alpine escapades, Chanel was often accompanied by a glittering entourage of friends and celebrities. These included renowned artists, aristocrats, and influential figures from the world of fashion and art, keen to revel in her magnetic presence and enjoy the exclusive camaraderie she fostered on these trips.

Her interest in skiing was not only a personal pastime but also a social event that allowed her to mingle with the elite, continually fueling her creative vision in the process and also captivating new clients for her brand.

Coco had a profound and enduring level of help from her friend, financier, collaborator and lover Arthur "Boy" Capel in penetrating this elite St. Moritz society.

The Story of Arthur “Boy” Capel

Caper’s own biography centers on his shared vision of Chanel the brand and Coco Chanel, the woman who pushed the envelope of social conventions with her independent-woman attitude. The British polo player Arthur "Boy" Capel financed Chanel’s first store and found a spirit connection with the designer, who shared his willingness to break the rules of conventionality.

A lesser-known facet of Capel’s dynamic personality was his ardent passion for winter sports, particularly in the idyllic setting of St. Moritz. The charismatic Englishman with an adventurous spirit, found great joy in the exhilarating challenges presented by the snow-covered landscapes of the Swiss Alps.

Capel was captivated by the thrill and liberating nature of activities that tested his physical limits and provided an escape from the societal constraints of Edwardian England. His enthusiasm for sports like skiing and ice skating not only influenced his personal life but also intersected with his business acumen.

As a successful businessman, Capel understood the growing allure of such destinations and the luxury lifestyle that accompanied them. His attraction to Coco Chanel was surely inspired by these insights into social change.

A Devastating and Early End to a Profound Love Affair

Capel’s passion for these frosty endeavors was a reflection of a man who embraced modernity and sought to experience life on his terms, carving his path through both the business world and the snowy slopes of St. Moritz.

It can be said that Capel understood Chanel and she understood the married Capel for a decade. The challenges of sporting adventures anchored their symbiotic hold on each other — a union that died in a fireball event and slow death for Capel,

Capel was a day shy of 38 years old when he died in a car accident on December 22, 1919. On that fateful day, the love of Chanel’s life was driving along a stretch of road in the French Riviera near Saint-Maxime, en route to a holiday gathering.

The journey, intended to join friends for a festive season, took a devastating turn, an accident so gruesome AOC wants to learn more about it before writing further. Capel was alone in the car but suffered terribly in his slow death. We know well that stretch of road.

Inventing the Little Black Dress

In the aftermath of Arthur "Boy" Capel’s death, Coco Chanel’s loss deeply affected her emotional wellbeing. In another interesting twist of the story Chanel’s grief manifested itself in her work, making her designs reflect the somber tones of her mourning.

It was during this period that she introduced the color black into her collections, elevating it to a staple of elegance and sophistication—a move that revolutionized the fashion world.

Most of us know that Coco Chanel invented the little black dress. Most do not know the circumstances that gave birth to her love of that little black dress, including Anne.

Also, most people assume that the double C logo was created with Chanel’s own initials. Insiders suggest that it became for Chanel the vehicle for keeping Capel’s memory and influence over her life alive — the double Cs remained entwined on the ski slopes and away from them, until Coco Chanel passed January 10, 1971 [age 87] at the Ritz in Paris.

Coco Chanel’s Practical Elegance

In conclusion — at least this chapter — Coco Chanel skillfully integrated the practical aspects of sportswear into her collections, which is evident in her use of jersey fabric. Originally reserved for men's underwear, jersey was transformed by Chanel into elegant yet comfortable attire ideal for active pursuits, including skiing. Her designs during the 1920s reflected a shift towards a more liberating silhouette, freeing women from the constraints of the corset and aligning with the freedom associated with outdoor activities.

The simplicity and elegance that characterized Alpine fashion resonated with Chanel's enduring commitment to minimalism and sophistication. Tweeds, wools, and the use of layered clothing in Chanel's creations can be credited to the practical necessities of skiwear. This pragmatic yet stylish approach to fashion helped redefine women's wear for generations, bridging the gap between comfort and class.

This Chanel vision clearly was a co-production between two cosmic creatures leading lives that colored way beyond the lines of social conventions in the early 20th century. ~ Anne