Director Chanel Anne Fontaine has long been fascinated by the figure of Coco Chanel. “It was not so much the fashion as the characteristics of this exceptional woman that interested me,” says Fontaine. “I had been particularly touched by the fact that she was a self-made person. This girl, coming from the heart of the French countryside, poor, uneducated, but endowed with an exceptional personality, was destined to be ahead of her time.”Years after her imagination was first sparked, the opportunity Coco Chanel to make a film about the legendary woman presented itself. “I had to think whether it was possible to stick to the first period of her life - the training years, what had happened before Chanel, herself, understood her dazzling destiny,” the director explains.

   “So, I went back and read her biography by Edmonde Charles-Roux, Chanel and Her World: Friends, Fashion, and Fame. The other imperative condition was to find an actress to embody such a character, and not someone who Chanel handbags would ape or make a pale imitation of Chanel.” Fontaine found Chanel personified in Audrey Tautou. “On my first encounter with Audrey, I was struck by her will, her audacity, and the density of her gaze that goes through you,” Fontaine recalls. “Chanel looked at everything.

Her culture was not one of knowledge, but a culture of observation. I had not yet written a single line of the screenplay when I met Audrey, but I knew that if she gave me her trust and if the production agreed to stick to the years of Chanel bags apprenticeship, I could then embark on the adventure of my first period movie.”Tautou was likewise fascinated by Chanel, and though the prospect of the role had long been hovering around her, she was captivated by Fontaine’s vision.

“I was secretly hoping to get an offer with a particular point of view because the modernity of this character - her spirit, and the position she gave women - fascinates me,” says Tautou. “In addition, when Anne Fontaine explained how she intended to treat the subject, I immediately agreed.” ”Anne has allowed me to develop the gucci bags nature of Chanel by searching different aspects of this role, by shading the emotions, being fragile and sweet and, at the same time, commanding and proud,” the actress continues. “The fact that a woman directs this movie is already a great advantage to express how difficult it was to be of ‘the weaker sex’ at that time.

The intelligence of Anne Fontaine, her finesse, her global vision of the character and the story have been of utmost importance in her direction of the film.” To successfully complete this ambitious project and faithfully portray Coco Gucci Chanel’s formative years, Fontaine was determined to assemble accomplished and acclaimed creative department heads. “It was the first time I was doing a period movie, so I wanted to work with technicians who were experienced in their respective fields,” she says.

Fontaine worked at length beforehand with her key crew members and proposed a survey of various great films from the time period in which the story is set. “Some are still classics, others were made by talented directors but are now Winter sweet considered old fashioned,” says Fontaine, adding.“ xxl