Chanel Goes Downhill
During World War II, Chanel’s reputation suffered. In October 1939 just weeks after the war had begun, Chanel closed the House of Chanel. She dismissed all of her workers. Attempts were made to try to force Chanel to reopen the House of Chanel by her employees and the French government. However the House of Chanel remained closed. To add more to the matter, Chanel began a relationship with a young Nazi soldier, Hans Gunther von Dincklage (Spatz). With German permission, Chanel continued to live at the Ritz. Once France was liberated in 1944 Chanel
underwent three hours of interrogation by French authorities about her relationship with Spatz. She was released but her actions destroyed her public image. In 1954, at the age of seventy, Chanel reopened the House of Chanel. She debuted her new line of clothes on February 5, 1954, in Paris. The show was highly anticipated and publicized, but the affair received shockingly poor reviews, the London Daily Express running the headline “A Fiasco--Audience Gasped!” The European press criticized Chanel for depending on her previous designs. However, the response in the United States was different; Life magazine ran a four-page spread that praised Chanel’s comfortable style. In March of 1954 Chanel’s navy blue suit appeared on the cover of French Vogue. When Chanel had another show in May 1955, her designs were met with approval and enthusiasm.
underwent three hours of interrogation by French authorities about her relationship with Spatz. She was released but her actions destroyed her public image. In 1954, at the age of seventy, Chanel reopened the House of Chanel. She debuted her new line of clothes on February 5, 1954, in Paris. The show was highly anticipated and publicized, but the affair received shockingly poor reviews, the London Daily Express running the headline “A Fiasco--Audience Gasped!” The European press criticized Chanel for depending on her previous designs. However, the response in the United States was different; Life magazine ran a four-page spread that praised Chanel’s comfortable style. In March of 1954 Chanel’s navy blue suit appeared on the cover of French Vogue. When Chanel had another show in May 1955, her designs were met with approval and enthusiasm.