'Coco Before Chanel' opens Friday, Oct. 16 at the Harvard Exit

The movie Coco Before Chanel opens today, Oct. 16 at the Harvard Exit.

I was treated to a preview screening of the movie last week and enjoyed it. While the movie is a must-see for fashionistas (can you suggest a different term to use in the future, this one is starting to chafe), it’s more of a romantic French film than a fashion film as it focuses on Chanel’s unconventional love life.

Regardless, it is fascinating to see how a young Coco Chanel influenced the styles of the time, as well as how her contemporaries dressed before she started the millinery boutique in 1910 that was to bloom into a fashion empire still active today. When Chanel was a young woman, ladies were still wearing corsets and ornately feathered hats. Chanel chose to wear simple straw hats and menswear-inspired clothing that was infinitely more comfortable. Think of how fashion had changed by her death in 1971 and how her influence is still felt today.

Chanel is played by the adorable Audrey Tautou of "Amelie" fame, and I found the part to be well-cast. Tautou wears French sailor tops and ostensibly handmade jodhpurs with ease, much like Chanel must have.

The movie ends with a grand runway tour of some of Chanel’s most famous looks, giving those of us who love the fashion a sneak peek at what a sequel might bring.

Nordstrom has announced that the Pacific Northwest Ballet and Henry Art Gallery will be the beneficiaries of a larger Chanel event next spring featuring a runway show of Chanel’s fall 2010 collection. More details to come, but I personally always love to see what Karl Lagerfeld and his designers show every season.

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