When Coco Chanel sewed a pocket — and freedom

Coco Chanel didn’t just create the little black dress. She reimagined what it meant to be a woman — not a delicate doll in a corset, but yourself. One day she said, "Fashion that is uncomfortable is not fashion — it's punishment." And she sewed pockets into a woman’s jacket. A simple gesture, yet revolutionary: women gained space for their hands, their little things — and for the first time, autonomy. Chanel didn’t sew dresses. She sewed the possibility to walk down the street without leaning on a man. She wasn’t decorating — she was liberating. And even today, when you’re in a perfectly tailored coat, hands tucked in your pockets — it’s not just about warmth. It’s about walking wherever you want. And no one tells you otherwise.

updated 27 April 2025 15:49