Episode 51: Coco Avant Chanel with Fashion Writer Roxanne Robinson

2025-04-22

Sara and Rena welcome the brilliant fashion journalist Roxanne Robinson for the 2009 film Coco Avant Chanel (that means “Before” for anyone who hasn’t been using their 2025 existential crisis to re-learn French on Duolingo). By being “before” Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel became an icon, we can skip over the grossness of Coco’s who Nazi thing, and focus instead on the ambitious, very talented designer who wanted women to be free, comfortable, independent, and chic. (And would go on to collaborate with the Nazis). Coco Avant Chanel is directed by Anne Fontaine, an...

Sara and Rena welcome the brilliant fashion journalist Roxanne Robinson for the 2009 film Coco Avant Chanel (that means “Before” for anyone who hasn’t been using their 2025 existential crisis to re-learn French on Duolingo). By being “before” Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel became an icon, we can skip over the grossness of Coco’s who Nazi thing, and focus instead on the ambitious, very talented designer who wanted women to be free, comfortable, independent, and chic.

(And would go on to collaborate with the Nazis).

Coco Avant Chanel is directed by Anne Fontaine, and stars Audrey Tautou as Coco Chanel, Benoit Poevoord as Etienne Balsan, and Alessandro Nivola as Boy Capel.

Check out a sampling of Roxanne’s terrific reportage here: https://www.roxanne-robinson.com/

Spoiler Warning: We spoil everything. And we enjoy it.

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