User:Asw128/Evaluate an Article

Which article are you evaluating?
Coco Chanel

Why you have chosen this article to evaluate?
I chose this article because it was listed in the top 100 articles to be brought to a GA status in the WikiProject "Women in Green." I was also interested in seeing whether controversy over Coco Chanel's Nazi affiliation would impact the article's neutrality and balance.

Evaluate the article
Lead Section: The lead section has a good overview on Chanel's influence in the fashion industry and covers her controversy as well. However, a few overly-specific details on her Nazi collaboration do not seem appropriate for a lead section and should possibly be saved for its respective section.

Content: The content of the article is relevant to the topic, although there seems to be a very random reference to Coco Chanel's "lesbian vices" yet does not add any detail on this, nor does the "Activity as a Nazi agent" section seem to be an appropriate place for this to be randomly quoted. If there are sources that prove her sexuality and it is considered to be an important aspect of her character and legacy, it should probably be included, but otherwise not. The content does cover her early and last years, extending over the majority of her lifespan, while emphasizing her influences on the fashion industry.

Tone: In general, the tone of the article seems to slightly favor criticism of Chanel for her Nazi collaborations. For example, it emphasizes Churchill's intervention as the reason why Chanel was not punished for her collaborations and "ultimately salvaged her legacy," which is a rather large claim.

Sources: The clarity of sources needs to be improved in some places; for example, in the "Activity as a Nazi agent" section includes some claims that call for source verification, yet it is unclear which (if any) source the claim is deduced from, which makes the article appear less neutral. It is also unclear, for example, which source (if any) is being cited when the article credits Coco Chanel for contributing the "little black dress."

Talk Page: This article is rated a C-class article. Many talk page discussions involve heated arguments over Chanel's character, particularly surrounding her Nazi affiliation. Some believe that Chanel is known for her fashion influence and her Nazi influence should not be given so much weight in her Wikipedia page. Others argue that modern-day discourse requires us to understand her background involving Nazi affiliation, just as other notable people are held accountable for their actions. Some advocate for branding Chanel as a "Nazi collaborator" while others adamantly point to the fact that she was not charged as a collaborator after the war.