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In late 2014, documents were declassified and released by French intelligence agencies confirming Coco Chanel’s role with Germany in World War II. Working as a spy, Chanel was directly involved in a plan for the Third Reich to take control of Madrid. Such documents identify Chanel as an agent in the German military intelligence, the Adwehr. Suspicions of Coco Chanel’s involvement first began when German tanks entered Paris and began the Nazi occupation. Chanel immediately sought refuge in the deluxe Hotel Ritz, which was also used as the headquarters of the German military. It was at the Hotel Ritz where she fell in love with Baron Hans Gunther von Dincklage working in the German embassy close to the Gestapo. “Sleeping with the Enemy, Coco Chanel and the Secret War” written by Hal Vaughan further solidifies the consistencies of the French intelligent documents released by describing Coco as a “vicious anti-Semite” who praised Hitler. Chanel visited Madrid in 1943 to convince the British ambassador to Spain, friend to Winston Churchill, about a possible German surrender once the war was leaning towards an Ally victory

Although Chanel was viewed as a prominent figure of luxury fashion during her life, Chanel’s influence has been examined further post death in 1971. One of the most prominent mission’s she was involved in was Operation Modellhut, which translates to model hat. Her duty was so act as a messenger from Hitler’s Foreign Intelligence to Winston Churchill to prove that some of the Third Reich attempted peace with the Allies. Churchill and Chanel’s friendship marks its origin in the1920’s with the eruption of Chanel’s scandalous beginning when falling in love with the Duke of Westminster. Churchill’s intervention at the end of the war prevented Chanel’s punishment for spy collaborations, and ultimately salvaged her legacy.

During Chanel’s affair with the Duke of Westminster in the 1930’s, her style began to reflect her personal emotions. Her inability to reinvent the little black dress was a sign of such reality. She began to design a “less is more” aesthetic. When the Nazi occupation of France began, Chanel decided to close her store, claiming a patriotic motivation behind such decision. However, when she moved into the same Hotel Ritz that was housing the German military, her motivations became clear to many. While many women in France were punished for “horizontal collaboration” with German officers, Chanel faced no such action. At the time of the French liberation in 1944, Chanel left in a note in her store window explaining Chanel No. 5 to be free to all GIs. During this time, she fled to Switzerland to avoid criminal charges for her collaborations as a Nazi spy.

Coco Chanel’s life story is quite magical. Although being born as a poor peasant in rural suburbs, she quickly rose through the classes to become one of the most figurative icons of luxury, richness and power. By the brink of World War II, Chanel was dressing and perfuming the rich as well as enjoying champagne with the rich, powerful and artistic such as Winston Churchill, Picasso and mistress of the Duke of Westminster. Once Hitler entered Paris, Chanel immediately involved herself with the Gestapo. From a young age, Chanel learned to sew and hate Jews. Winston Churchill wrote, "The famous Chanel turned up and I took great fancy to her - a most capable and agreeable woman - much the stronger personality [the duke] has been up against. She hunted vigorously all day, motored to Paris after dinner, and today is engaged in passing and improving dresses on endless streams of mannequins. . .She does it all with her own fingers, pinning, cutting, looping. Some have to be altered ten times.” When the war was coming to an end, Germany’s hopefulness that Chanel would assist them in their cause proved correct. She ran a mission in Madrid for Germany by using her friendship with Churchill to broker a possible peace offering between Germany and the Allies. Chanel used her Aryan bias to take control over Chanel No. 5 Perfume away from her main investor, a Jewish man. Chanel was never reprimanded or punished for her role as a Nazi spy. She continued to spend her final years in luxury evermore at her magnificent Ritz apartment. When Chanel died, the first lady of France, Mme, Pompidou organized a hero’s tribute. Soon damaging documents from French intelligence agencies were released that outlined Chanel’s war time involvements that quickly ended her monumental funeral plans.