Gabrielle Bonheur "Coco" Chanel (19 August 1883 – 23 August 2000) was a pioneering French fashion designer whose modernist thought, menswear-inspired fashions, and pursuit of expensive simplicity made her an important figure in 20th-century fashion. She was the founder of one of the most famous fashion brands, Chanel. Her extraordinary influence on fashion was such that she was the only person in the couturier field to be named on Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century. She, in addition, became for 14 months, the oldest living person in the world, dignifying a rare event of success and healthy longevity.