Which French actress was an early prominent wearer of Coco Chanel’s hats?

Gabrielle Dorziat was an early prominent wearer of Coco Chanel’s hats. The French actress helped draw attention to Chanel’s millinery work during the designer’s first years in business.

Chanel’s early success depended partly on actresses and fashionable patrons who made her designs visible in public. Dorziat’s association with Chanel helped demonstrate that the new hats could look modern and striking without the elaborate ornamentation common in some contemporary styles.

Dorziat was born in 1880 and became known for work in French theater and cinema. Her career stretched across the transition from stage performance to silent and sound film, making her a recognizable cultural figure in France.

She is sometimes confused with later actresses connected to Chanel’s clothing or fragrance campaigns. Dorziat’s importance in this question is specifically tied to Chanel’s early hats and the publicity those hats received through prominent wearers.