Which French actress wore Coco Chanel’s hats and helped promote her early millinery business?

French actress Gabrielle Dorziat was an early prominent wearer of Coco Chanel’s hats.

Dorziat’s public visibility helped bring attention to Chanel’s millinery work during the designer’s early career. Chanel’s hats were known for their relatively simple, modern shapes, which contrasted with the elaborate styles common in the period.

Celebrity wearers were important to Chanel’s rise because photographs and public appearances could quickly spread a new style beyond its original clientele. Her early success in hats helped finance and establish the broader fashion business that followed.

Gabrielle Dorziat is sometimes confused with other famous French performers associated with Chanel’s circle, including actresses and singers who wore her designs later.