No matter where you venture, or what language you speak, one name is universally synonymous with fashion and beauty: Chanel. So it’s fitting that the house’s venerable founder, Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, remains among the world’s most quotable women. Indeed, while Coco herself was known for her austere lifestyle and streamlined, no-frills aesthetic, the fashion pioneer always had a way with words, and plenty of pearls to dispense. As the designer who single-handedly liberated women from the post–World War I corseting craze, Chanel placed a premium not only on looks, but also on women’s inner lives and beauty. Here, just a few maxims from the master on the themes, of life, love, luxury—and, of course, style.