Born on January 28, 1873, in Saint-Sauveur-en-Puisaye, Burgundy, Colette emerged as a defining figure in French literature.  While she is best known for her 1944 novella Gigi, her talents spanned much more—from miming and acting to journalism.

Initially, Colette's literary career began under the shadow of her husband, as her early novels, the Claudine series, were published under his pen name, 'Willy'. When the two separated in 1906, Colette was cut off from the substantial earnings of the Claudine series due to copyright issues.

Undeterred, she ventured into the world of music halls across France. The 1920s and 1930s marked her most prolific phases, solidifying her status as France’s preeminent female writer. Colette passed away in 1954, honored as the first French woman of letters buried in Paris’s famed Père-Lachaise cemetery.