Shirley MacLaine portrays Coco Chanel in a new miniseries for Lifetime, and the veteran star talks to ET about the famous French fashion designer's persona and late-career reinvention!

"She was a woman who had nobody, and maybe on some level her life was destined to be alone and not to be poor again," observes Shirley, adding, "I have a whole Chanel wardrobe now for when I go out in public, so I know how to dress."

Premiering in September on Lifetime, "Coco Chanel" charts the fashion icon in her later years as she set out to re-establish her reputation as a fashion trendsetter after spending years in exile.

Watch ET tonight for more with Shirley!