The third chapter of the Inside Chanel saga is going back to the first initial exhibition of what was at that time the brand’s one and only fine jewelry collection, overseen by Coco herself. This line left its mark on contemporary jewelry forever, doing so with an exquisite simplicity. Chanel set the tone with diamonds in 1932: three years after the financial crisis of ’29 brought the masculine empire of finance to its knees, Gabrielle Chanel took on a more feminine project. The resulting line dethroned precious stones as champions of the jewelry world, and trimmings broadened their horizons to include exactly 5 (Chanel’s lucky number) different themes, all near and dear to the designer’s heart. A myriad of stars would soon adorn necklines, while the rays of the sun would inspire a brooch that could be slipped into the hair or elsewhere.
Chanel dreamed up jewelry that was light and flexible, like a ribbon. It was supposed to be shockingly joyous and light as a feather, like fringe detailing. During her childhood spent in an abbey, little Orphan Coco refused to open up to anyone. And yet, this period is precisely where she draws her essence from. As if narrated by this collection of diamonds, the abbey is brought out front and center: stars, crescent moons, Maltese crosses, and the sun are all designs that adorn one of its floors. This very floor was tread on by Coco herself from the age of 12 onwards.
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