Origin of Name
The name refers to a cuff bracelet made of gold, and
set with cultured Akoya pearls and diamonds, that came into prominence
when displayed around the world, as part of the traveling exhibition,
"Pearls : A Natural History," organized by the American Museum of
Natural History in collaboration with the Chicago Field Museum. The cuff
designed and created by Chanel Fine Jewelry in 1995, in the tradition of
the legendary French fashion and jewelry designer, Gabrielle Coco Chanel,
gets its name from its designers. The cuff was given on loan to the
American Museum of Natural History, and was featured in their traveling
exhibition, that was held in several museums in the United States and
around the world. "Pearls : A Natural History" was first held at the
American Museum of Natural History, in New York City, in October 2001,
followed by exhibitions at the Field Museum in Chicago, the Fembank
Museum of Natural History in Atlanta, The Houston Museum of Natural
Science in Houston, and the Alden B. Down Museum of Science & Art in
Midland Michigan. During its showing in the United States, the
exhibition was highly commended for its exceptional standard of graphic
design and communications, and received an Honor Award for Interpretive
Design from the Society for Environmental Graphic Design.
The exhibition then to moved to the Royal Ontario
Museum in Canada (Sept.18,2004 to Jan. 9, 2005), and then returned to
the United States, where it was hosted at the Milwaukee Public
Museum from March 5 to June 26, 2005. During the period October 1, 2005
to March 10, 2008, the exhibition was taken on a world tour, that
included, the National Science Museum, Tokyo (Oct. 1, 2005 to Jan. 15,
2006), the Australian Museum, Sydney (April 8, 2006 to August 6, 2006),
the Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation, UAE (Dec. 10, 2006 to Jan. 27, 2007),
Musee national d'historie naturelle, Paris (Oct 24, 2007 to March
10, 2008). The Chanel Cuff Bracelet, was displayed at all venues where
the exhibition was hosted, and became famous for its unique and
intricate design.
Characteristics of
the cuff-bracelet
The detail structure
of the cuff-bracelet
The cuff-bracelet which is part of the Chanel fine
jewelry collection, is made up of an intricate lattice work design in
yellow gold. The lattice work is formed of gold strips running
diagonally, that are mounted with small round brilliant-cut diamonds. A
single diamond is mounted at points where two strips intersect. At all
other places between the intersections, the number of diamonds mounted
are always three in number, except at the edges. The square-shaped
spaces created by the lattice work, are mounted with white Akoya
cultured pearls, each space being occupied by a single large spherical
pearl. Except for the pearls at the edges, all other pearls are
surrounded by 16 round brilliant-cut diamonds. There are altogether 105
matching cultured spherical pearls in the cuff-bracelet.
The Chanel Cuff Bracelet
© Chanel Fine Jewelry
Possible origin of
the Akoya cultured pearls used in the cuff
Akoya pearls are bead-nucleated cultured pearls,
produced in the pearl oyster Pinctada fucata martensii and Pinctada
fucata chemnitzi. Japan was the first country to perfect the technique
of culturing Akoya pearls in the early 20th century, as a result of
painstaking research undertaken by Kokichi Mikimoto, and by the year
1935, Japan had 350 pearl farms producing 10 million cultured pearls
annually. Subsequently other countries in the region, such as China,
Australia, Vietnam and Korea also followed suit, adopting the Japanese
techniques and using the same species or closely related species of the
saltwater pearl oyster Pinctada fucata martensii. In recent years, the
Chinese seem to have overtaken the Japanese in Akoya pearl production.
Chinese began culturing Akoya pearls only in the 1960s, but had only
limited success. Only in the late 1980s the Chinese achieved tremendous
success in culturing Akoya pearls. Chinese Akoya pearls that were
previously considered to be sub-standard, are now of excellent quality,
and rival that of the Japanese in every quality factor. As a result of
the tough Chinese competition, many Japanese pearl farmers are now
concentrating on the production of larger Akoya pearls, greater than 8
mm in size. They import their requirements of smaller akoya pearls 2-7
mm in size, directly from China, which are then treated and strung in
Japan, and still be marketed as a product of Japan.
Akoya pearls are generally white or cream colored,
with overtones of pink, silver or cream. The size of the oyster being
small, pearls produced also tend to be small, ranging in size from 2 to
11 mm. Akoya cultured pearls also have a consistent round or near-round
shape, and are therefore ideal for matching in multi-pearl jewelry, such
as necklaces and bracelets. The Akoya pearls used in the Chanel Cuff
bracelet, have been perfectly matched for their size and spherical
shape. However, it is not known whether the Akoya pearls used in the
Cuff originated in Japan or China.
A short biography of
Gabrielle Coco Chanel (pronounced-Shanel)
Gabrielle Bonheur Coco Chanel, was a pioneering
French fashion designer who became the undisputed queen of haute couture
in the 20th century, radically changing the attitude of women around the
world towards their mode of dressing, freeing them from the tight
corsets of the period that restricted their movement, and introducing
casual, practical clothing appropriate for the occasion, consisting of
loose-fitting, simple and comfortable garments, that borrowed fabrics
and attitudes from men's fashion. Chanel's revolutionary career
coincided with the period of modernism, when phenomenal changes were
taking place in the field of design, art, literature and music.
She was an integral part of this modernistic movement, and hence became
closely associated with the artistic protagonists of the period, such as
Diaghilev, Picasso, Stravinsky and Cocteau.
Her birth and early
life
Chanel, who was the second daughter of the traveling
salesman Albert Chanel and Jeanne Devolle, was born on August 19, 1883,
in the small city of Saumur, Maine-et-Loire, in France. Her parents
married after her birth in 1883, and she had five siblings, an elder
sister, a younger sister and four younger brothers. Her mother died of
tuberculosis in 1895, when she was 12 years old. Her father left the
family immediately afterwards, to look for work to raise the children.
Chanel was entrusted to the care of a Roman Catholic orphanage at
Aubazine, where she spent almost seven years. During this period she had
her education at the orphanage convent, up to 1900, and later at
boarding school in Moulins, until 1902. While at the orphanage, the nuns
taught her the trade of a seamstress, a form of vocational training that
would help her to lead an independent life in the future. Little
was it realized at that time, that the training given by the Catholic
nuns of the orphanage to Chanel, had laid the foundation of a worldwide
movement that was going to change the way women dressed in the 20th
century, relegating the traditional conservative forms of dressing to
the dustbin.
Her first amorous
relationship with Etienne Balsan that introduced her to the high society
of Paris
After Chanel attained 18 years of age, she left the
orphanage and took up work as a clerk in the "Au Sans Pareil" hosiery
shop, at Moulins, from 1902 to 1904. She then worked as a cafe-concert
singer in Moulins and Vichy, until 1908. This period was
crucial, as it marked the turning point in her life, being introduced to
the rich and powerful in society, which in turn opened new opportunities
for her to bring out her inborn talent as a fashion designer. Chanel was
first introduced and fell in love with the French playboy
and millionaire Etienne Balsan, who lavished on her expensive dresses
and jewelry made of diamonds and pearls. It was also during this period,
that she earned her nick name "Coco" after two of her hit songs,
she usually sang as a cabaret singer. One song was titled "ko ko ri ko"
and the other "Quiqu qua vu Coco?" She lived with Etienne Balsan from
1908 to 1909 at Chateau de Royalieu and in Paris. While living with
Etienne Balsan, she had enough free time, and to keep herself busy she
began designing hats as a hobby. The Balsan apartment in Paris was a
place where his circle of elitist hunting friends met regularly, and
usually Balsan's friends were accompanied by their mistresses for such
occasions. This gave Chanel the opportunity to sell her decorative hats
to the fashionable women of the high society of Paris. During this
period Chanel also made friends with most of Balsan's friends, and
particularly with Arthur Cappel, a wealthy English businessman based in
Paris. Balsan then helped her to open a millinery and apparel shop on
the ground floor of his apartment in Paris in 1909, the beginnings of
what later would become one of the greatest fashion empires in the
world.
Gabrielle Coco Chanel wearing one of her hats in 1912
Her relationship with
Arthur Cappel, the true love of her life, that helped her expand her
business activities
In 1913, she left Etienne Balsan, and joined hands
with millionaire British industrialist Arthur Cappel, Balsan's former
best friend, with whom she fell in love, a relationship that was
described as a true love relationship, out of the many affairs she had
with men during her lifetime, but unfortunately ended up in tragedy,
when Cappel died in car accident in December 1919. Cappel provided her the financial backing
to expand her business activities. In 1913, Cappel sponsored the
establishment of a millinery and women's fashion house in Paris, that
was followed by two additional boutiques in the coastal towns of
Deauville in 1913 and Biarritz in 1916. During World War I, she opened
another large boutique on Rue de Cambon, opposite the Hotel Ritz, Paris.
Her initial success
with hats and women's sports wear
Chanel
introduces "Jersey" as the fabric for her first line of sports wear
The hats sold in her millinery shops were snapped up
by women of the elitist society in Paris, and also worn by celebrated
French actresses, that helped to establish her reputation. In 1913,
after opening her boutique at the resort town of Deauville, she observed
the fashions of women who came to this resort town, and hated the way
most of them dressed. As an alternative she introduced women's sports
wear, at her new boutique in Deauville, based on simple designs and
meant for casual wear. The practical sportswear she introduced was a
great success, and the Chanel's shops developed a dedicated clientele.
The fabric she used for her clothing was unique and unusual, "Jersey,"
which at that time was exclusively used for men's underwear. It is said
that Chanel selected this material because of its low cost. However, the
quality of the fabric, suited the intended purpose, as it draped well,
and was ideal for Chanel's simple and practical designs, that were
often inspired by the designs of men's wear, such as the uniforms
introduced for working women when World War I broke out in 1914.
Chanel
attains international popularity by the year 1919
By the
year 1915, Chanel's simple and practical designs became popular
throughout France, and Harper's Bazaar mentioned that Chanel's name was
on the list of every buyer. It is said that Chanel's business was so
successful that she was able to pay back Cappel in full, just four years
after he set her up in business. By the year 1919 she had scored more
successes and her clientele had expanded to other countries around the
world. She then relocated her couture house in Paris to 31, Rue Cambon,
which eventually became the headquarters of the expanding network of
boutiques of the House of Chanel, and still remains so today.
Chanel the arbiter of
women's tastes during the 20th century. The introduction of the
signature Chanel suit and the Little Black Dress
Chanel
projects herself as a role model of the modern working woman
During her career as a fashion designer, Chanel to
some extent succeeded in packaging and marketing her own personal
attitudes and styles, that made her an arbiter of women's tastes during
the 20th century. By using her slim boyish figure accentuated by her
short cropped hair, and sporting the simple dresses designed by her she
projected herself as a role model of the modern working woman, pursuing
an active lifestyle and financial independence, worthy of emulation by
other women. She designed simple and comfortable clothing and introduced
relaxed fashions such as short skirts, pants for women, collarless
jackets and the famous "little black dresses" that was compared to the
versatile Model T Ford motor cars, by the American Vogue Magazine in
1926. The legendary Chanel suit an elegant creation composed of a
well-fitted knee-length skirt and trim, box-like collarless jacket, with
bias edging and brass buttons was introduced in 1925, and was worn with
large costume pearl necklaces. Unlike other houses of haute couture
Chanel's designs were noted for their staying power and hardly changed
from year to year or even from one generation to the next.
The "LBD,"
Chanel's most revolutionary creation, compared to the "Model T' Ford car
Chanel's most
revolutionary creation was undoubtedly the LBD (Little Black Dress), the
"Ford" of dresses, similar to the "Model T" Ford car, built on a
production line for the masses, and was designed to be worn by any
woman, any time of the day, morning, evening or even as cocktail wear.
The black dress was previously associated only with mourning, until
Chanel showed women that black was not only chic but elegant, and could
be worn at any time of the day. The original design of the LBD showed a
long-sleeved, slim-hipped dress, gathered low at the waist and reaching
just below the knee. The concept of the LBD and its underlying structure
remained the same for the rest of her life, and she only altered the
fabric, or added sequins or chiffon trains.
Chanel launches her
first signature perfume Chanel No. 5
Chanel
launches her signature perfume "Chanel No. 5" in 1921
In the year 1921, Chanel launched her first signature
perfume, known worldwide as Chanel No. 5. In spite of the revolution she
sparked off in the early 20th century that radically changed the mode of
dressing of women worldwide, Chanel is best remembered today, not for
any popular signature designs that she introduced during her life time
as a couture, but for the liquid gold that is still marketed in
signature Art Deco bottles known as Chanel No. 5, the first perfume that
bears a designer's name, and helped to keep her reputation going when it
plunged to a low ebb, after her involvement with a Nazi officer during
World War II.
Chanel No 5 - Signature Art Deco bottle
© Chanel
The enchanting
story of the creation of an enchanting perfume
How Chanel came to acquire the formula for such an
enchanting perfume that has stood the test of time, is very interesting.
After the death of Arthur Cappel in 1919, Chanel was introduced to
the Russian Grand Duke Dmitri, with whom she started a relationship. It
was through him that she met Ernest Beaux, a perfume maker, whose father
had worked for the Czar of Russia. Around this time Beaux was working on
new formula for an essence, for a French perfume manufacturer Francois
Coty. As the story goes, Chanel tested the scent and made a few
suggestions, and then convinced Beaux to give it to her. Chanel launched
her perfume on the 5th day of the 5th month (May) of the year 1921, and
called her perfume "Chanel No. 5" after her superstitious belief that
No. 5 was her lucky number. The perfume was marketed by her in the
signature rectangular shaped Art Deco bottle that was manufactured
according to her own specifications. The perfume was well received by
women of the high society and became very popular.
The establishment
of the company "Parfums Chanel" in 1924, to market her new perfume
After scoring an
initial success with the perfume, Chanel was now looking desperately for partners
to mass produce and market the new product. It was then that Chanel was
introduced by Theophile Bader, the founder of the French department
store, Galeries Lafayette, to Pierre Wertheimer. The three of them
joined hands and founded the company "Parfums Chanel" in 1924, in which
Wertheimer held a 70% stake, Bader held 20% and Chanel a modest 10%. The
new company continued to produce and market the product as "Chanel No.
5" in her signature rectangular shaped Art Deco bottle. The perfume
that was a great success in France, eventually attained
worldwide popularity, and remains so up to this day. After the success of Chanel No. 5, Ernest Beaux
created other perfumes for Chanel, such as Cuir de Russie in 1925,
Gardenia in 1925 and Bois des Isles in 1926.
Chanel
sells her complete rights to her name to the Wertheimer family, while
living in exile in Switzerland
Chanel was not happy with the partnership with Pierre
Wertheimer as she was receiving only a paltry 10% of the profits, and
felt she was being exploited, but could not do anything about it as
Wertheimer had initially funded the project, and she agreed to the terms
and conditions. After the war Chanel was forced to live in exile in
Switzerland, and Wertheimer who escaped with his family to the United
States, returned to France and took control of the family holdings
including the Parfums Chanel. Chanel, who was living in Switzerland,
retaliated by creating her own perfume collection and marketing them
under the same brand name. To avoid any legal confrontation, Wertheimer
came to a settlement with Chanel, paying her $400,000, and 2% royalty
for all Chanel products, and also granting her limited rights to sell
her perfumes in Switzerland. Subsequently she sold the complete rights
to her name to the Wertheimer's for Chanel perfumes, in exchange for a
monthly stipend that supported her in Switzerland.
Chanel launches her
costume jewelry collection in 1924
In 1924, Chanel launched the first costume jewelry
collection, that Harper's Bazaar described as "one of the most
revolutionary designs of our time." In this collection she often
combined imitation jewels with real jewels. Among the traditional Chanel
accessories were multiple strands of pearls, and gold chains and quilted
handbags with shoulder straps made of gold chain. A unique pair of pearl
earrings whose centerpiece was a black pearl in one and white pearl in
the other was also among the collection. She also opened a boutique
especially for accessories in Paris.
Chanel's interest in
the literary and artistic activities in Paris
Chanel who was considered a key player of the
modernistic movement of the early 20th century was held in high regard
by protagonists of the movement in the field of art, literature and
music, such as Picasso, Diaghilev, Cocteau and Stravinsky. In 1920,
Chanel was introduced by ballet impresario Sergei Diaghilev to the world
famous composer Igor Stravinsky, who had fled the 1917 Bolshevik
revolution of Russia. Chanel was magnanimous enough to extend an
invitation for Igor Stravinsky and his family to reside with her in her
apartment in Paris, which the composer readily accepted. It was rumored
that during this temporary stay, Chanel had an affair with Igor
Stravisky. She contributed her services for promoting the arts, by
designing costumes for the ballet "Russes" and for Jean Cocteau's play "Orphee,"
"Antigone," in 1923 and "Oedipus Rex" in 1937. Cocteau was reported to
have once said of Chanel that "she has, by a kind of miracle, worked in
fashion according to rules that would seem to have value only for
painters, musicians and poets." Chanel's support of artists was
clearly brought to the fore, when Sergei Diaghilev died almost penniless
in Venice, Chanel met his funeral expenses to give him a befitting
burial.
Chanel designs film
costumes for French and Hollywood movies
Chanel also designed film costumes for several
movies, including Renoir's La Regle de Jeu. In 1931, Chanel was
hired by Samuel Goldwin for one million dollars, to dress his stars,
that included Katherine Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor and
Gloria Swanson. The dresses in the films "Tonight or Never" starring
Gloria Swanson, "Palmy Days" starring Jean Harlow, and "The Greeks Had A
Word For It" starring Ina Claire, were styled by Chanel. Her contract
for costume designing, however lasted only for a short time,
partly because some of the
Hollywood starlets refused her services, and partly because she felt she
had to return to Paris immediately in order to keep her business alive
during the hard days of the depression, when other couture houses were
closing down. However, after World War II,
when she re-entered the fashion world in 1954, her clothing became very
popular in the United States, and Chanel was embraced by the Hollywood
starlets, During the 1950s and 1960s, Chanel spent much of her time
working for various Hollywood studios, dressing actresses like Audrey
Hepburn, Liz Taylor and Anne Baxter.
Chanel's relationship
with the Duke of Westminster
In 1925, Chanel join hands with Vera Bate Lombardi,
the daughter of Adolphus Cambridge, the Ist Marquess of Cambridge and
the Duke of Teck. Chanel established the "English look" for her designs
based on Lombardi's persona, and appointed Lombardi as her liaison
officer to introduce the House of Chanel and its products to European
royal families. Lombardi introduced Chanel to many aristocratic families
of Europe, including her uncle the Duke of Westminster, and her cousin
the Duke of Windsor. This saw the beginning of another relationship by
Chanel with the Duke of Westminster, that nearly ended up in marriage
with the Duke, who was said to be one of the richest men in Europe, at
that time. Eventually, when the marriage did not take place, she was
reported to have commented as follows:- "There have been several
Duchesses of Westminster. There is only one Chanel." In 1927
she opened her first boutique in London's Tony Mayfair district,
giving Londoners the opportunity of purchasing her creations directly
from her stores. The British fashion press acclaimed the opening of the
boutique, and the "British Vogue" paid a glowing tribute to Chanel :-
"Looks designed for sports graduate to country day-dressing and then
arrive in town, and Chanel's country tweeds have just completed the
course. She pins a white pique gardenia to the neck. Her "lingerie
touches" are copied everywhere - piping, bands of contrasts, ruffles and
jabots. She initiates fake jewelry, to be worn everywhere, even on the
beach." Chanel loved the wearing styles of the Scottish, and
inspired by this she created her first tweed suits in 1928.
Chanel premiered an
exhibition of fine jewelry in 1932 dedicated to the diamond
Chanel's
success with costume jewelry impresses the International Guild of
Diamond Merchants, who contracted her services to give a boost to
diamond fine jewelry during the depression
Chanel's enormous success with costume jewelry most
of which were designed by herself, had been taken note of by genuine
jewelry manufactures and dealers, and others associated with the jewelry
industry, such as the diamond and colored stone dealers, who had been
having a very lean time during the depression that started in 1929 and
continued into the 1930s. Her success with costume jewelry also
impressed the International Guild of Diamond Merchants, which was now
studying various strategies to give a new lease of life to the badly
battered diamond industry. It was in pursuance of this goal that a team
from the International Guild of Diamond Merchants had approached the
legendary "queen of haute couture" in Paris, and negotiated with her a
deal, to design a sparkling collection of fine jewelry using diamonds
and platinum, that would bring the most dazzling of precious stones back
to center stage, and thus help the luxury industry out of the economic
crisis.
Chanels's
stunning collection of fine jewelry exhibited at her private apartment
in Paris in November 1932 establishes her name as a world class jewelry
designer.
Chanel, exhibiting her usual trait of accepting challenges,
responded favorably to the call of the International Guild, and together
with Paul Iribe, the multi-talented, graphic, textile, jewelry, stage
and advertising designer, with whom she shared two years of her life,
set about creating the collection, that eventually saw the light of day
in November 1932. The duo based their fine jewelry collection on three
themes, knots or bows, stars and feathers. Each piece of jewelry was remarkable
not only for its delicate setting and the discrete clasp, but also for
its interchangeability, such as a necklace that could be converted into
a brooch or a bracelet, or a pendant that could be transformed into a
pin. The stunning collection of fine jewelry was exhibited for two weeks
in November 1932, at Chanel's private apartment in Paris, at 29, Rue du
Faubourg-St. Honore. The exhibition became very popular among the elite
of Paris, and was directly responsible for De Beers stocks rising 20
points on the London Stock Exchange, just two days after its opening.
Special features
of Chanel's fine jewelry. Her famous quotation, "diamonds have the
greatest value in the smallest volume."
The diamonds used in the jewelry were cut in unusual
shapes such as triangles, hexagons and trapezoids, and varied in size
from very small to very large. The stones were set in invisible
settings, causing the diamonds to be exposed fully, maximizing their
dazzling effect. As it was characteristic of Chanel, she had a ready
made explanation, when asked about her interest in fine jewelry in the
1930s, when in the 1920s she had vigorously promoted costume
jewelry. She said she promoted fake glass jewelry during the boom period
of the early 1920s, "because they were devoid of arrogance in an epoch
of too easy luxe," but now she was promoting precious gems because they
had "the greatest value in the smallest volume, and answered a hunger
for authenticity and real value in a world where times were hard." Some
of the masterpieces created by Chanel and Iribe in 1932, include, the
three-rowed diamond bow necklace; the six-rowed diamond comet necklace;
the diamond tiara surmounted by a diamond-studded star; the Bague Comete,
a star-motif ring; the Collier Fontaine, a 405-diamond necklace with two
pendants, one of which could be converted to a brooch; and the Bracelet
Franges.
Chanel reaches the
peak of her carrier in 1935
Chanel reached the peak of her fame in 1935. She was
the owner of several factories, that included textile factories, garment
manufacturing factories, costume jewelry manufacturing, perfume
manufacturing etc. that employed over 4,000 workers. She employed most
of the Russian emigrants who fled Russia after the Bolshevik revolution
of 1917, and thus provided a life-line for their survival in an
alien country. She is reported to have owned , numerous buildings
throughout France and particularly in Paris.
Gabrielle Coco Chanel sporting the modern Chanel look
in the 1930's
World War II and
Chanel's involvement with a German Officer, that led to her subsequent
exile to Switzerland
Chanel
makes her permanent home in Hotel Ritz after the death of Paul Iribe
After the death of Paul Iribe, a good friend, lover
and partner, Chanel left her apartment in Rue de Faubourg Saint-Honore,
and entered the Hotel Ritz, where she made her permanent home, until her
death in 1971. In 1939, when France declared war on Germany, Chanel
closed all her boutiques and factories, except for one shop at No. 31,
Rue Cambon, where she sold only perfumes and accessories. Most of the
other couturiers left the country, but Chanel continued to remain in
Paris, still living in her suite at Hotel Ritz.
Chanel
accused of having an affair with a German officer and Nazi spy, Hans
Gunther von Dincklage. Lives in exile in Switzerland after the war to
escape the wrath of the French people.
In 1940, France was
occupied by Adolph Hitler's forces and the Nazis made Hotel Ritz, their
French headquarters. It was then that Chanel was accused of having an
affair with Hans Gunther Von Dincklage, a German officer and Nazi spy,
who granted her permission to continue to remain in the hotel. In 1943,
German intelligence attempted to make use of Chanel's professional
partner Lombardi, to contact her relative Sir Winston Churchill,
probably as part of a secret peace mission, but the plan never
materialized as Lombardi refused to leave Rome and come to Paris, as
requested by Chanel. After the liberation of France, Chanel was arrested
immediately, and charged with abetting the Germans. However, either Sir
Winston Churchill or the British Royal family, or both intervened on her behalf, and she
was released. Escaping from official prosecution was one thing, but
escaping from the wrath of the French people was an entirely different
thing. The French people meted out punishment to French women, who
collaborated with the Nazis during the occupation. Thus after the war, Chanel was clearly a target of the French people, and she was forced to
flee to Switzerland where she took up temporary residence.
Chanel returns to
France in 1954
Chanel's
absence in France created a vacuum that was difficult to fill
After the war ended most of the couture houses that
left the country returned to France, and attempted to re-establish their
businesses, as the war-torn country was being rebuilt. Chanel's absence
from France created a vacuum in the world of fashion designing, that was
difficult to fill, obviously due to the dominant position held by her
prior to the war. But, this was felt not in France, but in the United
States and Britain, where she had a large following and clientele. In
fact, when Chanel closed down her fashion empire just before the
invasion of France by Germany, her faithful U.S. clients voiced their
protests, which was conveyed to the French Government. However, in
France her image suffered irreparable damage due to her involvement with
the Nazis, which was subsequently reflected in the low demand for her
products after her return to France.
Chanel
re-introduces her signature products that once again receive worldwide
acclaim
Chanel, who was now 71 years old, returned to France
in 1954, and found that her rival Christian Dior, now dominated the
couture market. Chanel was compelled to re-approach her former partner
Pierre not only for business advice, but also financial support. Pierre
had total confidence in Chanel's abilities, and eventually the two of
them decided to join hands together, to re-launch the Chanel label and
their line of products once again, filling a void that was ever
prevalent after the end of the war. However, Pierre gained complete
rights to all products stamped with the name "Chanel." For a start
Chanel re-introduced her former products that gained worldwide
popularity. The first product she re-introduced was her signature "Chanel
suit" that received worldwide acclaim. In jersey and tweed, with
its collarless jacket and slim skirt, the popularity of the Chanel suit
was given a boost by Jackie Kennedy, who often wore it. In February 1955, she
re-introduced the famous Chanel chain-handled quilted leather bags, that
previously shook the fashion world, and once again became very popular,
that she had to decline many orders, because of the time taken to
painstakingly manufacture each bag, by her skilled artisans. The Chanel
suit goes with the Chanel quilted chain-handle bag as part of the
integrated Chanel look. In the same
year, she also introduced her first "eau de toilette" for men, under the
brand name "Pour Monsieur" sometimes also marketed as "A Gentleman's
Cologne."
Chanel
rises to the top of the fashion world, like a phoenix rising from the
ashes
Chanel's products did not have much success in
France, but was much applauded by the British and the Americans, who
became her faithful customers. In 1957, Chanel's spring collection,
received the Fashion Oscar, at the annual Fashion Awards in Dallas. The
fashion world also applauded her as the "most influential designer of
the 20th century." From the year 1966 to 1969, Chanel designed the
uniforms for Olympic Airways flight attendants. Olympic Airways that was
owned by the Greek shipping- magnate Aristotle Onassis, was at that time
one of the most luxurious air carriers in the world. After Chanel's rise
to the top of the fashion world, like a Phoenix rising from the ashes,
she was again contracted by various Hollywood studios in the 1950s and
1960s to dress up their female stars, like Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth
Taylor and Anne Baxter. She continued to produce internationally
acclaimed collections, and in the year 1970, she introduced a new
perfume, that was marketed as "No. 19" after her date of birth, August
19, 1883.
Gabrielle "Coco"
Chanel dies of a heart attack in Paris in 1971, and is buried in
Lausanne, Switzerland
Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel died of a heart attack in
Paris, on January 10, 1971, aged 87 years, in her private suite at the
Hotel Ritz. At the time of her death, she was still working and
designing, and her posthumous spring collection, marketed after her
death, enjoyed considerable success. Her death ended an era of
revolutionary fashion designing, that liberated and emancipated women
around the world, and has become a classic model, from which modern
fashion designers, still draw their inspiration from. Chanel was buried
in Lausanne, Switzerland, and in keeping with her strong belief in
astrological symbols and lucky numbers, her tombstone is carved with
stone lion heads, representing her birth sign, Leo, to which she
attributed much of her success in life.
After Chanel's death
the control of the House of Chanel passes over to the Wertheimer family
Chanel
achieves greater successes after Alain Wertheimer becomes chairman of
the company
After Chanel's death, the control of the company,
House of Chanel, passed down to three of the shareholders of the
company, Yvonne Dudel, Jean Cazaubon and Philippe Guibourge, under whose
stewardship, the company continued to score moderate successes.
Subsequently, Jacques Wertheimer the son and successor of Pierre
Wertheimer, bought over the entire House of Chanel. Alain Wertheimer,
Jacques son, took control of the company in 1974. It was after this, the
"House of Channel" launched a new product in the tradition of the late
Gabrielle "Coco" Channel, "Cristalle Eau de Toilette," which was
formulated when "Coco" Channel was still alive. Again in 1978, the
company launched the first non-couture, "pret-a-porter" line, and the
worldwide distribution of accessories. Alain Wertheimer, who was the
live wire behind the company, responsible for its post-coco surge in
popularity, adopted intelligent and radical measures, that boosted the
sale of their signature product, "Chanel No. 5" perfume worldwide. Alain
reduced the number of outlets worldwide, selling "Chanel No. 5" perfume,
from 18,000 to 12,000, and withdrew the perfume from the shelves of
drugstores. This was followed by a worldwide advertising campaign
costing millions of dollars. The twin measures created both a scarcity
and demand for the celebrated product, and sales sky-rocketed worldwide.
In 1981, Chanel launched a new Eau de Toilette for men, known as "Antaeus."
Alain, then adopted new strategies, and engaged the services of an
experienced designer Karl Lagerfield in 1983, in order to take the
Chanel label to new heights.
Karl Lagerfield
takes over as chief designer of Chanel in 1983
Karl Lagerfield took over the haute couture design in
1983, and ready-to-wear lines in 1984. At the beginning Lagerfield
looked to past Chanel designs for inspiration, and worked on keeping the
classic channel look, in order to maintain the Chanel legend. His
designs incorporated signature Chanel details, tweed fabrics, gold
chains, quilt-stitched leather, and the linked "CC" logo. In later
collections, Lagerfield does become more irreverent modifying some of
Chanel's 1960 looks. He radically reinterpreted the Chanel suit, turning
it out in pink tweed, fraying the hems and jacket edges, and the suit
became one of the most celebrated comebacks in the history of fashion,
and became part of the Per Una range at Marks & Spencer.
Chanel's
further expansion in the 1980s and 1990s
In 1984, Chanel launched a new fragrance in honor of
the late Coco Chanel, marketed under the name "Coco," and was a
considerable success. During the 1980s, Chanel's network of boutiques
worldwide expanded to 40 boutiques. In 1987, the first Chanel watches
made their debut, after a deal struck by Chanel with watchmakers in
1986. In the 1990s Chanel becomes a global leader in the manufacture and
marketing of fragrance. The product lines of the company, such as
watches, shoes, high-end clothes, cosmetics and accessories were
expanded. Chanel Fine Jewelry opened its first boutique in 1993 in Place
Vendome. In keeping with the business trend of the period, Chanel
acquired several smaller fashion companies during the 1990s. In 1996,
Chanel launched the "Allure" fragrance, and after its immense
popularity, launched a men's version, "Allure Homme" in 1998. In 1997,
Chanel acquired the French beachwear company Eres, and in 1999 launched
its first skin care line, "Precision." Under a license agreement with
Luxottica, Chanel introduced a line of sunglasses and spectacle frames
in 1999.
The Chanel boutique on Rodeo drive, Beverly Hills,
California
Photo above, Creative Commons
Chanel
achieves greater heights in the 21st century
Chanel achieved greater heights with the onset of the
21st century. In the millennium year 2000, Chanel launched the first
unisex watch, the J12, a revolutionary watch that scores many successes.
In the year 2001, Chanel acquired the watch maker Bell & Ross. In 2002,
Chanel launched a new fragrance marketed as "Chance." July 2002 saw the
opening in Madison Avenue of Chanel's jewelry and watch flagship store,
followed soon afterwards by a shoes and handbags boutique next door.
Year 2003, saw a surge in popularity of Chanel haute couture, that the
company opened a second shop on rue Cambon. Expansion in the Asian
markets, saw the opening of a new Chanel boutique in the Prince's
Building, in Central Hong Kong and the acquiring of a $50 million
building in the Ginza shopping district of Tokyo, Japan. Today, Chanel
operates over 200 Chanel boutiques worldwide, in upscale shopping
districts, department stores, malls, and inside major airports.
Chanel's first unisex watch the J12 launched in 2000
Photo above, Creative Commons
Chanel shop in Prince Building, Central Hong Kong
Photo above, Creative Commons
Chanel Fine Jewelry
opens its first boutique in Place Vendome in 1993
Gabrielle "Coco"
Chanel created only one fine jewelry collection during her lifetime
Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel who introduced costume
jewelry to the world, created only one fine jewelry collection during
her lifetime, in 1932, on a request made by the International Guild of
Diamond Merchants, in order to boost the diamond trade and industry,
badly hit by the Great Depression of the 1920s and 1930s. The request
was made based on Chanel's phenomenal success with costume jewelry,
designed by her using a mixture of both genuine and fake gemstones, and
popularized by her as accessories to her popular Chanel look. Gabrielle
"Coco" Chanel who took up the challenge presented to her by the
International Guild, eventually created one of the most stunning
collections of fine jewelry ever designed, with a lot of innovative
features, such as delicate invisible settings, discrete clasp, and
interchangeability, apart from the designs themselves which were
innovative and unique, such as the Comet necklace, Fountain necklace,
and the bow necklace.
Chanel fine jewelry, recreated from 1932 collection
© Chanel
60 years after her
first fine jewelry collection, Chanel launches their first fine jewelry
boutique in 1993
In 1932, Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel, clearly
demonstrated her abilities as a world class designer of fine
jewelry, but unfortunately she did not pursue this ability to the full
during her life time, as she did for haute couture, and her other
interests such as perfumes and accessories. However in 1993, 22 years
after her death, and 60 years after she created her one and only fine
jewelry collection, Chanel decided to enter the competitive fine jewelry
business, by opening their first Chanel Fine Jewelry boutique in Place
Vendome in 1993. Chanel Fine Jewelry launched their business, by
re-introducing their original collection, created by "Coco" Chanel in
1932. According to Marc Auclert, the director of Chanel Fine Jewelry,
the original collection was recreated, only by using photographs taken
for the fashion press, by Robert Bresson and Andre Kertesz. The
re-issued items included the Bracelet Franges, the Bague Comete and the
Collier Fontaine.
Chanel Cuff Bracelet
belongs to Chanel Fine Jewelry's artistic collection ?
Chanel Fine Jewelry's new collections are created in
the same spirit of freedom that "Coco" Channel enjoyed when she created
her own designs. Every year Chanel creates two fine jewelry collections;
the less formal spring-summer collection and the more costly winter
collection. The company also maintains an artistic collection that
travels worldwide and is exhibited at high-end boutiques. Perhaps, the "Chanel
Cuff Bracelet" the subject of this webpage, that was given on loan by
Chanel Fine Jewelry to the American Museum of Natural History in 2001,
for their traveling exhibition, Pearls : A Natural History, that was
exhibited around the world until March 2008, also belongs to the
artistic collection maintained by the company.
Chanel
Fine Jewelry perpetuates the spirit of an ever-present "Coco" by
refusing to reveal the identity of its present designer
In the year 2002, Chanel Fine Jewelry had a 70th
anniversary showcase, known as "Reves de Diamants" to commemorate the
November 1932 fine jewelry collection by "Coco" Chanel. On this
occasion Chanel Fine Jewelry re-introduced the magnificent 3,590-diamond
Collier Comete 2002, with interchangeable moon, sun and star pendants. A
staggering $1.1 million price tag was placed on the necklace. However,
Chanel Fine Jewelry remains tight-lipped about the identity of the
designer, who recreated the original Chanel fine jewelry collection, as
well as the company's contemporary creations, that still meticulously
follow "Coco" Chanel's style, perhaps hoping to perpetuate the spirit of
an ever-present "Coco."
Chanel's Recreated Comet Necklace
© Chanel
Chanel Fine Jewelry
boutiques worldwide
Sixteen years after its founding Chanel Fine Jewelry
has grown today into a global network of 30 jewelry boutiques worldwide.
This is a modest expansion compared to its sister Chanel boutiques
worldwide that number over 200. Chanel Fine Jewelry has two of its main
boutiques at 18, Place Vendome, Paris and 733, Madison Avenue, New York.
Famous quotes from
Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel
There are many quotes attributed to Gabrielle "Coco"
Chanel. Most of these quotes have a unique message embodied in them,
reflective of a woman of strong character with independent attitudes,
opinions and viewpoints, so characteristic of the woman who
revolutionized the mode of dressing of women around the world in the
20th century. Here are some of her interesting quotes :-
1) "A girl should be two things, classy and fabulous
"
2) "The best color in the whole world, is the one
that looks good, on you !"
3) "There are people who have money and people who
are rich."
4) "Elegance is refusal"
5) "Those who create are rare; those who cannot are
numerous. Therefore the latter are stronger."
6) "I love luxury, and luxury lies not in richness
and ornateness, but in absence of vulgarity. Vulgarity is the ugliest
word in our language. I stay in the game to fight it.
7) "I don't understand how a woman can leave the
house without fixing herself up a little - if only out of politeness.
And then, you never know, may be that's the day she has a date with
destiny. And it's best to be as pretty as possible for destiny."
8) "Luxury is not the opposite of poverty; it is the
opposite of vulgarity."
9) "I couldn't wear my own pearls without being
stopped on the street, so I started the vogue of wearing false ones."
10) "If you want to start a collection, start with a
brooch because you will find most use for it. It can be pinned on a suit
lapel, collar or pocket, on a hat, belt, or evening gown."
11) "A woman should mix fake and real. To ask a woman
to wear real jewelry only is like asking her to cover herself with real
flowers instead of flowery silk prints. She'd look faded in a few
hours."
12) "I love fakes because I find such jewelry
provocative, and I find it disgraceful to walk around with millions
around your neck just because you're rich."
13) "The point of jewelry isn't to make a woman
look rich but to adorn her; not the same thing."
14) "My jewelry never stands in isolation from the
idea of women and their dress. And because dresses change, so does my
jewelry."
15) "A fashion that goes out of fashion overnight is
a distraction, not a fashion,"
16) “Success is often achieved
by those who don’t know that failure is inevitable."
17) "In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different."
You are welcome to discuss this post/related topics with Dr Shihaan and other experts from around the world in our FORUMS (forums.internetstones.com)
Related :-
1)
Marilyn Monroe Pearl Necklace
External Links :-
Official site of Chanel - www.chanel.com
References :-
1) Coco Chanel Biography (1883-1971) -
www.biography.com
2) Coco Chanel - Ingrid Sischy - The Time 100,
The most important people of the century.
www.time.com
3) Quotes on fashion from Gabrielle Coco Chanel
- www.chanelamour.com
4) Chanel Jewelry History - Articlesbase, free Online
Articles Directory.
www.articlesbase.com
5) Chanel - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
6) "Costume jewelry is not made to give women an aura
of wealth, but to make them beautiful"
7) Chanel Jewelry : Through the decades, for all
time, by Cheri Van Hoover.
www.milkywayjewels.com
8) Chanel Sparkles Again - www.jewelsnob.com
9) Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel - Haute Couture Anarchist.
www.entrepreneur.com
10) Coco Chanel - la dame aux camelias - Linda Grant,
www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion
11) Jewelry by Chanel - Patrick Mauries
12) Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel (1883-1971) and the House
of Chanel - www.metmuseum.org
13) Coco Chanel - From Wikipedia, the free
encyclopedia
14) Pearls : A Natural History - American Museum of
Natural History, www.amnh.org
15) Pearls - Opulence + Obsession - Australian Museum
16) Royal Ontario Museum - About Us - Newsroom -
Pearls : A Natural History
