Chanel’s commitment to timeless, understated design has created some of the most elegant and classic outfits over the last century. However, Chanel’s jewellery collection has often been bolder than its clothing, and is still pushing boundaries and creating eye-catching pieces today.
Pieces are designed to embolden the more understated outfits on the runway, so rather than discrete diamonds and delicate gold bands, Chanel’s jewellery often features chunky necklaces and bracelets, larger earrings and oversized pendants. Precious stones and metals are often combined with glass, leather and other non-precious materials.
These qualities make vintage Chanel jewellery a fashion collector’s dream. If you are interested in starting a collection, read on to find out more about the iconic fashion house’s jewellery.
Style Personified: Coco Chanel, the Woman Behind the Ideas
Coco Chanel was a French fashion designer and the woman behind her iconic namesake fashion house. Coco Chanel died in 1971, but the Chanel brand is still a leading light in fashion. Notable names like Karl Lagerfeld and Virginie Viard have dedicated their careers to the continued success of this European fashion house.
Coco Chanel was born in 1883 in rural France, living her first years in poverty and later in an orphanage. It was in this orphanage that the young Coco first learned to sew. Subsequently, she was able to find work as a seamstress as a young adult, then as a milliner, and in the first decade of the 20th century, built influential connections through affairs with wealthy men.
Coco’s Beginnings in Fashion
By 1910, Coco had made it to Paris and was able to open a millinery shop. This was to be the origins of the House of Chanel. Soon, Coco began to branch out into clothing. First came her ladies’ pret-a-porter sportswear that enabled women to be more comfortable when active.
Recognising growing support behind freeing the female form, Coco Chanel began to design a wider range of clothes that moved away from corseted fashions. Many of her first designs were influenced by the military outfits of World War One, and featured blazers, long sweaters and straight skirts.
After the war, Coco Chanel helped popularise Flapper dresses, skirt-suits and the iconic little black dress, revolutionising couture clothing for women and captivating the fashion world. As her influence grew, she began to branch out into perfumery, jewellery, bags and other accessories. By the 1920s, the House of Chanel was a leading name in luxury fashion and it remains there today, long after the death of Coco.
Vintage Chanel Jewellery: Signature Styles
Chanel began designing jewellery in the 1920s. Her jewellery stood out from the get-go, raising eyebrows but immediately gaining loyal devotees. The interest was all down to her love of combining precious gemstones and metals with less expensive materials. Up until this point, the fashionable elite would never have adorned themselves with anything less than diamonds and pearls. Chanel’s first jewellery collections changed all that.
Chanel is, therefore, credited with popularising costume jewellery within the world of high fashion. Over the years, some of the world’s most favoured jewellers have worked with Chanel, including Augustine Gripoix, the Duke of Verdur, and Victoire de Castellane. Chanel pieces are always of the highest quality imaginable, bold in style, and boasting the fashion house’s signature motifs.
Here are some of the House of Chanel’s signature jewellery styles:
- Large and excessive. Many of Chanel’s pieces are flamboyantly large and, therefore, eye-catching.
- Contrasting or mismatching. Coco Chanel herself enjoyed creating visual interest by combining contrasting or mismatching colours and styles, particularly cuff bracelets. Chanel designs reflect this playful idea.
- Long chains and pearl ropes. Again, Coco loved to layer chains and ropes and many of the fashion house’s designs reflect this.
- Unusual materials. Leather, glass, faux pearls, and other unconventional materials frequently make a statement.
- The Maltese cross. The iconic Maltese cross that has so frequently adorned Chanel designs was a result of a collaboration between Coco and Duke Fulco di Verdura.
- Interlocking Cs. Of course, the instantly recognisable Chanel logo of two interlocking Cs is very much a feature of the house’s jewellery collection.
5 Iconic Pieces to Look Out For
Looking to start a vintage luxury jewellery collection? These five Chanel pieces are a brilliant place to begin.
1. Chanel Pendant Necklace
Chanel’s chunky gold pendant necklaces are confident pieces that add the finishing touch to any outfit. One of the more simple pieces in this list, they combine elegance and modernity with a touch of flamboyance. A great example of a 1990s Chanel pendant necklace would be a big, bold pendant featuring the interlocking CCs on a heavy belcher chain.
2. Chanel Mirror Necklace
Chanel’s mirror necklaces are the perfect example of the designer’s use of costume jewellery materials to create couture glam. The mirror hangs on a long chain, meaning that this piece is as functional as it is beautiful. It can even be worn as a belt. Elevate any look with this exquisite, easy-to-wear piece.
3. Chanel Vintage Brooches
Chanel vintage brooches are large, striking pieces that add glamour to any outfit. Look out for bold designs that feature heavy-set interlocking CCs with additional details like tassels or pearls. You may be lucky enough to find CCs set into shapes like a heart or the quintessential Maltese cross.
4. Chanel Clip-On Earrings
Chanel’s clip-on earrings are celebrated for being adventurous. Show off this side of your nature and make your ears a talking point with Chanel’s chunky hoops, dangle earrings or smaller button styles that stand out for their brave use of contrast or materials. Look out for tiger effect or crystal hearts to pep up your outfit, or choose a classic black and gold pair to add timeless charm.
5. Chanel Oversized Bangle
Oversized bangles and cuffs are hugely popular with Chanel collectors. The most iconic pieces often feature the designer’s name or logo in bold letters and are the epitome of a statement accessory. These vintage cuffs and bangles will not fail to turn heads.
Vintage Chanel jewellery, with its bold designs and mix of precious and unconventional materials, remains a cornerstone of high fashion and a must-have for collectors. Whether you’re drawn to the dramatic interlocking Cs, the playful contrasts, or the extravagant pieces, Chanel’s enduring allure ensures that each item is both a statement and a piece of history.