Jewels with a sporty edge? Chanel is on top of its game

In Gabrielle Chanel’s creations elegance was rooted in relaxed, unstructured tailoring. It’s a principle she derived from her own active lifestyle: Chanel watched jockeys race and rode horses herself in France and Scotland; she played golf and tennis and swam and sunbathed in Deauville and at her Côte d’Azur retreat, La Pausa, near Monte-Carlo. Materials borrowed from men’s sportswear became her calling card, including breathable jersey. “Body awareness and freedom of movement were at the heart of Chanel’s designs,” explains Patrice Leguéreau, director of the Chanel Fine Jewellery Creation Studio.
• How Gabrielle became Coco Chanel• Tales from the atelier: behind the scenes at Chanel
Leguéreau pays tribute to this facet of the brand’s heritage with Haute Joaillerie Sport, a new collection this summer. At its workshop on Place Vendôme in Paris, Leguéreau’s team set about creating pieces with a sense of athleticism. “Combining style with performance,” he says, “this collection exudes a vibrant energy.”
Leguéreau started by considering the way his designs interact with the human form. High-tech materials are placed next to important stones, among them a quintet of Kashmir sapphires, while in a standout Chanel Print cuff bracelet, white diamonds, black lacquer and signal-red aluminium are added to featherweight carbon fibre. “The collection comprises streamlined pieces that embrace the body’s anatomy in the same way as sportswear,” he says.
Utilitarian and performance-driven detailing also found its way into the collection: a quick-release fastener inspired a new clasp, and there are loops, buckles and sliding mechanisms. A Chanel Print black and white bracelet and matching necklace are made from a newly developed tube chain, a nod to cords used in strength training. “We approached the jewellery from a functional point of view,” Leguéreau explains. Cue the Sporty Five necklace in white gold and set with white diamonds, which centres on its outsized clasp, inspired by the mechanism of a climbing kit carabiner, now in the shape of Coco’s lucky number five.
Haute Joaillerie Sport is the first time Leguéreau has spelt out the brand’s logo. A white-gold and platinum Graphic Line necklace set with diamonds, sapphires, rubies and onyx includes an openwork imprint of Coco’s famous surname, and Chanel’s signature quilted leather inspired a supple mesh Quilted Stars necklace that sits close to the skin. Elsewhere the brand’s motifs and mascots are reframed to match the sporty theme. The lion is at the heart of a new coat of arms in a clubhouse-chic emblem, worn as a white-gold brooch with diamonds and lacquer. Graphic patterns include chevrons and stripes reminiscent of performance wear.
“Sporty style today means a sense of freedom when you wear it,” Leguéreau says. It’s a thought that made him ponder Chanel’s work within the field of jewellery, specifically Bijoux de Diamants, the couturier’s only high jewellery offering. Bijoux de Diamants included a number of transformable pieces and Leguéreau has added to their number with, among others, a Sweater necklace that mirrors the collar of a hoodie. “Thanks to its detachable rows of emeralds it can also be worn as a choker or earrings,” he points out. It’s a feature in line with Gabrielle Chanel’s insistence on function combined with form. The designer shifted the aesthetics of fashion away from rules, structure and conservatism, and the Haute Joaillerie Sport collection continues her ethos. chanel.com