CHANEL: The Art of Adornment

Few names in fashion inspire the same instant recognition as Chanel. From the little black dress to the quilted handbag and the interlocking CC, Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel created a vocabulary of style that continues to influence fashion more than a century later. Her approach to jewelry was no less revolutionary: she believed that jewelry should be expressive and theatrical. That spirit comes vividly to life in the Chanel jewelry offered in Icons of Fashion, drawn from three distinguished collections: Property from an Important San Francisco Collector, Property from an Important Midwest Collection, and Property from the Estate of Rebecca Lee. Together, the group offers a remarkable survey of Chanel’s costume jewelry, with many of the most compelling pieces distinguished by the unmistakable artistry of Maison Gripoix.

The relationship between Chanel and Gripoix is legendary. The Parisian house, whose history stretches back to the nineteenth century, became renowned for its distinctive pâte de verre technique, molten glass poured into molds to create richly colored, jewel-like forms. The resulting glass cabochons could imitate the luminosity and irregularity of precious stones while allowing an extraordinary freedom of scale, color, and form. Gripoix was among the House of Chanel’s earliest and most important collaborators.

The beauty of Gripoix lies in its ability to transform glass into something that feels almost geological. Swirls of color, translucent pools of amber, green, blue, red, and gold, and softly irregular surfaces give each element a depth and luminosity that can be difficult to appreciate until seen in person. Rather than attempting to disguise glass as precious gemstones, Chanel embraced its distinctive character. The result was jewelry that could be larger, bolder, and more imaginative than traditional fine jewelry allowed. This sense of freedom was fundamental to Coco Chanel’s vision. Beginning in the 1920s, Chanel famously challenged the conventions surrounding jewelry, combining precious jewels with imitation pearls, colored glass, gilt metal, chains, and other materials. For Chanel, jewelry was not simply an indication of wealth; it was a means of expression. Gripoix was perfectly suited to this philosophy. Its glass could be produced in dramatic proportions and saturated colors, allowing Chanel to create jewelry that was unmistakably luxurious without being constrained by the traditional rules of fine jewelry.

The partnership between Chanel and Gripoix would become one of the most enduring collaborations in fashion jewelry. Its influence can still be seen in the House’s jewelry today being created by artistic director Matthieu Blazy but it is particularly evocative in the vintage pieces from the Karl Lagerfeld era.

When Lagerfeld became artistic director of Chanel in 1983, he embarked on one of the most consequential revivals in modern fashion. He understood that the House's identity was not something to preserve in amber, but a vocabulary to be continually reinterpreted. Lagerfeld returned again and again to the visual codes established by Coco Chanel—camellias, pearls, chains, quilted motifs, tweed, gold, and, of course, the interlocking CC. Jewelry played an essential role in that revival. Under Lagerfeld, Chanel's costume jewelry became increasingly bold, playful, and unmistakable. Oversized necklaces, elaborate cuffs, cascading chains, enormous brooches, and richly colored Gripoix glass became part of the House's visual language. These were pieces meant to be noticed. They could amplify a runway look, transform a jacket, or bring extraordinary drama to an otherwise understated wardrobe.

Many of the pieces presented in Icons of Fashion date from these remarkable Lagerfeld years. Among the highlights is a Chanel Gripoix Pâte de Verre Layered Necklace, a particularly striking example of the House's mastery of scale, color, and layering. Its abundance of glass, combined with Chanel's signature gilt-metal details, captures the exuberance that made Lagerfeld-era jewelry so instantly recognizable.