How Chanel’s high jewelry sports collection draws inspiration from cars

When Chanel debuted its Sport collection of high-powered jewelry in Monaco earlier this year, the house didn’t specify what inspired the pieces. But cars, perhaps for obvious reasons, were on the minds of many observers.

There were luxurious necklaces in configurations that resembled tire tracks, banded rings and mounts that evoked bulging treads, and bold stripes that wouldn’t look out of place in a race car paint job. But the collection’s pièce de résistance (which was so captivating that we’re inclined to believe the rumor that a single collector purchased the piece after seeing it on a Zoom call) is a transformable diamond bracelet made from proper carbon fiber. for automobiles. And where better than Monaco, the sovereign city-state home to F1’s most iconic Grand Prix, to reveal these pieces? “It was more about translating vibrant energy and movement than any particular sport,” says Patrice Leguéreau, director of Chanel’s Fine Jewelry Creation Studio, about the collection. “But Monaco was, from my point of view, the perfect place to illustrate this energy!”

Infusing a sporty sensibility into ultra-high fashion is something of a Chanel specialty. Its founder, an avid athlete, transformed ready-to-wear in the early 20th century, reimagining the era’s activewear fabrics like jersey into refined clothing for the more affluent. “It is important to remember that from the beginning Chanel defined her look by sporting fascination and as early as 1921 she created a ‘Sport’ atelier within her haute couture house,” observes Leguéreau. Madame Chanel may never have worn a hoodie, but the gold- and diamond-tipped cords on a sapphire, diamond, and red lacquer necklace are nonetheless a fun homage to her legacy.

And despite being one of the home’These are happier collections, full of heavy stones and technical skill. There are multiple – and huge – rare Kashmir sapphires, ranging in size up to 17.18 carats, which Leguéreau says require “years of research work.” He employed several new methods to achieve seemingly simple yet complex designs. A tubular chain required each link to be designed with a precise degree of flexibility. Overall, the approach gives the pieces a sense of movement—in some cases, literally: 21 of the baubles can be easily transformed or tweaked without a trip to a jeweler.

The adrenaline-pumping theme of the 80-piece collection is a new twist on the codes Chanel established when she broke boundaries 114 years ago. And it’s a reminder that the best designs always move forward.