Chanel’s Exhibition is as Much a Stunning Homage to its Classics as it is a Shift From it

Chanel brings Place Vendôme to Hong Kong as it stages a brilliant display of spectacular pieces hailing from some of its most notable high jewellery collections.

For nearly two decades, Chanel by tradition would present a themed high jewellery collection once a year and in Paris, no less. It has grown to become a highly anticipated annual event – one that clients and journalists would fly from all corners of the world to see and experience, where the pieces are presented in a themed exhibition that would be a treat to the senses.

This year, as we’re unable to travel to Paris, Chanel brings a piece of the magical city to Hong Kong as it transforms a space at PMQ into Place Vendôme, the famed square Mademoiselle Coco Chanel crossed hundreds of times between her residence at the Ritz, to her high jewellery atelier at 18 Place Vendôme, and boutique and one-time home at 31 Rue Cambon.

Strewn within this imagined space that featured “French windows” overlooking the square’s famed bronze obelisk and lined by those charming Paris street signs, are spectacular pieces from some of its most iconic collections, including the 1.5 1 Camelia 5 Allures, L’Espit Du Lion, Café Society and 1932.

Discover some of the pieces that were featured at Chanel’s aptly named exhibition, “18 Place Vendôme” – referencing to Chanel’s high jewellery atelier – held last week. We begin with the 1.5 1 Camelia 5 Allures, a collection comprised of 50 jewels – 22 of which transformable pieces – offering the wearer a multitude of ways to wear them. It features Coco Chanel’s favourite flower, the camellia, which she adored for its austerity, geometric aesthetic and the subtle but elegant manner with which it complemented her clothing.

Then there’s the L’Espit Du Lion, which pays tribute to Mademoiselle Chanel’s zodiac sign, Leo, and a city that’s captured her heart and spirits in more ways than one – Venice. The lion would come to adorn many of her creations – from buttons, bags to yes, jewels.

To mark the 80^th anniversary of the Bijoux de Diamants collection, Coco Chanel’s first foray into the world of jewellery, Chanel creates an 80-piece line named after the year she launched it: 1932. This exceptional collection draws inspiration from the many motifs and symbols that permeated Coco’s imagination – from constellations, comets, stars, to fringes, ribbons and feathers — which were crafted using a dreamy combination of white, yellow and black diamonds, blue and pink sapphires and of course, a generous helping of luscious pearls.

Last but certainly not the least, the Café Society collection, a testament to Chanel’s willingness to deviate from the brand’s classic, time-and-tested motifs and references to explore novel designs and further widen the diversity of Chanel’s high jewellery offering. Café Society take up a geometric approach by means of assembling beautiful stones in rhythmic patterns, and introducing intriguing  combinations of rigid and jagged lines. It is arguably Chanel’s most up-to-the minute high jewellery collection yet.