For a CHANEL collection, accessories are never an afterthought. Instead, they are an integral part and play an important role in the collection. Classic handbag styles are featured season after season with limited edition and newly released styles taking center stage. Shoes and small accessories like hats, gloves, belts, and even tights beg to walk right off the runway and into the expectant hands and wardrobes of loyal clients. And jewelry, oh the bijoux! These spectacular pieces have long been a hallmark of CHANEL. Gabrielle Chanel created many a beautiful piece of bijoux for her collections during the years she helmed her namesake House. Ropes of pearls, rich jewel toned gems, and abundance of gold and gilt chain came to symbolize the CHANEL woman and the bijoux Mademoiselle Chanel created for them.
For the Fall-Winter 2020/21 Ready-to-Wear Collection, CHANEL has shown a lineup of accessories that will surely be a smashing success as soon as they hit the boutiques come fall. The coming season sees the classic flap bag done is the purest snow white with fabrications like tweed and leather. There are also chic little pouches, a gilt chain covered bucket bag, and a stunning midnight blue velvet top handle bag that is pure elegance. Adornments like pearls, gilt and leather chains, and jeweled buttons abound but are not overwhelming. The recently released CHANEL 19 is firmly entrenched as a client and editor favorite and the Fall-Winter 2020/21 Collection will only further cement its status as a must have.
As for jewelry, Fall-Winter 2020/21 brings truly exceptional pieces. Totally sumptuous and downright opulent, there are incredible sautoirs, ropes of pearls, striking cuffs worn as pairs àla Gabrielle Chanel, and jaw-dropping breastplates of pearls and jewel-toned cabochons, some even featuring bejeweled tassels. Many a piece feature the Maltese cross that is as ubiquitous as CHANEL’s iconic camellia. This CHANEL code dates back to Gabrielle Chanel’s original jewelry creations for the House and even her own personal collection. Having been introduced to the Italian noble, Fulco Santostefano della Cerda, Duke of Verdura in the late 1920s, this would prove to be a formulative design relationship. The Duke of Verdura would go on to not only create personal pieces for Gabrielle Chanel featuring the Maltese Cross, the most famous being her matched pair of cuffs featuring this design that she is pictured wearing quite frequently, but also create pieces for the House of CHANEL. The Duke would also introduce her to Renaissance and Byzantine style jewels and design elements that would go onto inspired many a piece of CHANEL bijoux.
It is with utmost certainty that I can say this particular collection is one of the most outstanding in recent seasons. It balances the fresh modernity that the fashion world craves with the rich heritage and history of the legendary House of CHANEL. This marriage results in a perfect pairing of these two tenants and pieces that will captivate many a client and admirer alike.
