Mademoiselle Privé… the door that once bore these words was the entrance to Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel’s workshop at the Rue Cambon in Paris. Today, the expression symbolizes the designer’s private world and is the title of an exhibition that took place in October at the Saatchi Gallery in London.

 

The London exhibition invited us to enter the heart of the spirit of Chanel by evoking the places that marked the life of Mademoiselle and notably her apartment decorated with Coromandel screens. It also showcased the organization of workshops representing the various skills of the Maison and the presentation of various collections. The highlight was a selection of Haute Couture looks created by Karl Lagerfeld, combined with re-editions of the famous Bijoux de diamants designed by Gabrielle Chanel.

 

Bijoux de diamants

A keen costume jewelry enthusiast, Gabrielle Chanel departed from her rule but once in her life. Presented in 1932 under the name Bijoux de diamants, the only Haute Joaillerie collection she ever produced included some 30 models interpreting her favorite themes such as the star, the sun, the ribbon, the fringe or the feather. In 2012, to celebrate its 80^th anniversary, the Maison Chanel drew inspiration from this historical precedent to develop the 80 models composing the “1932” homage collection, initially presented at the Paris Antique Dealers Biennial and subsequently featured in London this year.