STYLE Edit: How Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel’s passionate Russian affair helped inspire Le Paris Russe de Chanel collection
If Anastasia Romanov wore Chanel, it would look like this.
Le Paris Russe de Chanel, rich with Russian motifs and Baroque detailing, was presented by Patrice Leguéreau, director of the Fine Jewellery Creation Studio, for Chanel’s seasonal high jewellery collection.
Some might wonder why the French maison looks to Slavic folklore and the Russian empire for design inspiration in its latest assortment, but the connections between founder Mademoiselle Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel and Russia have been well-documented and were often deeply personal.
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Most notable was her brief but intense affair in 1921 with the Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich, who was notorious in elite circles for a number of reasons: namely, Pavlovich was involved in the assassination of the peasant mystic Grigori Rasputin. Pavlovich was also known for being both highly intelligent and promiscuous.
Most notable among the Russian influence in Coco Chanel’s life was her brief but intense affair in 1921 with the Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich
Many Russians – aristocrats, intellectuals and artists alike – fled to Paris during the Russian Revolution. The arrondissements where Russians congregated were generally known as Le Paris Russe, the Russian Paris, and it was not uncommon for Chanel’s founder to cross paths with both Russian nobility and artists such as Russian composer Stravinsky, often deriving aesthetic inspiration from their faraway culture.
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For Le Paris Russe de Chanel, Chanel Joaillerie offers 63 pieces, ranging from earrings and rings to headpieces and cuffs. All are in tribute to the profound Russian influence on the brand’s Parisian founder.
The most emblematic homage to the Russian Empire can be seen on the Aigle Protecteur, or Eagle Protector, and Aigle Cambon ensemble. The tsarist coat of arms, the double-headed eagle, is manifested in white and yellow gold, quartz, platinum and diamonds.
The Sarafane headpiece necklace in white gold, cultured pearls and diamonds is a fine jewellery piece that you could envision worn on tsarinas of old. The shape of the Sarafane headpiece necklace is reminiscent of the kokoshnik, or traditional Russian headdress, that was also worn in the official court by royalty and ladies-in-waiting.
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The use of diamonds and pearls is strikingly similar to Empress Alexandra’s own imperial tiara which was, in full circle, inspired by the French royal styles of the period.
Looking to folk-inspired pieces, the Roubachka ring cleverly layers precious stones to give the familiar silhouette of the Russian folk dress after which it is named. Slavic inspiration can also be seen in the Ble Maria tiara, which is delicately embellished with pink spinels, Mandarin garnets, coloured tourmaline and diamonds, and offers something in the modern day that could be considered quite bohemian chic.
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The statement pieces of the collection are the Folklore ring, earrings and cuff, gleaming with an elevated Baroque-meets-folksy Russian charm from the pink spinel, pink and blue sapphires, Mandarin and tsavorite garnets, cultured pearls and diamonds on a deep ruby enamel.
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Russian influences in founder Coco Chanel’s life, including passionate affair with grand duke, inspire collection’s 63 pieces – from earrings and rings to headpieces and cuffs