BACK IN 1932, GABRIELLE CHANEL CREATED BIJOUX DE DIAMANTS, HER FIRST AND ONLY HIGH JEWELLERY COLLECTION, CELEBRATING DIAMONDS AT A TIME OF RECESSION BECAUSE “THEY REPRESENT THE GREATEST VALUE IN THE SMALLEST VOLUME”. THIS MONTH, CHANEL OFFICIALLY LAUNCHES A SERIES OF NOVEL AND OFTEN TRANSFORMABLE DESIGNS INSPIRED BY IT, EACH CELEBRATING AN ICON THAT – HOWEVER SIMPLE – REPRESENTS THE SPIRIT OF THE HOUSE SHE BUILT. HERE, THE STORIES BEHIND FOUR OF THEM.

IF AN ABODE SHOULD INVIGORATE AND INSPIRE, THEN COCO CHANEL’S HOME AT 31 RUE CAMBON IN PARIS IS A DREAM HOUSE; ITS DECOR AND CONTENTS THE SOURCE OF IDEAS FOR MANY A CHANEL GARMENT OR ACCESSORY.

We love a beauty launch; but what’s truly fascinating are the crazy processes that go into making a product the iconic beauty hit it is today. True to the visionary direction of Coco Chanel, Chanel N°5, born in 1921, was all about firsts.

As a fresh eau fills Chanel’s legendary flacon, Joyce Cheo rediscovers the No.5 story and learns how a new chapter can be written by safeguarding the past.