Latest news with #Gabrielle'Coco'Chanel
South China Morning Post
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Style Edit: Chanel N°5 celebrates more than a century of elegance, from the 1921 perfume through 1932's Bijoux de Diamants high jewellery, to 2021's Collection N°5 inspired by the iconic fragrance
Just over a century ago, the world's most iconic fragrance was born. The year was 1921, and Chanel N°5 was 'a woman's perfume, with the scent of a woman', according to Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel . It was also the first perfume the legendary French couturier released. Five was her lucky number. Born in 1921, Chanel N°5 was designed to be 'a woman's perfume, with the scent of a woman', according to Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel. Photo: Handout Just over a decade later, Coco Chanel launched her first and only high jewellery collection. The year was 1932, and Bijoux de Diamants was born out of the designer's desire to, as she put it, 'cover women in constellations'. Chanel's choice of gemstone could be considered radical in the midst of the Great Depression. 'If I have chosen diamonds, it is because they represent the greatest value in the smallest volume,' she explained, highlighting the emphasis she placed on considerations of practicality as well as aesthetics. Advertisement A 1937 advertisement for Chanel N°5, starring Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel herself. Photo: Handout In 2021, Chanel debuted Collection N°5, the first high jewellery collection inspired by a perfume. The highlight of the collection is the 55.55 necklace, showcasing a 55.55-carat diamond, its custom octagonal cut mirroring that of a N°5 bottle stopper. With its magnificent 55.55-carat diamond, the 55.55 necklace is the highlight of Chanel's 2021 Collection N°5, the first high jewellery collection inspired by a perfume. Photo: Handout Today, the necklace is part of Chanel's legendary Patrimoine archive – a collection of historical and contemporary watches and fine jewellery pieces housed at 18 Place Vendôme in Paris Bijoux de Diamants, the first and only high jewellery collection Coco Chanel launched during her lifetime, on display at the Chanel watches and fine jewellery Patrimoine, at 18 Place Vendôme in Paris. Photo: Handout Traditions continue to be preserved as well in the perfume bottles themselves. Each N°5 bottle is sealed with a baudruche: a delicate natural film secured with two strands of black pearl cotton thread and a wax stamp bearing the Chanel double-C logo . Besides being beautiful, the seal protects the fragrance by ensuring the bottle is watertight.
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First Post
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- First Post
History Today: When the world woke up and smelled Chanel No. 5
One of the most luxurious perfumes Chanel No. 5 made its entry into the world of fragrances on May 5 , 1921. The perfume was very different from the predominantly floral or musky perfumes of the time, which contributed to its immense popularity. On this day in 1951, Alan B Shepard Jr became the first American to visit space during a 15-minute suborbital flight read more Chanel No. 5 perfume hit the markets on May 5, 1921. File image/Reuters Who does not want to own Chanel No. 5 perfume? Considered to be one of the most luxurious and expensive fragrances in the world, this perfume made an entry into the world of fragrance on May 5, 1921, and went on to change the world of perfumes forever. If you are a history geek who loves to learn about important events from the past, Firstpost Explainers' ongoing series, History Today will be your one-stop destination to explore key events. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD On this day in 1961, Alan B Shepard Jr etched his name into history by becoming the first American to travel into space. Here is all that happened on this day across the world. Chanel No. 5 makes its debut Most of us dream of owning a wide range of luxurious perfumes. One of these luxurious perfumes is Chanel No. 5. Designed by legendary French fashion designer Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel, the perfume made its debut on May 5, 1921. It was launched with the idea that it was more than a scent and went on to become a symbol of modern femininity, luxury and timeless style. In an era dominated by predominantly floral or musky perfumes, Gabrielle Chanel desired to formulate an entirely original scent that would represent the contemporary woman - one wjo was assertive, refined and liberated. She engaged Russian-born French perfumer Ernest Beaux, who presented her with a selection of samples. Her choice of the fifth composition, based on her belief in the inherent meaning and understated quality of the number. Consequently, Chanel No. 5 was introduced. The result of the mixture of scents was one that didn't mimic nature but redefined it. File image/AFP This perfume was one of the first fragrances to use synthetic aldehydes, which added a sparkling, abstract quality to the floral base of jasmine, rose, ylang-ylang and sandalwood. The result was a scent that didn't mimic nature but redefined it. Another of the attractive features was the minimalist bottle design was also groundbreaking. In contrast to the ornate perfume bottles of the era, Chanel opted for a sleek and square-cut glass bottle with a simple label that embodied her philosophy of understated elegance. Alan B Shepard Jr becomes America's first space traveller One of the first Americans to visit space was Alan B Shepherd Junior on May 5, 1961. His brief, 15-minute suborbital flight aboard the Freedom 7 spacecraft, a key component of NASA's Project Mercury, represented a significant milestone in the United States' efforts in the space race during the Cold War era. Launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, Shepard's compact, single-occupant spacecraft, named Freedom 7, was positioned atop a Redstone rocket. Precisely at 9:34 am Eastern Time, the rocket ascended with tremendous force, propelling Shepard to an altitude of 116 miles and achieving velocities exceeding 5,000 miles per hour. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Astronaut Alan Shepard Jr. rests in his capsule awaiting his trip into space from Cape Canaveral, Florida on May 5, 1961. File image/AP Despite its brief duration, the mission was revolutionary. Shepard experienced a state of weightlessness, executed a series of basic tests, and provided real-time verbal commentary throughout the flight. The entire journey lasted a mere 15 minutes and 22 seconds, culminating in a safe splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean, where he was subsequently recovered by personnel from the USS Lake Champlain. Alan Shepard later commanded Apollo 14 in 1971, becoming the fifth man to walk on the Moon, and the only Mercury astronaut to achieve that feat. This Day, That Year On this day in 1927, English author Virginia Woolf published To the Lighthouse. Mary Kries became the first woman to receive a US patent on this day in 1809.
CNN
17-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
The latest trend in watches might surprise you
Set in a sleek, lacquered rectangular casing and adorned with 20 baguette-cut yellow beryls — set in gold, to match the opulent golden chain from which it dangles — Chanel's latest launch looks like a lipstick at first sight. But there's more to it. With a click, the lipstick case opens to reveal a watch dial at its center. Named 'Kiss Me,' the timepiece is part of the French luxury house's capsule collection, which was unveiled at the Watches and Wonders trade fair in Geneva in April. Fusing beauty and horology, the collection also includes 'Protect Me,' an amulet-like pendant that reimagines the evil eye as founder Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel's own kohl-lined gaze, and 'Give Me Luck,' a talismanic necklace featuring rubellite cabochons and five pink tourmalines arranged in a Byzantine motif that Chanel herself loved. Twist either pendant and, again, a hidden watch is revealed. Creating timepieces that bear little resemblance to ordinary wristwatches (which traditionally feature a dial plate and hands, and attached by a strap, designed to be worn around the wrist) may seem like an unexpected move for Chanel, known for its classic styles. But it's part of a broader growing trend that has also extended to the red carpet: See the custom Lorraine Schwartz watch choker that Taylor Swift wore around her neck to the Grammy Awards last year. 'It's a new way to wear time — one that celebrates uniqueness and individuality,' said Manon Hagie, sales director of watches at Sotheby's, on a phone call with CNN. Timepieces in unlikely shapes and sizes featured across the Watches and Wonders fair, which concluded on Monday. Van Cleef & Arpels unveiled a new diamond-studded edition of the Cadenas — a bold, padlock-inspired design with a shackle-like clasp that looks more like a bracelet than a watch — marking the 90th anniversary of one of its most beloved styles. 'When you look at it, it's not immediately clear it's a watch — and that's what makes it modern and intriguing,' said Rainer Bernard, head of research and development at Van Cleef & Arpels, attributing the design's enduring appeal to its dual identity as both a jewel and timepiece. Similarly, the diamond-studded open cuff featuring Cartier's iconic panther — caught mid-leap, paw outstretched, prowling over its prey — may initially look like a daring adornment. Upon closer inspection, however, the feline sits opposite a discreet watch dial that is only revealed when the piece is tilted by the wearer. These newly introduced Panthère jewelry watches — which also include a pared-down version in gold — play on the silhouette of last year's Réflection de Cartier. (That model featured a mirrored finish in place of the panther, allowing the time to be read through its reflection, as the name subtly suggests.) Cartier's appetite for no-watch watches also extends to the men's department with its revival of the Tank à Guichets. Deceptively minimalist, the new model features neither a dial nor hands — just two tiny apertures, or 'guichets' (French for ticket windows), showing the hour and minutes as digits at the top and bottom, respectively. First introduced in 1928 as a reinterpretation of the classic Tank, the limited-edition style returns in 2025 in yellow gold, rose gold and platinum. Unusual-looking timepieces also took center stage at a special Sotheby's sale in April. Titled Area 51 — a playful nod to the US military site in the Nevada desert, long associated with UFOs and conspiracy theories about alien technology — the auction spotlighted 51 timepieces with uncommon case shapes or made with materials rarely used in watchmaking. Ranging from vintage Patek Philippe models to futuristic creations by independent brands like Urwerk, the lots fetched a combined $1.6 million. For Sotheby's Hagie, the result reflects 'how the watch audience is evolving, with more women and Gen Z collectors entering the space.' Customers looking for less risqué styles may be drawn to pendant watches. All the rage during the Roaring Twenties, when they swung from the lithe frames of bob-haired flapper girls in fringed dresses and lowered waistlines, the style is enjoying a revival amid newfound interest in unusual watch forms, Hagie observed. She linked the trend to nostalgia, but also watchmakers' growing focus on female clients and their heterogeneous tastes. Indeed, in recent years, Jaeger-LeCoultre and even the sportier Richard Mille have introduced watches designed to swing from one's neck. Meanwhile, Chanel's playful new take on its signature octagonal-dial Première watch features an extra-long gold and leather chain designed to wrap not only around the wrist but also the neck. At Piaget — where pendant watches have long been part of the brand's repertoire — they're back in the spotlight: This year, the Swiss watchmaker unveiled a model featuring a rope-like gold chain and ruby-root beads, with a ruby-root dial framed by a festoon of spinels and yellow sapphires arranged as a fan. A more pared-down version highlights a trapeze-shaped dial, the core design element of the newly launched Sixtie collection. At Watches and Wonders, they were intentionally displayed next to 'patrimony' timepieces from Piaget's archive that are not for sale, explained Stéphanie Sivrière, the brand's jewelry and watch artistic director. 'We create a fluid narrative where past and present collide — until you forget which is which,' she said, adding that, as of late, pendant watches have 'been so successful we can barely keep up with demand.' At more accessible price points, Van Cleef & Arpels has reimagined its signature Alhambra, Perlée and Ludo designs as pendant watches featuring juicy colored gems like turquoise, lapis lazuli and carnelian. Meanwhile, Dior's jewelry division has introduced pendant versions of its Gem Dior watch — one with jazzy malachite, the other with delicate aragonite — dangling from a thread-thin link-bar chain. 'I love the idea of jewelry that tells time,' Victoire de Castellane, Dior Joaillerie's creative director, wrote to CNN over email. 'And I find wearing a watch as a pendant amusing.' A lighthearted approach was also taken by Philippe Delhotal, creative director of Hermès Horloger, who turned the house's iconic anchor chain motif into a brooch watch, rimmed with diamonds and adorned with a pink tourmaline, as part of the Maillon Libre collection unveiled at the fair. 'Historically, watches have also been carried in pockets, worn on ties or styled as brooches. So rather than designing a brooch to hold a watch, we first created the watch itself — then the idea of the brooch came naturally,' Delhotal explained. 'It's a nomadic piece that can be shared or styled differently — pinned as a brooch or worn as a pendant on a sautoir. In doing so, it offers the wearer a spectrum of possibilities.'
CNN
17-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
The latest trend in watches might surprise you
Set in a sleek, lacquered rectangular casing and adorned with 20 baguette-cut yellow beryls — set in gold, to match the opulent golden chain from which it dangles — Chanel's latest launch looks like a lipstick at first sight. But there's more to it. With a click, the lipstick case opens to reveal a watch dial at its center. Named 'Kiss Me,' the timepiece is part of the French luxury house's capsule collection, which was unveiled at the Watches and Wonders trade fair in Geneva in April. Fusing beauty and horology, the collection also includes 'Protect Me,' an amulet-like pendant that reimagines the evil eye as founder Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel's own kohl-lined gaze, and 'Give Me Luck,' a talismanic necklace featuring rubellite cabochons and five pink tourmalines arranged in a Byzantine motif that Chanel herself loved. Twist either pendant and, again, a hidden watch is revealed. Creating timepieces that bear little resemblance to ordinary wristwatches (which traditionally feature a dial plate and hands, and attached by a strap, designed to be worn around the wrist) may seem like an unexpected move for Chanel, known for its classic styles. But it's part of a broader growing trend that has also extended to the red carpet: See the custom Lorraine Schwartz watch choker that Taylor Swift wore around her neck to the Grammy Awards last year. 'It's a new way to wear time — one that celebrates uniqueness and individuality,' said Manon Hagie, sales director of watches at Sotheby's, on a phone call with CNN. Timepieces in unlikely shapes and sizes featured across the Watches and Wonders fair, which concluded on Monday. Van Cleef & Arpels unveiled a new diamond-studded edition of the Cadenas — a bold, padlock-inspired design with a shackle-like clasp that looks more like a bracelet than a watch — marking the 90th anniversary of one of its most beloved styles. 'When you look at it, it's not immediately clear it's a watch — and that's what makes it modern and intriguing,' said Rainer Bernard, head of research and development at Van Cleef & Arpels, attributing the design's enduring appeal to its dual identity as both a jewel and timepiece. Similarly, the diamond-studded open cuff featuring Cartier's iconic panther — caught mid-leap, paw outstretched, prowling over its prey — may initially look like a daring adornment. Upon closer inspection, however, the feline sits opposite a discreet watch dial that is only revealed when the piece is tilted by the wearer. These newly introduced Panthère jewelry watches — which also include a pared-down version in gold — play on the silhouette of last year's Réflection de Cartier. (That model featured a mirrored finish in place of the panther, allowing the time to be read through its reflection, as the name subtly suggests.) Cartier's appetite for no-watch watches also extends to the men's department with its revival of the Tank à Guichets. Deceptively minimalist, the new model features neither a dial nor hands — just two tiny apertures, or 'guichets' (French for ticket windows), showing the hour and minutes as digits at the top and bottom, respectively. First introduced in 1928 as a reinterpretation of the classic Tank, the limited-edition style returns in 2025 in yellow gold, rose gold and platinum. Unusual-looking timepieces also took center stage at a special Sotheby's sale in April. Titled Area 51 — a playful nod to the US military site in the Nevada desert, long associated with UFOs and conspiracy theories about alien technology — the auction spotlighted 51 timepieces with uncommon case shapes or made with materials rarely used in watchmaking. Ranging from vintage Patek Philippe models to futuristic creations by independent brands like Urwerk, the lots fetched a combined $1.6 million. For Sotheby's Hagie, the result reflects 'how the watch audience is evolving, with more women and Gen Z collectors entering the space.' Customers looking for less risqué styles may be drawn to pendant watches. All the rage during the Roaring Twenties, when they swung from the lithe frames of bob-haired flapper girls in fringed dresses and lowered waistlines, the style is enjoying a revival amid newfound interest in unusual watch forms, Hagie observed. She linked the trend to nostalgia, but also watchmakers' growing focus on female clients and their heterogeneous tastes. Indeed, in recent years, Jaeger-LeCoultre and even the sportier Richard Mille have introduced watches designed to swing from one's neck. Meanwhile, Chanel's playful new take on its signature octagonal-dial Première watch features an extra-long gold and leather chain designed to wrap not only around the wrist but also the neck. At Piaget — where pendant watches have long been part of the brand's repertoire — they're back in the spotlight: This year, the Swiss watchmaker unveiled a model featuring a rope-like gold chain and ruby-root beads, with a ruby-root dial framed by a festoon of spinels and yellow sapphires arranged as a fan. A more pared-down version highlights a trapeze-shaped dial, the core design element of the newly launched Sixtie collection. At Watches and Wonders, they were intentionally displayed next to 'patrimony' timepieces from Piaget's archive that are not for sale, explained Stéphanie Sivrière, the brand's jewelry and watch artistic director. 'We create a fluid narrative where past and present collide — until you forget which is which,' she said, adding that, as of late, pendant watches have 'been so successful we can barely keep up with demand.' At more accessible price points, Van Cleef & Arpels has reimagined its signature Alhambra, Perlée and Ludo designs as pendant watches featuring juicy colored gems like turquoise, lapis lazuli and carnelian. Meanwhile, Dior's jewelry division has introduced pendant versions of its Gem Dior watch — one with jazzy malachite, the other with delicate aragonite — dangling from a thread-thin link-bar chain. 'I love the idea of jewelry that tells time,' Victoire de Castellane, Dior Joaillerie's creative director, wrote to CNN over email. 'And I find wearing a watch as a pendant amusing.' A lighthearted approach was also taken by Philippe Delhotal, creative director of Hermès Horloger, who turned the house's iconic anchor chain motif into a brooch watch, rimmed with diamonds and adorned with a pink tourmaline, as part of the Maillon Libre collection unveiled at the fair. 'Historically, watches have also been carried in pockets, worn on ties or styled as brooches. So rather than designing a brooch to hold a watch, we first created the watch itself — then the idea of the brooch came naturally,' Delhotal explained. 'It's a nomadic piece that can be shared or styled differently — pinned as a brooch or worn as a pendant on a sautoir. In doing so, it offers the wearer a spectrum of possibilities.'
CNN
17-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
The latest trend in watches might surprise you
Set in a sleek, lacquered rectangular casing and adorned with 20 baguette-cut yellow beryls — set in gold, to match the opulent golden chain from which it dangles — Chanel's latest launch looks like a lipstick at first sight. But there's more to it. With a click, the lipstick case opens to reveal a watch dial at its center. Named 'Kiss Me,' the timepiece is part of the French luxury house's capsule collection, which was unveiled at the Watches and Wonders trade fair in Geneva in April. Fusing beauty and horology, the collection also includes 'Protect Me,' an amulet-like pendant that reimagines the evil eye as founder Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel's own kohl-lined gaze, and 'Give Me Luck,' a talismanic necklace featuring rubellite cabochons and five pink tourmalines arranged in a Byzantine motif that Chanel herself loved. Twist either pendant and, again, a hidden watch is revealed. Creating timepieces that bear little resemblance to ordinary wristwatches (which traditionally feature a dial plate and hands, and attached by a strap, designed to be worn around the wrist) may seem like an unexpected move for Chanel, known for its classic styles. But it's part of a broader growing trend that has also extended to the red carpet: See the custom Lorraine Schwartz watch choker that Taylor Swift wore around her neck to the Grammy Awards last year. 'It's a new way to wear time — one that celebrates uniqueness and individuality,' said Manon Hagie, sales director of watches at Sotheby's, on a phone call with CNN. Timepieces in unlikely shapes and sizes featured across the Watches and Wonders fair, which concluded on Monday. Van Cleef & Arpels unveiled a new diamond-studded edition of the Cadenas — a bold, padlock-inspired design with a shackle-like clasp that looks more like a bracelet than a watch — marking the 90th anniversary of one of its most beloved styles. 'When you look at it, it's not immediately clear it's a watch — and that's what makes it modern and intriguing,' said Rainer Bernard, head of research and development at Van Cleef & Arpels, attributing the design's enduring appeal to its dual identity as both a jewel and timepiece. Similarly, the diamond-studded open cuff featuring Cartier's iconic panther — caught mid-leap, paw outstretched, prowling over its prey — may initially look like a daring adornment. Upon closer inspection, however, the feline sits opposite a discreet watch dial that is only revealed when the piece is tilted by the wearer. These newly introduced Panthère jewelry watches — which also include a pared-down version in gold — play on the silhouette of last year's Réflection de Cartier. (That model featured a mirrored finish in place of the panther, allowing the time to be read through its reflection, as the name subtly suggests.) Cartier's appetite for no-watch watches also extends to the men's department with its revival of the Tank à Guichets. Deceptively minimalist, the new model features neither a dial nor hands — just two tiny apertures, or 'guichets' (French for ticket windows), showing the hour and minutes as digits at the top and bottom, respectively. First introduced in 1928 as a reinterpretation of the classic Tank, the limited-edition style returns in 2025 in yellow gold, rose gold and platinum. Unusual-looking timepieces also took center stage at a special Sotheby's sale in April. Titled Area 51 — a playful nod to the US military site in the Nevada desert, long associated with UFOs and conspiracy theories about alien technology — the auction spotlighted 51 timepieces with uncommon case shapes or made with materials rarely used in watchmaking. Ranging from vintage Patek Philippe models to futuristic creations by independent brands like Urwerk, the lots fetched a combined $1.6 million. For Sotheby's Hagie, the result reflects 'how the watch audience is evolving, with more women and Gen Z collectors entering the space.' Customers looking for less risqué styles may be drawn to pendant watches. All the rage during the Roaring Twenties, when they swung from the lithe frames of bob-haired flapper girls in fringed dresses and lowered waistlines, the style is enjoying a revival amid newfound interest in unusual watch forms, Hagie observed. She linked the trend to nostalgia, but also watchmakers' growing focus on female clients and their heterogeneous tastes. Indeed, in recent years, Jaeger-LeCoultre and even the sportier Richard Mille have introduced watches designed to swing from one's neck. Meanwhile, Chanel's playful new take on its signature octagonal-dial Première watch features an extra-long gold and leather chain designed to wrap not only around the wrist but also the neck. At Piaget — where pendant watches have long been part of the brand's repertoire — they're back in the spotlight: This year, the Swiss watchmaker unveiled a model featuring a rope-like gold chain and ruby-root beads, with a ruby-root dial framed by a festoon of spinels and yellow sapphires arranged as a fan. A more pared-down version highlights a trapeze-shaped dial, the core design element of the newly launched Sixtie collection. At Watches and Wonders, they were intentionally displayed next to 'patrimony' timepieces from Piaget's archive that are not for sale, explained Stéphanie Sivrière, the brand's jewelry and watch artistic director. 'We create a fluid narrative where past and present collide — until you forget which is which,' she said, adding that, as of late, pendant watches have 'been so successful we can barely keep up with demand.' At more accessible price points, Van Cleef & Arpels has reimagined its signature Alhambra, Perlée and Ludo designs as pendant watches featuring juicy colored gems like turquoise, lapis lazuli and carnelian. Meanwhile, Dior's jewelry division has introduced pendant versions of its Gem Dior watch — one with jazzy malachite, the other with delicate aragonite — dangling from a thread-thin link-bar chain. 'I love the idea of jewelry that tells time,' Victoire de Castellane, Dior Joaillerie's creative director, wrote to CNN over email. 'And I find wearing a watch as a pendant amusing.' A lighthearted approach was also taken by Philippe Delhotal, creative director of Hermès Horloger, who turned the house's iconic anchor chain motif into a brooch watch, rimmed with diamonds and adorned with a pink tourmaline, as part of the Maillon Libre collection unveiled at the fair. 'Historically, watches have also been carried in pockets, worn on ties or styled as brooches. So rather than designing a brooch to hold a watch, we first created the watch itself — then the idea of the brooch came naturally,' Delhotal explained. 'It's a nomadic piece that can be shared or styled differently — pinned as a brooch or worn as a pendant on a sautoir. In doing so, it offers the wearer a spectrum of possibilities.'
