The History of Chanel Costume Jewelry
Chanel is often seen as the timeless designs with an understated appeal for all classic dressers. However, while the brand's clothes may adhere to this, the jewelry follows a different path. Each season, the Chanel runways are filled with strands upon strands of necklaces, thick bracelet cuffs, and long dangling earrings, all put together to decorate the simple clothing. These pieces are not made of diamond and gold, but rather they are costume jewelry, made of metals, glass, leather, faux pearls, and beyond intertwined together.
When Coco Chanel first started designing in the 1920s, costume jewelry was not accepted as a form of jewelry because it showed one could not afford it. Rather, people donned just a few high end pieces. However, Coco Chanel loved the mix of high end and low end pieces.
Chanel recognized talent in her textile designer, Duke Fulco di Vedura, and they went on to create the iconic Chanel Maltese Cross motif - thus leading to the Maltese Cross Cuffs which Chanel was known to regularly wear.
After closing her store during World War II, Chanel reopened in 1954 and turned to Richard Goossens, a well known couture jewelry designer, to help her. They collaborated in mixing faux and precious stones - which is a tradition that still stands today. Now, Chanel jewelry continues to be extravagant and filled with inexpensive jewels so people can decorate their outfits without the extreme costs that comes with just fine jewelry.
At Michaels, we love Chanel and the collection we get to carry. We are lucky have some incredible Chanel jewelry pieces as well, from earrings to necklaces to rings. Shop here to celebrate Chanel and her jewelry legacy!
