An invitation to fly: CHANEL’s High Jewelry collection Reach for the Stars

“If you were born without wings, don’t prevent them from growing,” said Gabrielle Chanel. This phrase became not only her life motto, but also the philosophy behind her fashion. Fearlessly breaking stereotypes, she created her own rules on the runway and in Hollywood.

Chanel rejected the conventions of luxury as excessive and ostentatious. Instead, she defined the image of a woman as independent and strong-willed. Sculptural dresses with wing-like details, evening gowns with clean lines that shift the focus from deep necklines to the graceful curve of the back – all of it embodies Gabrielle Chanel’s vision of glamour: restrained, yet infinitely refined.

Under the creative direction of Patrice Leguéreau, the Chanel Fine Jewelry Studio continues this legacy with the new High Jewelry collection “Reach for the Stars.” Inspired by the golden hour – that fleeting, almost dreamlike moment between day and night when the pretenses of the world seem to fade away – it celebrates imagination and freedom.

The collection is built around three symbols deeply rooted in Chanel’s aesthetic: wings, comets, and lions. It features bold jewelry ensembles – cascades of precious stones, choker necklaces, collar pieces, between-the-fingers rings, oversized brooches, asymmetric earrings, cuffs, and tiaras. Each design symbolizes courage, freedom and elegance.

Crafted with exquisite precision, these pieces feel weightless: light and transformable, like precious lace that barely grazes the skin while following the contours of the body.

Wings as an Invitation to Fly

The Wings of Chanel necklace, with its unfolding diamond wings, is crowned by a rare 19.55-carat Padparadscha sapphire blending pink and orange hues. Its pendant detaches and transforms into a bracelet. The matching ring, set with an immaculate 8.15-carat oval diamond, mirrors the delicate curve of a wing that just touches the hand.

In the Free Move necklace, the “airborne” wings highlight either the open back or neckline—depending on how the piece is worn. Asymmetric Pretty Wings earrings intrigue from every angle, while the openwork Full Swing tiara gracefully frames the forehead.

Inspired by the palette of the setting sky, these creations are adorned with exceptional stones: pink sapphires in the Pink Hour necklace; yellow, cognac, and orange diamonds in the Sunny Days brooch; and a gradient of blue hues in the After Midnight tanzanite set.

The Lion as a Symbol of Strength and Character

The lion – Gabrielle Chanel’s zodiac sign – became a symbol of Chanel High Jewelry in 2012. In Reach for the Stars, the design team presents two interpretations.

The first is a frontal lion’s head surrounded by stars, envisioned as a radiant medallion. It appears in white gold set with white and yellow diamonds (Strong as a Lion), as well as in a stylized yellow gold version (Be the One).

The second interpretation is sculptural: the lion in profile, a symbol of inner strength that, as Chanel herself said, allows one to “express the physical aura of a personality through simple means.”

In the Embrace Your Destiny necklace, two lion profiles crown a cascade of diamonds ending with a pair of pear-shaped stones. In the Sky Is the Limit set, lions with lace-like wings gently and confidently embrace the wearer’s neck.

The Radiance of the Comet as a Symbol of Freedom

In 1932, Gabrielle Chanel unveiled her first jewelry collection, Bijoux de Diamants, adorning it with stars and comets. To her, they symbolized timeless modernity and personal freedom.

In Reach for the Stars, this theme takes on new brilliance. The Twin Stars necklace transforms into two bracelets and two short necklaces: one set with diamonds and comet motifs, the other composed of five rows of tanzanite beads.

‘Reach for the Stars’ is an invitation to shine – to be bold and free. In the spirit of Gabrielle Chanel herself, who once said: “Fashion fades, style remains. And freedom is the finest adornment of all.”