CHANEL unveils its first ever High Jewelry collection dedicated entirely to tweed

How could gold and diamonds be rendered as supple as this handwoven Scottish woollen cloth? How is it possible that a fabric of metal and stones could be imbued with a rhythm and respiration that are both deep and pure?

To answer these questions, the CHANEL High Jewelry Workshop developed special articulation techniques, breathing the vitality of movement into solid gold and honoring the beautiful irregularity of tweed that so delighted Gabrielle Chanel. Diamonds, pearls and sapphires are layered and intertwined on several plains, creating necklaces, rings and bracelets with splendorous textured effects. The pure lines of each creation reinforce the graphic power of these exceptional weaves, fashioned exclusively by hand.

The entire collection, featuring 45 exceptional pieces, was conceived to express the distinctive characteristics of tweed. Responding to the depth and richness of this fabric, precious materials are interwoven, articulated and finely wrought in the manner of a tweed weft, with suppleness and comfort being found in the very structure of the pieces. Each setting has been pared back to minimalist extreme to reduce the asperity of the grain, making every piece soft to the touch.

With this High Jewelry collection, CHANEL begins a new chapter in the history of tweed.

Deriving from the Scottish word tweel, its name means twilled cloth, influenced probably by the Tweed, a coastal river running between England and Scotland. Mademoiselle Chanel always preferred a quality of wool that was less washed to preserve its softness, and she prided herself on being able to recognise tweed that had been specifically rinsed in the waters of the River Tweed.

During her love affair with the Duke of Westminster, whom she’d met in the mid-1920s, Gabrielle Chanel affirmed her taste for these woollen fabrics. An essential element of her wardrobe, she was the first fashion designer to borrow tweed from menswear and adapt it to the womenswear she created for a woman like her - someone who travelled, drove cars, practiced sports. Tweed made a lasting impact on her stylistic vocabulary - in her eyes it possessed all the necessary qualities: carded wool is soft, foamy, comfortable; once uncombed it retains its irregularities and its natural appearance.

From the Scottish borders to the workshop at Place Vendôme, CHANEL invites us on a journey to discover the High Jewelry collection devoted entirely to this fabric.

Embellished with stones and diamonds, tweed becomes a precious fabric that expresses all the strength, expertise and creativity of CHANEL High Jewelry.