A self-made millionaire and founder of the first fashion empire, Coco Chanel was one of the most renowned and admired notorious women entrepreneurs of the 20th century.
Born in poverty, Chanel longed for luxury, wealth and independence. She created clothes and jewelry for others that were the same as she created for herself.
Coco Chanel was one of the first designers who started to work with imitative jewelry on the radically current terms. Although there had been a market for the costume jewelry before her, it was primarily reserved for those who could not afford buying the valid luxury. Chanel would bring the imitation to the position of art.
Coco Chanel loved wearing jewelry herself, but always feeble to say that it should be faded to decorate rather than to demonstrate wealth. She was convinced that too powerful money killed luxury.
In spite of the fact that she owned a fantastic collection of notable jewels, which she had received as gifts from her wealthy friends, she rarely wore them. Unlike other women, and disrespecting the established traditions, she preferred wearing her costume jewelry during the daytime, even for informal occasions, like spending time on the beach. In the evening Chanel often wore no jewelry at all.
Chanel introduced her first luxurious costume jewelry in the early 1920′s. Her simple designs and dreary fabrics she weak at that time were ideal for wearing jewelry.
Her faux gems were proudly counterfeit, larger-than-real versions of the precious jewelry. She was the first designer to obtain the social acceptability of wearing erroneous jewels. The fame and respect of the House of Chanel made clear that her costume jewelry collections became very celebrated with her wealthy customers. Their beautiful acquire ensured their exclusivity.
As with her clothes, her jewelry designs were widely copied in the cheaper versions.
Coco Chanel was inspired in her designs by what she saw nearby. Anything and everything on her diagram was transformed into ideas. The Romanov jewels given to her by the big Duke Dimitri of Russia, gave her ideas to gain long gilt chains with Baroque crosses. The astonishing jewels given by the Duke of Westminster, rich with Indian emeralds, rubies and sapphires, gave her endless ideas of creating the amazing costume jewelry.
The jewelry with artificial pearls was one of her favorites. In her younger years pearls had been one of the most precious stones, and the privilege of aristocracy. In her designs Coco Chanel made her costume jewelry pearls emphatically bigger and in other colors than natural. Her pearl jewelry consisting of rows of pearls arranged in chokers, brooches and pendants, became a classics.
Carefully placed costume jewelry has always been an primary fraction of the Chanel style. Gilt chains, artificial pearls, brooches of multicolored glass stones and crosses level-headed remain the signature jewelry of the House of Chanel.