Latest news with #PatriceLeguéreau
South China Morning Post
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Frédéric Grangié, Chanel's president of watches and fine jewellery, on some of the brand's biggest blockbusters – including the new Reach for the Stars collection
In the almost 10 years that Frédéric Grangié has been president of Chanel watches and fine jewellery, the French house has released some of its most talked-about high jewellery collections. Although Grangié is not one to boast about his achievements, or even take credit for them, he and his partner in crime – Patrice Leguéreau, the former director of Chanel's jewellery creation studio who passed away last year – were behind blockbusters such as Tweed de Chanel and Chanel N°5, as well as last year's bold Haute Joaillerie Sport 'I love the process,' says Grangié in an interview in Kyoto, Japan, on the day of the unveiling of Reach for the Stars , Chanel's latest high jewellery line. 'I have always worked with designers my whole life, including when I was in fashion, and I was fortunate to work with some of the greatest ones. But I believe that my essential job is to make sure that what they create – whether it's Patrice or [director of the Chanel Watchmaking Creation Studio] Arnaud Chastaingt – I will make it a reality. Whatever we develop in terms of technique or in terms of craftsmanship is only at the service of creation. The technique is here to serve that.' Wings of Chanel necklace in white gold, platinum and natural polished diamonds with a cushion-cut padparadscha sapphire. Photo: Handout Advertisement A veteran of brands such as Goyard, Fendi and Louis Vuitton, Grangié believes that creativity and innovation reign supreme at Chanel. The Parisian house is first and foremost a fashion brand, which means it doesn't have a long-standing, jewellery-first heritage like traditional houses founded primarily as jewellers. This, however, can be an advantage and a way for the brand to write its own history. 'Our configuration is a bit different from some of the other houses with a much longer history,' explains Grangié. 'What we are building today is a living patrimony for tomorrow.' While Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel designed one high jewellery collection in her lifetime in 1932 – Bijoux de Diamants, a diamond range that introduced key motifs such as the comet – the modern era of Chanel's high jewellery only dates back to the early 90s. 'I think there are no cons,' says Grangié about the maison's relatively recent entry into haute joaillerie, as the French call it. 'It's in our DNA to bring new themes, new stories, new ideas on a constant basis. But at the same time, we are adding layers to these foundations. I think that today the foundations of high jewellery at Chanel are already quite strong, but we're still in the process of adding layers.' Chanel Reach for the Stars Five Wings brooch in white gold, sapphires and lacquer. Photo: Handout Passionate about the product and also very involved in the creative process, Grangié believes that there is a sort of magic formula when it comes to high jewellery – what he describes as 'the golden triangle'. 'These are three must-haves to be a pure player in high jewellery: a creation that is unique, and in our case uniquely Chanel; the greatest savoir faire , greatest expertise, greatest workshops; and the greatest, rarest gems, precious stones,' he explains. Grangié points to Reach for the Stars as an embodiment of all of those key elements. He calls it one of Chanel's 'most important collections ever' and 'a new foundation, a building block' in the history of Chanel high jewellery.
Vogue
05-06-2025
- Business
- Vogue
Chanel Reaches for the Stars With Its High Jewelry Event in Kyoto
As with all Chanel High Jewelry collections, the basis for Reach For The Stars stems from the life of Chanel herself. This time her quote: 'If you were born without wings, do nothing to prevent them from growing,' provided the impetus for the collection. The pieces are statement-making and intended for red carpet moments—an extension of Chanel's first and only high jewelry collection in 1932. 'Maybe it's a more classic theme in a way, but at the same time it's a very bold and sophisticated approach to the glamorous style of Chanel,' said Dorothée Saintville, the brand's International Product Marketing Director of Watches and Fine Jewelry. As with all Chanel High Jewelry collections, the basis for Reach For The Stars stems from the life of Chanel herself. Photo: Courtesy of Chanel Japanese craftsmanship was a longtime focus of the late Creative Director of Chanel fine and high jewelry, Patrice Leguéreau, who started this collection before he passed away late last year. Saintville stepped in to join President of Watches and Fine Jewelry Frederic Grangié to shepherd this collection to fruition and continue to drive the creative vision and expansion of Chanel High Jewelry. The stone's intense, warm pink tone with hints of orange and yellow embodies Leguéreau's intention to capture the sensation of golden hour, explained Saintville. Photo: Courtesy of Chanel A hero piece of the collection features a significant padparadscha sapphire. The stone's intense, warm pink tone with hints of orange and yellow embodies Leguéreau's intention to capture the sensation of golden hour, explained Saintville. 'When Patrice thought about this collection he said: 'I imagine pieces kissed by the light of the sun at sunrise or sunset.' ' Imagination, romance, and modernism mark this new collection and the inclusion of wings expands its lexicon. 'There is no rule [of the introduction of new symbols],' added Saintville, 'it's part of the endless reinterpretation of our DNA.'
BusinessToday
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BusinessToday
Reach for the Stars with Chanel's Dazzling New Collection
Comets, lions and wings take centre stage in Reach for the Stars, Chanel's latest High Jewellery collection. Each motif is reinterpreted in delicate openwork gold and set with radiant gemstones, expressing movement, strength and aspiration. Every piece begins as a sketch in Chanel's Fine Jewellery Creation Studio. From there, expert artisans hand-select exceptional gemstones to meet the House's highest standards. At the atelier on Place Vendôme in Paris, these designs are brought to life with meticulous craftsmanship. The collection highlights Chanel's signature attention to detail. Gold is shaped into lace-like structures that drape elegantly around the body. Rare gemstones—including yellow and white diamonds, Padparadscha and blue sapphires, rubies, yellow beryls and orange garnets—add depth, colour and brilliance. The result is a refined expression of freedom and elegance. A key piece in the collection is the Wings of Chanel necklace, which introduces the wing motif to Chanel High Jewellery for the first time. Made in openwork gold and set with diamond details, the necklace wraps around the neck like a fine, lightweight structure. It also features a detachable diamond section that can be worn as a bracelet, offering added versatility. At its centre is a cushion-cut Padparadscha sapphire weighing 19.55 carats. Its colour shifts between pink and orange, giving the piece a warm, distinctive glow. Chanel's interest in celestial symbols goes back to 1932, when Gabrielle Chanel launched her Bijoux de Diamants collection. Her use of the star motif, which she once described as 'eternally modern,' continues in Reach for the Stars. The comet appears in new designs, such as the Blazing Star set with outlines in gold and onyx, and the Dazzling Star choker, which uses diamond pendants to create a sense of movement. The lion, Chanel's astrological sign and a symbol of strength, features prominently in the Strong as a Lion set, which combines a dazzling mane of stars with white and yellow diamonds. The Embrace Your Destiny necklace presents a sculpted lion's profile adorned with pear-shaped diamonds, exuding quiet power. For Patrice Leguéreau, Director of the Chanel Jewellery Creation Studio, the collection captures the fleeting beauty of a sunset—those final moments between day and night when the sky is awash with gold, mauve and pink. 'We wanted to create pieces of jewellery that are illuminated by the rays of the sunset and beyond,' he explains. 'Capturing that magical moment when high jewellery sparkles on the skin.' Related
Vogue Arabia
02-06-2025
- Business
- Vogue Arabia
Chanel Unveils ‘Reach for the Stars' High Jewellery Collection Honouring Iconic Symbols and Gabrielle Chanel's Legacy
Long before logos became shorthand for luxury, Gabrielle Chanel filled her world with emblems of deep meaning. Faux pearls – once dismissed as improper for elegant women – were worn in bold defiance of convention. The camellia, which she admired for its resilience and simplicity, became an immortal house code, appearing on the lacquered screens in her Rue Cambon apartment. These symbols continue to surface across the Chanel universe, from couture to accessories and beauty. Now, in the house's latest high jewellery offering, Reach for the Stars, it is the lion, comet and, introduced for the first time, wings that are reimagined as contemporary icons of the maison. These motifs are transformed into extraordinary pieces of jewellery that speak to Chanel's heritage and future. The 109-piece collection (90 debuting this year) honours the brand's legacy while marking a final curtain call for its late fine jewellery director, Patrice Leguéreau. 'It is indeed a great tribute to him. Over the years, he constantly pushed the boundaries and elevated Chanel fine jewellery to new heights, playing masterfully with the house's codes and symbols,' says Dorothée Saintville, international product marketing director of watches and fine jewellery at Chanel. First seen in Gabrielle Chanel's revolutionary 1932 Bijoux de Diamants line, the comet stood for freedom – representing women charting their own path. An ideology that feels just as relevant today. Mademoiselle Chanel created pieces without clasps, designed to flow effortlessly, reflecting her belief that jewellery should follow – not restrict – a woman's movement. We see the comet in a new light in Reach for the Stars, where it is conceived as a symbol of Chanel's take on glamour. In the Blazing Star set, it is elongated in fine gold and onyx, while the Dazzling Star choker features tw o diamond pendants that instantly draw the eye to the neckline. 'These symbols, part of Gabrielle Chanel's universe, never cease to evolve through time. They stay the same but are always different. Thanks to new specific attributes, they incarnate the proper spirit of each collection,' adds Saintville.
