Simply Abu Dhabi XXIX

1 9 1 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I The lion was always in Gabrielle’s life. She had a gilt bronze statue of him in her apartment at 31 Rue Cambon in Paris, and symbols of the lion graced her daily paraphernalia such as her scissors or cigarettes. She displayed the lion by engraving it on the buttons of her tailoring and after her, Karl Lagerfeld, for Chanel’s cruise 2009 staged at the Lido of Venice, paid tribute to Mademoiselle, Venice and San Marco square, with his imposing lion sculpture. For the Fall/Winter Haute Couture 2010/11 collection, an 18-metre-high lion clutched a high iridescent pearl under his front paw. Again in 2013, Chanel’s team created a high jewellery collection devoted to king of the jungle. Today in 2018, Chanel presents “L’Esprit du Lion” Haute Joallerie collection, a transcendental collection devoted to Gabrielle’s spirit animal. The collection is composed of 53 high jewellery pieces inspired by the lion and its representations found in Gabrielle Chanel’s apartment: the most intimate place for Mademoiselle. Yellow or white gold, diamonds, pearls, sapphires, beryls and imperial topazes are the materials used for this high jewellery collection that fascinates for its majestic boldness and fluidity. All the pieces evoke the lion’s characteristics as a spirit animal: protective, intuitive and commanding and the pieces are dazzling, passionate and timeless. A gold chain bracelet encrusted with 117 brilliant-cut diamonds, a transformable necklace in 18-carat yellow gold set with an octagon-cut orange topaz of 29.65 carats with a round- cut diamond under the Lion’s paw, with a further 942 brilliant-cut diamonds, an astonishing necklace in 18-carat yellow gold set with 32 oval-cut yellow beryls for a total weight of 111.18 carats and 454 brilliant-cut diamonds, plus a secret watch in 18-carat white gold set with one yellow carved-cut beryl of 37.41 carats and 541 brilliant-cut diamonds, are all part of this huge high jewellery collection. The most precious piece of all is the Legendary necklace, a one-of-a-kind transformable necklace in 18-carat white and yellow gold set with more than 1,200 diamonds and one cushion-cut fancy intense yellow diamond of 30.19 carats. Here, the strength and charisma of the Leo is shown in all its beauty, because the lion is the spirit of Chanel.