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Gabrielle Chanel wrote her own story in the world of jewellery-a tale that still lives on within the house of Chanel today through its contemporary creations and one-of-a-kind treasures in the Patrimoine collection

- Annabel Tan

Gabrielle Chanel was ahead of her time in many ways. The late French designer and founder of her namesake luxury fashion house often went against society's expectations of what women should look like through her audacious rule-breaking fashion, beauty and jewellery creations.

Her clothes prioritised comfort and freedom of movement; she popularised trousers and sailor shirts that helped liberate women from corsets. Her little black dress, a simple and sophisticated garment meant to be accessible to all was a symbol of democracy and went on to become a fashion staple known simply as LBD. She created Chanel No 5, the first perfume that showed women they could eschew the tradition of smelling only like flowers or musk, and instead wear a blend of both pure and seductive notes. These are but a few examples of the disruptor and trendsetter that Mademoiselle Chanel was, and how she unabashedly embraced modernity and femininity.

Even in the traditional world of jewellery, she was a trailblazer and drew inspiration from far and wide. She looked to the baroque, such as the religious decorative motifs of her childhood, to the treasures of the Russian imperial court, Venetian palazzi, Renaissance styles, medieval art and more.

She was unafraid to invent her own style and play around with combinations of baroque stones, faux pearls and decorative glass in her costume jewellery, which was always executed with immaculate craftsmanship. Her creations were made to adorn women and empower them to wear jewellery on any occasion, thereby making costume jewellery more desirable.