An arbiter of style, most admired for her ability to liberate women through radical dress, Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel and her innovative designs have withstood the test of time. Coco Chanel’s iconic designs, from the classic tweed suit to the little black dress, were a sharp contrast to the traditional and restrictive pieces that dominated popular fashion at the time. Her sporty silhouettes, emphasized by simple and soft lines, encouraged women to free their physical forms in an unprecedented way.
After mastering the art of fashion and fragrance, Coco made opulent costume Chanel jewelry her next endeavor. “Accessories are what makes or marks a woman,” Mademoiselle Chanel once confidently declared. And ever since the 1920s, when she first collaborated with expert costume jewelers, Chanel stayed loyal to this proclamation, devoting an immense amount of her time to Chanel jewelry design. By mixing Chanel’s iconic but understated garments with more whimsical accessories, the fashion world was immediately awed by these playful design combinations. Until Coco Chanel leaned into the untapped potential of costume Chanel jewelry, these accessories were considered a faux pas, perceived as being only for women who couldn’t afford the real thing. As always, Coco Chanel was unfazed by the status quo. If anything, she used it as fuel for change. She discovered a provocative delight in mixing precious materials with faux ones and embraced it fully. From piling on necklaces and sautoirs made of faux pearls to layering an unprecedented number of brooches and cuff bracelets, Coco Chanel showed the world that costume Chanel jewelry was the wave of the future.
Chanel earrings started to become more of a focus for Chanel jewelry collections in the 1990s. Interestingly, it wasn’t until the 2000s that Chanel introduced pierced Chanel earrings. Most vintage Chanel earrings are a variation of the clip-on. The stud clip-ons Chanel Earrings are recognized for their delicate beauty, often adorned with playful flowers and stars. Highly sought-after for their unique and varied styles, Chanel earrings are one of a vintage hunter’s most treasured finds. From Baroque inspired nest clip-ons to the Pearl CC Drop design, these Chanel earrings can be anything from an outfit’s finishing touch to a show-stopping statement piece. Additionally, these Chanel earrings are often accompanied by a matching ring or cuff bracelet, establishing a complete, unified look. Finally, the most dramatic variation is statement Chanel earrings, often in a chandelier style with dripping strands of natural stones and cultured pearls. Regardless of era or style, Chanel earrings are both glamorous and novel, creating visual interest through their contrast and excess.
The most collectible Chanel earrings feature Chanel iconic motifs. Below are the Chanel earring motifs and styles every collector should consider. From camellias, enamel CCs and pearls, Chanel earrings featuring iconic motifs are the most collectible. These iconic emblems largely began with Coco Chanel herself; namely, camellias were famously Mademoiselle’s favorite flower,. Yet, it was Karl Lagerfeld who cemented these symbols as mainstay design elements, keeping the connection to Chanel’s eponymous founder alive. During his reign as creative director of Chanel, Lagerfeld adorned runway models in Chanel jewelry featuring faux pearls to camellia flowers, using these historically rich designs as a natural extension of the collection’s garments.
Chanel CC Earrings are the most iconic motif that is instantly recognizable as Chanel. Simple interlocking gold CCs are a must for any Chanel earring collector. The simple design remains a constant every season, often with the addition of a turnlock, stamped quilting or part of a design that includes pearls or camillias. Chanel CC earrings are often Chanel Stud Earrings.
Chanel Pearl Earrings are also highly sought after and an iconic nod to Coco Chanel’s love of pearls. She would often wear them layered and Chanel Pearl Earrings are the perfect compliment.
While more modern Chanel earrings are found in many different metals, Chanel Gold Earrings are the most classic and collectible. Vintage Chanel earrings are almost all gold versus other metals. Chanel earrings gold are also a nod to the gold hardware that was used for Chanel bags.
Chanel dangle earrings allow for the use of many more motifs in one pair of earrings. Pearls, stars, crystals and CCs can all be used in a single pair of Chanel dangle earrings. Karl often featured dramatic Chanel dangle earrings on the runway mixing and matching classic Chanel motifs.
Logomania continues to resonate with a new generation of buyers and Chanel Logo Earrings remain highly collectible. Oversized Chanel Logo earrings are a dramatic statement and a perfect compliment to basic black or other neutral look.
Chanel drop earrings can be found with delicate pearls or dramatic gold chains and circles. The mixing and matching of motifs is also a frequent design element of Chanel Drop Earrings.
Coco Chanel earrings featuring Coco’s likeness are playful and collectible. She is often depicted in a classic tweed jacket layered with pearls. Karl used her likeness in his Chanel earring designs as a way to always to keep the founder alive.
Chanel hoop earrings are also a popular style that often blends motifs. Interlaced leather within the metal is a reference to the chain strap made famous by Coco Chanel. Double Cs are a recurring theme in Chanel hoop earrings.
Vintage Chanel Earrings are highly sought-after for their unique and varied styles. Chanel earrings are one of a vintage hunter’s most treasured finds. From Baroque inspired nest clip-ons to the Pearl CC Drop design, these earrings can be anything from an outfit’s finishing touch to a show-stopping statement piece. Most vintage Chanel earrings are a variation of the clip-on. The stud clip-ons are recognized for their delicate beauty, often adorned with playful flowers and stars. The drop earring, with a dangling design in colored glass and pearl, tends to highlight the iconic interlocking CC design. Finally, the most dramatic variation is the statement earring, often in a chandelier style with dripping strands of natural stones and cultured pearls. Regardless of era or style, Chanel earrings are both glamorous and novel, creating visual interest through their contrast and excess.