here was an unmistakable sporty vibe at the unveiling of Chanel’s latest high jewellery collection in Monaco this June: a rousing soundtrack, an umpire’s chair, three compact rows of stadium seats, lines that shifted from tennis to baseball court, and among it all, presented on busts and in display cases, the pieces from Chanel’s Haute Joaillerie Sport collection. It takes a certain audacity to put “high jewellery” and “sport” together in the same sentence, and guests at the launch were unanimous in describing this as Chanel’s most striking, least expected collection yet.

For a number of years, Patrice Leguéreau, Director of the Chanel Jewellery Creation Studio, has been revisiting the spirit of Chanel with jewellery that is anchored in the brand’s legacy and identity: the N°5 collection was revealed in honour of the fragrance’s 100th anniversary in 2012; the 1932 collection, presented in 2022, was an ode to the Bijoux de Diamants ensemble crafted by Gabrielle Chanel in 1932; in 2023, Tweed de Chanel gave the illusion of fabric, woven not from wool but from gold and precious stones. But sport?

Chanel business card, 1920s. Patrimoine de Chanel, Paris. ©Chanel

The Haute Joaillerie Sport collection didn’t come about by chance. It originated with a little-known episode in the house’s history. All it took was a calling card, yellow with age, that Patrice Leguéreau found in Chanel’s archives to fire his imagination. On it were two words: Couture - Sport. We knew Gabrielle Chanel was first to introduce jersey and tweed to haute couture. What few people know is that in 1921 she opened a Sports atelier within her couture house. All that remained was for Patrice Leguéreau to pull on this thread and interpret the theme of sport à la Chanel, harnessing the skill and expertise of the jewellery workshops.

Gabrielle Chanel playing golf near Saint-Jean-de-Luz, circa 1917. ©Photo by Apic/Getty Images

Sport loves a logo, and the Chanel name appears discreetly in the very structure of certain pieces, such as the Chanel Print necklace in white gold, one of the highlights of the collection, set with a jumble of diamond letters, rubies and an 18-carat cushion-cut Kashmir sapphire. Keira Knightley wore another of the star pieces, the Graphic Line necklace adorned with a cushion-cut Kashmir sapphire weighing 10.15 carats, at the gala dinner which guests attended after the presentation. Bejewelled chains echo the drawstrings on a sportswear favourite, the hoodie, while long necklaces fasten with a diamond-encrusted carabiner. However, the most unexpected piece has to be the Quilted Stars necklace, with its 7.06-carat, emerald-cut, yellow diamond centrestone and a number 5 in black lacquer, styled like a digital sports timer.

Patrice Leguéreau, Director, Chanel Jewellery Creation Studio ©Chanel

Europa Star Jewellery: High jewellery and sport are not words we would usually associate; an oxymoron, almost. What gave you the idea for the Haute Joaillerie Sport collection? The Paris Olympics, perhaps?

Patrice Leguéreau: At Chanel, whether in Fashion, Fragrance and Beauty, or Watches and Jewellery, the creative act always follows in Gabrielle Chanel’s pioneering footsteps. Freedom of movement and body awareness were at the heart of her designs, so I wouldn’t say this is an oxymoron. Gabrielle Chanel was known for her sporty allure and opened a Sports atelier within her haute couture house as early as 1921. For this reason I imagined the Haute Joaillerie Sport collection as the first to celebrate Chanel’s sports style in high jewellery, in the same way that I imagined the first high jewellery interpretation of the N°5 fragrance or Chanel’s signature tweed. Through its blend of elegance and performance – in the designs, the techniques and the exceptional selection of gemstones –, this collection is a celebration of movement, which is key to a woman’s allure, but also the passion, endeavour and exploits that are characteristic of sport.

Quilted 5 ring in white gold, diamonds and red lacquer with a 1.04-carat brilliant-cut diamond. Haute Joaillerie Sport collection. ©Chanel

You unveiled the collection in Monaco. Is this because Gabrielle Chanel enjoyed spending time there? It’s here that she would meet friends such as Jean Cocteau, Pierre Reverdy and Sergei Diaghilev. In fact she designed costumes for Diaghilev’s ballet, Le Train Bleu, some of which resemble bathing suits.

The reference to Le Train Bleu is an interesting one. Gabrielle Chanel was always at the creative vanguard. She was the first fashion designer to imagine costumes for a ballet production. Sergei Diaghilev, at that time the director of the Saint Petersburg Opera company, contacted her in 1924 and asked if she would design the costumes for Le Train Bleu. They would be worn on stage, so of course comfort and ease of movement were paramount. A century later, we have every reason to want to celebrate this spirit with the Haute Joaillerie Sport collection. As for presenting the collection in Monaco, we like to return to places that were important to Mademoiselle. She was a regular visitor to the Principality. It was a favourite retreat during her stays on the French Riviera. She even owned a villa, La Pausa, not far from Monaco, in Roquebrune. We also know that she opened two boutiques in Monte-Carlo: one in 1913 for hats and fashion at Hôtel de l’Hermitage, and a second for fragrance, in 1925-26, at Hôtel de Paris.

Certain pieces have an Art Deco feel. Is this an allusion to the year Gabrielle Chanel opened her Sports division, in 1921?

I wanted this collection to be more than a reference; I wanted to develop a distinct jewellery language. For example, the chevron motif of the Graphic Line necklace signifies rhythm and speed. The contours are clean and smooth, while bands of colour infuse the piece with energy. The chevron, identifiable by its V shape, also appears in one of the Comète head ornaments that was part of the Bijoux de Diamants collection which Gabrielle Chanel showed in 1932.

You’ve chosen a restrained colour palette of red, white and blue, with yellow accents. The French flag immediately springs to mind. Was this deliberate?

What I actually wanted were bold, assertive colours that I could use to express the theme. Sapphires, rubies and spinels, garnets and yellow diamonds, emeralds, diamonds and onyx. There are never more than two or three colours in any one piece, creating two-tone and three-tone contrasts. This graphic signature accentuates the beauty of the gemstones.

Chanel Print necklace in white gold, set with an 18-carat cushion-cut sapphire, diamonds, sapphires and rubies. Haute Joaillerie Sport collection. ©Chanel

Speaking of gemstones, you have used a set of five exceptional Kashmir sapphires, including one that weighs 35.1 carats for the Chanel Print ring and another of 18 carats for the Chanel Print necklace. How long did it take to source such rare stones?

These sapphires are truly remarkable and reflect the excellence found throughout the collection. When assembling this exceptional suite, we looked for stones which, when grouped together, would present a harmony of colour, crystal, size and cut, and which meet five criteria. They are size, knowing that for a Kashmir sapphire, more than ten carats is already large-stone territory; extraordinary colour; a vibrant, luminous crystal structure; purity of course, and cut. All these sapphires have a “Kashmir cut” which lets light enter the stone, highlights the crystal structure and reveals the full depth of colour. We assembled this rare suite of sapphires one by one, step by step. Each stone took several years to find.

Chanel Print ring in white gold, diamonds, sapphires and black lacquer. Rectangular-cut sapphire (35.1 cts). Haute Joaillerie Sport collection. ©Chanel

On the lion coat-of-arms brooch, we can read “joaillerie 1932”. Is this your way of saying that Chanel jewellery dates back to 1932 and the Bijoux de Diamants collection?

The lion is a recurring theme in Chanel’s design lexicon and one that Gabrielle Chanel returned to many times. She was even born on August 19, which made her a Leo. I actually created a high jewellery collection, Sous le Signe du Lion, in 2018 in the lion’s honour. I like to interpret the lion in ways that express the themes of our collections, and I wanted the motifs and designs in the Haute Joaillerie Sport collection to revisit symbols that were important to Gabrielle Chanel, in a sports language. It seemed to me that the lion was a perfect fit.

What were the greatest technical challenges when making this collection?

I would say technique becomes an aesthetic signature. Quick-release clasps borrowed from sports equipment are both functional, so that a necklace can be fastened and unfastened with one hand, and aesthetic, no longer hidden but placed at the centre of the piece, for example the carabiner, formed as a number 5, the swivel clasp from the 2.55 bag, or the array of buckles and loops. Chanel’s quilted pattern is reinvented as a supple, high-performance mesh adorned with symbols such as the number 5, which we’ve rendered with the distinctive graphic of a sports timer. There is also a “sports cord” tubular chain that was specially developed by Chanel for the collection.

Icons Collector brooches in white gold, yellow gold, diamonds and coloured lacquer. Each star can also be worn individually, on a chain. Haute Joaillerie Sport collection. ©Chanel

Another hallmark is the combination of precious and high-tech materials. Aluminium, which is known for its light weight and excellent resistance, has been given unusual colours. We’ve used carbon fibre to create an ultra-lightweight cuff. We’ve also extended the colour palette with lacquer in shades that match the precious stones.

Did the ateliers have to invent a technique or a system in order to bring your gouache renderings to life?

Every piece of jewellery indeed begins life as a sketch. As curious as it may seem, these sketches are how we transform a two-dimensional object into three dimensions. My method is that of a couturier. Once I’ve sketched the model, I cut out a paper pattern and try it on a bust. An item of jewellery is like a haute couture gown; it must drape perfectly and fit the anatomy of the person who wears it. This was particularly true for this collection. I have the immense privilege, in my studio and in the ateliers, to work hand-in-hand with highly specialised designers and artisans.

Quilted Stars necklace in white gold, yellow gold, diamonds, yellow diamonds, sapphires and onyx with a 7.06-carat emerald-cut yellow diamond. Haute Joaillerie Sport collection. ©Chanel

Coming back to your question about the technical complexity of the collection, we were clear about the direction we wanted to take. The aesthetic is clean and smooth, so that the jewellery is completely ergonomic, like sports apparel. The selection of gemstones is truly exceptional and includes the most beautiful suite of sapphires ever seen in Chanel High Jewellery. Then, of course, there is the technical aspect. The combination of precious and high-tech materials is another signature element, with aluminium, carbon and lacquer that has been machined into custom shapes.

Some of your revisits are quite surprising. There’s a stopwatch-inspired number 5 and another styled as a carabiner. One of the Sweater necklaces is adorned with a precious drawstring and the iconic 2.55 bag’s quilting is recreated in gemstones. A high jewellery collection is always a serious business, given the values at stake, but be honest: how much fun did you have when designing these pieces?

Working for a house such as Chanel is an endless pleasure. Creativity is at the centre of everything and the fundamentals come from the remarkable world of a liberated, trailblazing woman. It’s an amazing playground for a designer. Personally, the theme of movement struck a particular chord. As a jewellery designer, I have my head in the stars but sport keeps my feet on the ground and helps me recharge my creative energy, which has to be constantly renewed. So, yes, giving life to this collection was an absolute joy.

Sporty 5 Green earrings in white gold, diamonds, emeralds, green lacquer and green aluminium with a 1.05-carat brilliant-cut diamond and a 1.06-carat brilliant-cut diamond. Haute Joaillerie Sport collection. ©Chanel

These are turbulent times. Could this mix of preciousness, playfulness and beauty be a way to escape the gloom and doom?

I certainly hope my jewellery can in some way contribute.

Chanel Print cuff in white gold, diamonds, rubies, carbon, black lacquer and red aluminium with a 3.08-carat brilliant-cut diamond. The cuff can be worn in several ways thanks to interchangeable shells: a white gold and diamonds version, a carbon version or a combination of the two., Haute Joaillerie Sport collection. ©Chanel