Upon returning to Venice, Gabrielle Chanel would rediscover her favourite animal star sign,the king of the zodiac, each time. A symbol of strength, the lion represented that eternal drive and spark with which she led her life. They became acquainted during her first visit to the city in 1920 with Misia and José Maria Sert. The death of Boy Capel, the great love of her life, had left her completely devastated. Misia, Gabrielle’s only true friend, had saved her from grief by having her almost forcibly leave Paris and offering her Venice with its Tiepolo skies, purple-strewn dawns and golden lions as a new distraction.
Making its first appearance in the CHANEL High Jewellery world in 2012, the Lion once again takes centre stage in the new jewellery collection entitled SOUS LE SIGNE DU LION in two new design themes: Lion ‘Arty’ taking its form out of a single gold monolith and Lion ‘Pépites’ with its lion sketched out in curved lines.
Solar and majestic, the watchful guardian of the Serenissimo, the Lion in this collection is treated in a most pure and geometrical way.
