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Coco Chanel's camellia is one of the most iconic symbols in fashion history. The delicate flower, with its pure white petals and graceful silhouette, perfectly embodies the elegance and sophistication of the Chanel brand.
Chanel's love affair with the camellia began in 1913 when she first pinned one of the white blooms to her belt. The flower's simplicity, shape, purity, and vitality (it's not afraid to blossom in winter) seduced her. She made the Camellia more than her favorite flower-she made it a symbol.
Chanel's first camellia-inspired designs appeared in her 1923 collection. She used the flower in a variety of ways, from embroidering it on dresses and jackets to using it as a motif in her jewelry. The camellia quickly became her signature emblem, and it has remained a central part of the Chanel aesthetic ever since.
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Over the decades, the camellia has been reimagined by successive creative directors at Chanel, but it has always retained its essential elegance. In the hands of Karl Lagerfeld, the camellia became bolder and more playful. He used it in oversized proportions and in a variety of unexpected colors and materials. Under the current creative director, Virginie Viard, the camellia has taken on a more contemporary feel, while still preserving its timeless beauty.
In Viard's autumn/winter 2023 collection, the iconic motif takes center stage. The flower is featured in a variety of ways, from delicate 3D camellias adorning tweed jackets to oversized camellia prints on dresses and skirts. Viard also uses the camellia in more...