Wheat Inspiration
Chanel pays tribute to its founder's love of wheat with the Les Blés de Chanel high jewellery collection
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Helmi Yusof
LEGENDARY DESIGNER Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel was born in Aug 19, 1883, during the harvest festival when the warm smell of wheat filled the countrysides of France. Although she was too young to recall the day, she grew up regarding wheat as a symbol of luck, renewal, prosperity and creativity.
As an adult, wheat was present in different forms in her apartment at Rue Cambon, her suite at the Ritz Paris and her home in La Pausa. Various wood and bronze furniture bore wheat carvings and a Salvador Dali oil painting of a single ear of wheat hung in her apartment. She even had a habit of sprinkling wheat throughout her homes to invite luck.
In 1960, she designed a Spring/Summer haute couture dress in ivory lace overstitched with golden thread in an ear-of-wheat motif. It was so beautiful, French actress Jeanne Moreau had one designed for her measurements.
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