Chanel opens its first dedicated watch and jewellery boutique in Southeast Asia in Singapore

Gabrielle Coco Chanel was truly a consummate designer and creator — most know of the indelible legacy she left in the world of fashion with her iconic tweed jackets and quilted handbags. But what is perhaps lesser known of her is that she also expressed her creativity in jewellery design.

The year was 1932 when Coco presented her first fine jewellery collection to an exclusive group of friends and guests at her private apartment in Paris. Diamonds were Coco’s favourite stone — “they represent the greatest value under the smallest volume”, she is quoted as saying — and her first collection, Bijoux de Diamants, comprised comet-inspired jewellery pieces made of platinum and diamonds.

Chanel’s fine jewellery division was revived in 1993 and today has 42 dedicated watch and fine jewellery boutiques all over the world, eight of which are located in Asia in cities like Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Seoul. Recently, Singapore joined this select list of vibrant metropolitans that the luxury fashion maison has chosen to open a watch and fine jewellery boutique at, with the debut of a flagship boutique at Ngee Ann City, Takashimaya. The boutique is the first in Southeast Asia.

“The one in Singapore is a natural evolution of our strategy, to be visible and accessible in all major cities of the world,” says Frederic Bocquillon, Chanel’s regional general manager of watches and fine jewellery, adding that the availability of the retail lot at Ngee Ann City was the main reason for the timing of the opening.

“We started considering opening a boutique here two years ago. We were simply waiting for the location opportunity to be presented to us that is in line with our quality criteria. So, it’s totally independent of any external factors such as the economic situation. As you can see, we do not have the worst retail location,” says Bocquillon.

Indeed, it does not. The Chanel Watch and Fine Jewellery boutique at Ngee Ann City couldn’t be more prominently situated — it sits on the first floor and is directly in the line of vision of those entering the mall. Designed by Peter Marino, the architect who has designed all of Chanel’s fashion and fine jewellery boutiques, the intimate outfit that spans about 1,000 sq ft is inspired by the eclecticism of Coco’s apartment at 31 Rue Cambon, Paris, where she used to live and work. Basked in warm tones of gold and brown, the boutique oozes a luxurious old world charm, and yet has a decidedly contemporary feel.

The sensation of opulence is felt upon stepping into the store, beginning with the lush carpet that cushions your feet. The hand-painted, gold horizontal-striped wallpaper provides a beautiful backdrop to the dazzling creations that blink enticingly at you from the glass display cases. Hanging from the ceiling is an arresting glass and metal chandelier in a filigree pattern reminiscent of the Art Nouveau period, created by gold and silversmith company Robert Goossens.

One side of the boutique is dedicated to Chanel’s J12 watches while the other showcases its fine jewellery collections, with cubby-holes in the walls displaying some of the larger pieces. Towards the back of the boutique is a private VIP area that can be cordoned off for exclusive viewings. This space is made to look like Coco’s living room, and the carved coromandel screens are similar to those that used to sit in her apartment.

Just as Coco fuels the inspiration for the concept of the boutique, she and everything that she loved are also very much the muse for the jewellery collections. Symbols which were dear to her and that define the fashion maison, such as the camellia and comet, are translated onto exquisite necklaces, bracelets and rings.

“We have a very strong heritage and a lot of stories to tell. All our creations are really coming from the original person, Coco Chanel, which are revisited today and is the basic fundamental of our creations,” says Bocquillon. “Unlike fashion, the jewellery business is not a short-term business. Our creations are there to last, meaning, there is an element of timelessness. Being timeless means that what’s important is being able to enhance and use the brand’s symbols, and having different people participating in the design and creation. Sometimes, it can be feminine, and sometimes, it leads to very creative, innovative, somewhat avant-garde collections.”

The designing of Chanel’s fine jewellery collections are all done in-house but the pieces are made by traditional jewellery workshops in Paris, Bocquillon reveals. The watches, on the other hand, are made in Chanel’s very own watch factory in Switzerland. One new fine jewellery collection is released every year, and this year’s baroque collection, which features large coloured gemstones, is inspired by Coco Chanel’s Russian period.

Even in this current economic climate, Bocquillon says Chanel still plans to double its watch and fine jewellery distribution this year, with a particular focus on China.

“As a company, we are not really influenced by economic circumstances,” he says. “We are a privately held, non-listed company, and that gives us fantastic freedom of creation. The economic situation, which is affecting all sectors in the global level, is not something that is affecting the company’s strategy and vision for the future, which is to be the ultimate house of luxury, now and forever.”

This article appeared in Options, the lifestyle pullout of The Edge Malaysia, Issue 754, May 11 - 17, 2009.