Long before the interlocking Cs became synonymous with luxury, a young Gabrielle Chanel found herself deeply enamored not just with a man but with a design. It was 1906, and amidst the romance of her lover Etienne Balsan’s estate, young Gabrielle encountered a pattern that would one day become a cornerstone of her fashion empire. This motif wasn’t discovered within the walls of a lavish mansion but rather on the quilted blankets of Balsan’s horses and the jackets of stable lads. This design captivated Chanel, sowing the seeds for what would later be recognized as one of her brand’s most heartfelt creations: the COCO CRUSH jewelry collection.
Fast forward to 2015, and this inspiration from Chanel’s early years culminated in a transformative moment for the Maison. Chanel transformed the quilted design, originally born from fabric, into something even more precious—gold. The debut of the COCO CRUSH collection marked a new era, offering a streamlined array of jewelry that adapts to every occasion, much like Chanel’s fashion. Designed for independent women, each piece in the collection mirrors how the founder marked her life as a free and modern designer.
The essence of COCO CRUSH lies in its attention to detail. The gold’s surface features incisions crafted with expert precision, recreating the quilted weave with a soft, rounded shape. This not only honors the original design but also highlights the sensual lines of the jewelry, making each piece a recognized icon of design—a blend of strength and femininity, curves, and angles.
In an ode to Chanel’s preference for warm, natural shades which she believed offered strength and protection, Chanel introduced beige gold in the COCO CRUSH collection. This signature hue pays tribute to the color of Chanel’s first triumphs—the tweed of her suits, the weave of her knits, and the leather of her bicolored shoes.
Today, the collection has grown to include new elements that reflect Chanel’s love of vibrant colors. “Red is the color of life, I love red,” Coco Chanel often remarked, and it’s this enthusiasm for red that has inspired the latest additions to the COCO CRUSH line. For the first time ever, incised gold is complemented with intense rubies, set in the hollow of a C-shaped pendant or at the center of an O on a bracelet—elements that spell out C.O.C.O when worn together, presenting a visual play on the founder’s initials and the iconic brand’s legacy.
COCO CRUSH continues to evolve, embracing fully diamond-paved surfaces that enhance the curved quilted pattern with a sparkle that accentuates the rhythm and geometry of the lines. A new pavé setting technique introduced in January 2025 highlights this innovation, adorning the diagonal lines of the quilted weave with diamonds that light up the incisions, creating a mirage set by the technical prowess of CHANEL’s jewelers and setters.
As Gabrielle Chanel once said, “Fashion fades, only style remains the same.” The COCO CRUSH collection brings this witticism to life, sprouting from a literal crush—her early love that inspired the iconic quilted pattern. From the romance of its origins to the innovative designs of today, COCO CRUSH is proof of how a moment of love can leave an everlasting mark on fashion.
Main image: Mona TOUGAARD, model, wears COCO CRUSH earrings and necklaces, quilted motif, in 18K BEIGE GOLD and white gold, diamonds. CHANEL Fine Jewelry.
