Picture this: a sweeping staircase, sumptuous fabrics, iconic decor pieces, and an atmosphere steeped in style and history. Coco Chanel’s apartment in Paris is undeniably one of the most inspiring spots in the fashion world. We ventured inside to uncover the magic of this legendary space.
Tekst Anja Van Der Borght
“An interior is a natural projection of the soul,” said Coco Chanel. As we walk through her apartment at 31 Rue Cambon in Paris, it feels as though we can still sense her presence. Her tarot cards are spread out on her desk, as if she had only just left. The floor-to-ceiling antique Coromandel screens, inlaid with gold and famous for their intricate lacquer work and detailed engravings of nature, myths, and historical events, largely define the atmosphere. It is said that Mademoiselle Chanel disliked doors and collected these Chinese screens, hoping that placing them in front of doorways would make her guests forget to leave. More importantly, the screens allowed her to creatively reshape her living space according to her mood, creating an air of mystery and beauty.
Goldfever
We are deeply impressed by the luxurious and eclectic collection of decorations. A bronze Prussian mirror with two eagles, an abundance of gold embellishments, walls lined with red leather-bound books (the red served as inspiration for Rouge Roman from the 31 Le Rouge lipstick collection), opulent furniture, and a distinctive mix of Eastern and European styles. Numerous depictions of (Venetian) lions reflect her birth date—August 19—under the zodiac sign of Leo. Silver snuffboxes, including those gifted by Hugh Grosvenor, the 2nd Duke of Westminster, with whom she had a long relationship. Egyptian, African, and Asian figurines—many given to her by her lover, polo player Boy Capel—and artworks by Salvador Dalí, Jean Cocteau, and Christian Bérard. Chanel’s apartment also holds items of deep personal significance, such as the golden birdcage with pearl birds (which inspired Virginie Viard, director of Chanel’s creative studio, to design the iconic birdcage handbag for the first Métiers d’Art collection in 2019) and a bronze icon of Igor Stravinsky, another of Coco’s lovers. Other treasures include crystal orbs, two bronze dogs flanking the fireplace (many of her figurative objects appear in pairs), Catholic imagery (she was raised in a convent after being abandoned there by her father), and wheat as her lucky charm—seen in bouquets or in the wheat-shaped base of a gilded bronze table with a glass top, custom-made for her by Robert Goossens.
The apartment of Chanel is a treasure trove of artistic and cultural artifacts that inspired Coco throughout her life and continue to influence the designers of the House today.
