LONDON — Bonhams is preparing to serve up a flurry of tweed, flashes of gold and a slick of sequins with a trio of Chanel sales in New York, Paris and London come September.
Ready-to-wear, accessories and costume jewelry from the creative tenures of Karl Lagerfeld and Virginie Viard will go under the hammer starting on Sept. 7 in New York.
The New York sale, From the Vault II, will run from Sept. 7-17 and focus on tweed pieces dating from Lagerfeld’s 1990s runway collections. Versions of those designs were worn on the runway by models such as Claudia Schiffer, Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington.
Also being featured is a curated selection of Métiers d’Art pieces from the mid-2000s, including the top lot, a Chanel birdcage minaudière, from the fall 2020 collection.
The gold-tone cage’s exterior features lovebird details and a faux-hinged door, and is decorated with simulated turquoise, multitone glass crystals and CC logo details. The estimate ranges from $20,000 to $30,000.
The silver sequin cocktail dress from Karl Lagerfeld‘s fall 1994 collection.
Other sale highlights include a small wicker filigree vanity case from Lagerfeld’s spring 2019 collection. The bag is made from black patent leather and has a natural wicker exterior with CC logo detail and silver-tone hardware. It carries an estimate of $8,000 to $12,000.
A silver sequin cocktail dress from Lagerfeld’s fall 1994 collection is also part of the sale.
Bonhams said a similar design was worn by Olivia Rodrigo to the Met Gala, “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty” after party in 2023. The silver sequin dress has a lace collar detail and a flower pin and is being offered with an estimate of $3,000 to $5,000.
Ahead of the online sale, highlights will be exhibited at Bonhams’ U.S. flagship at 111 West 57th Street from Aug. 17 until Sept. 2. Bonhams said it plans to transform its atrium into a “world of Chanel” to showcase the merchandise.
The Paris show is called Chanel From the Vault, and will take place from Sept. 14-24. It will feature 400 pieces from Lagerfeld, Viard and Chanel’s in-house team, including a black knit tweed dress with multicolored sequins from the cruise 2024 collection. The dress carries an estimate of 1,600 euros to 2,000 euros.
The cropped black sequined jacket from the Versailles cruise 2013 collection.
There is also a cocktail dress from the spring 2018 rtw collection made from organza and gold Lurex on offer with an estimate of 1,500 euros to 2,500 euros. A cropped black sequin-covered jacket from the Versailles cruise 2013 collection carries an estimate of 1,200 euros to 1,500 euros.
A long white tweed jacket with rhinestone buttons from the Hotel Monte-Carlo Beach cruise 2023 collection is priced between 1,600 euros and 2,200 euros.
The London auction will run from Sept. 21 to Oct. 1 and the focus will be on bags, fashion, vintage costume jewelry from the 1960s through the 1990s.
As any Chanel aficionado knows, the house’s founder, Gabrielle Chanel, revolutionized the perception of costume jewelry in the 1920s by pairing faux pearls with vibrant glass creations from Maison Gripoix, the Parisian glass atelier.
Chanel designed bold, Byzantine-inspired pieces to complement her couture collections, and the aesthetic became one of her many enduring signatures. It continues to inspire the maison’s jewelry collections today.
The Goossens for Chanel filigree snake bangle is the top lot in London.
Leading the London sale is a Robert Goossens for Chanel haute couture filigree snake bangle, circa 1960.
Goossens was one of the 20th century’s most influential French jewelers. A master craftsman, he fused fine and costume jewelry by combining precious and imitation gemstones, poured glass and metals into innovative designs.
The gilt-hinged snake bracelet, with graduated filigree caps and green glass eyes, is on offer with an estimate of 10,000 pounds to 15,000 pounds.
Other sale highlights include a pearl and cruciform necklace from Lagerfeld’s spring 1993 rtw collection. The simulated pearl necklace has a chunky, gold-tone metal clasp and an open cross pendant with a central CC motif. It carries an estimate of 500 pounds to 800 pounds.
