Chanel’s Jewel of a Book, All About Madonna, Cardin’s Swordplay – WWD

SPARKLING HISTORY: To mark the 90 years since Gabrielle Chanel launched her first diamond designs, a new volume titled “Chanel Haute Joaillerie” is slated for release in December.

As a guideline of those nine decades are the words of the couturier herself, who said she “used [her] penchant for all that shines to try and reconcile elegance and fashion in a set of jewelry.”

The high jewelry designs are, of course, given pride of place throughout the volume’s 518 illustrations. First come the 1932 “Bijoux de Diamants” pieces designed by Chanel herself, most of which have been taken apart or have been lost to time.

Mirroring this first for the house is its latest offering, the “1932” collection unveiled last May and imagined by the house’s jewelry creation studio director Patrice Leguéreau.

Another highlight is the 55.55 necklace, with its perfect octagonal-shaped diamond weighing exactly 55.55 carats, a design marking the centenary last year of the house’s famed No.5, and which is now part of Chanel’s patrimonial collection.

Over the course of four chapters and 528 pages, the origins, symbols, spirit and allure of the house’s designs are explored through texts and images drawn from the Chanel archives, including preparatory sketches and photographs.

Among the many photographers who have captured this glittering aspect of Chanel are Karl Lagerfeld, Mario Testino, Patrick Demarchelier, Horst P. Horst, Sarah Moon and Dominique Issermann, with their images giving life to these precious designs throughout the book.

“Chanel Haute Joaillerie” will initially be released by Thames & Hudson in France and the U.K. in December, priced at 150 euros or British pounds. It will be published in China, South Korea and Japan in January, and available in the U.S. in March for $200. — LILY TEMPLETON

ALL ABOUT MADONNA: On easily the busiest night Art Basel Miami Beach has seen thus far, Saint Laurent drew a selected crowd out onto the beach for a viewing well worth waiting in traffic for. Curated by Saint Laurent’s Anthony Vacarello, the brand presented an exhibition of Steve Miesel’s iconic 1992 photography book “Sex,” featuring numerous photographs of Madonna.

Thirty years later, the images still have as much impact as ever, and on display in large scale on the walls of the pop-up construction they demanded one’s attention. Vacarello was in attendance for the opening party Thursday night (the exhibit will ran through Sunday) and Madonna herself made an appearance at the party to see her images. Other guests included Zoë Kravitz, Laura Harrier, Hailey Bieber, Rauw Alejandro, Adwoa Aboah, Anja Rubik, Alek Wek, Evan Mock, Grace VanderWaal and Charlotte Lawrence, as well as designers Raf Simons and Riccardo Tisci.

After taking in the photos the crowd was golf-carted down the beach to a breezy oasis where cocktails and bites were served amid candlelight and a rolling video of behind-the-scenes looks at the photos. — LEIGH NORDSTROM

MAKING A POINT: The most unusual accessories spotted at a Pierre Cardin black-tie gala on Friday night in Paris weren’t Space Age sunglasses, but rather ceremonial swords.

Organized exactly 30 years to the day since the late designer was inducted into the prestigious Académie des Beaux-Arts, the event at Maxim’s attracted many Immortals, the title given to citizens inducted into any of the Institut de France’s five academies. Established in 1795, the Institut is a learned society that also manages foundations, museums and chateaus.

Cardin, who died in 2020 at age 98, was the first couturier to be inducted, and the academy continues to award a design prize in his name. Indeed, it was so meaningful to the Itallian-born fashion maverick that he was buried in his ceremonial uniform, decorated with embroideries of olive branches, and his sword.

Cardin also staged his 70th anniversary at the gold-domed Institut de France, which houses the Académie Francaise that governs the language.

“It was so important to him,” said his nephew Rodrigo Basilicati-Cardin, president and artistic director of Pierre Cardin, who wrote the foreword for a new velvet-covered tome detailing the milestone.

But knowing Cardin always liked to look to the future, Basilicati-Cardin invited a host of figures from the aerospace industry to the celebration, and also French architect Jacques Rougerie, who hopes his flagship project SeaOrbiter — a semi-submersible research vessel that resembles a futuristic robot seahorse — will come to fruition soon.

Artist Jean-Michel Othoniel, who was inducted into the Académie des Beaux-Arts in 2021 dressed in a uniform by Dior’s Kim Jones, revealed that he would open a new artistic residency program for the academy next April.

It will be housed in a small chateau outside of Paris, where 10 young artists — including painters, sculptors, musicians and engravers — will work toward a group show.

“It will be very exciting. It’s this idea of transmission. It was the goal of Monsieur Cardin,” he said.

Othoniel said he’s also working on a project for the Brooklyn Botanic Garden adjacent to the Brooklyn Museum. He said he would “play with the ponds” and unveil the new works in the fall of 2023. — MILES SOCHA

DEEDA’S DAY: “I never wanted to write a book,” confessed society doyenne Deeda Blair on Thursday. “I was always more interested in reading than writing.”

Her latest project begs to differ.

Blair, bouffant and all, held court at a luncheon at Christie’s in New York on Thursday to celebrate the release of “Deeda Blair: Food, Flowers & Fantasy,” her coffee-table book published by Rizzoli in November.

The tome’s subject matter ranges from recipes and table settings to vignettes from Blair’s life as a globetrotting socialite. The book’s proceeds, though, pay homage to her philanthropy: They benefit the Deeda Blair Research Initiative for Disorders of the Brain, which she established in 2016 with the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health.

“It’s ostensibly about food and entertaining, but it’s so much more. It’s a rallying cry for so many of the scientific causes for which Deeda has devoted so much passion and her life to: from brain disorders to AIDS and cancer,” said Will Stratford, a deputy chairman at the auction house, at the start of the meal.

Attendees included Christie’s brass as well as Aerin Lauder, Lauren Santo Domingo, Adam Lippes, Daniel Romualdez and Bob Colacello.

“She has an amazing sense of style, she’s warm and elegant,” Lauder said of Blair. “I met her through friends, and she is such an inspiration in every aspect.”

To that end, Jennifer Hall, vice chairman of Christie’s, said Blair’s encyclopedic knowledge of art and history was the bedrock of their relationship. “Christie’s loves her so much because while she is known for her fashion, her knowledge of art, literature and history is bar none,” she said. “She applies that same beautiful mind to her research in science.” — JAMES MANSO

ROWLEY’S DROP: Starting Monday, Cynthia Rowley’s exclusive collection of “girly-meets-sporty” clothing will be on Amazon’s The Drop for a limited time (30 hours or less). The nine-piece collection will have items all under $100 and range in size from XXS to 5X.

Products in the collection include a silky top and pant set, a slipdress, a tulle miniskirt, a fleece minidress, a stripe jersey T-shirt, among other items. “This collection is filled with street to sleep, cozy to cocktails, pretty pieces to dress up or just chill out in. They’re mixable, packable and pure fun,” Rowley said.

The celebrate the launch, Rowley’s daughter, Kit Keenan, who was a former contestant on “The Bachelor” and is an influencer, will model the collection on social media.

The Drop is as trend-focused, street-style-inspired fashion destination exclusive to Amazon. — LISA LOCKWOOD