Trend Watch: Innovative Hybrid: The Chain Brooch

I love to see a fresh idea in jewelry, especially one that might spin off an array of ideas for jewelry styling and design. This season, Chanel has created an eye-catching combination of a multiplicity of long, relatively fine chains attached to a pair of brooches and worn draped across or around the body. Chanel calls this hybrid jewelry its “chain brooch.”

Harper’s Bazaar featured this look in its February 2009 issue, in a gothic glam look of an exquisite lace-sleeved jumpsuit adorned with logo cuffs and more than one chain brooch. Here the brooches are pinned at the front of the shoulders, with the chains draping down the front of the bodice or alternately draping down the side and around to the back. Notice how the fine chains repeat the delicate design of the lace even as the volume of the chains balances the appearance of volume of the sleeves.

Harper’s Bazaar gave us a first peek at this look in its January 2009 issue, in a feature spread of black and white fashions for spring. Notice how one brooch is pinned front center, with the chains sweeping around low to the back for an a diagonal effect. Again, the fineness of the chains repeats the detail of the trim on the knit suit. 

The chain brooch has an intriguing look and wonderful versatility. Note, too, that it would be flattering on a wide range of women. This is a piece of jewelry that mothers and daughters could very well enjoy sharing. And its potential for ultimately being deconstructed into its components gives it even more stylish value.