Camellias

Elegance and Strength

Although the bright fall leaves are stunning, to me, the most captivating presentation from nature this time of year is the Camellia flower. 

As the last of the orange and black is stowed away, and I prepare for the grey and cold, I am always taken aback when I see these elegant blooms. 

I love the simplicity of these flowers: pure white petals on the interior, with splashes of pink on the exterior all surrounding a puff of soft, yellow stamen. 

This flower is a living definition of strength and elegance: it is obviously a hearty flower, to bloom this time of year, yet it looks so delicate and light.

Another long time fan of the Camellia is the legendary designer, Coco Chanel.  In fact, nothing is more symbolic of Chanel fashions than this shapely flower.  It is said that she was entranced with the flower because it was so simple, geometrical and orderly. She loved the simple beauty of the flower, absent of perfume or thorns.

My daughter and I had the pleasure of staying next door to Madame Chanel’s apartment, La Camellia on the rue de Cambon at the Hotel Castille in Paris. Her apartment is above the Chanel shop. From our bedroom window we were able to spy into the Chanel corporate offices, we loved the Chanel skis and snowboards which were under consideration!  My daughter still has a shopping bag from that trip hanging on her wall. 

To this day, the Camellia is prominently displayed on many an item from The House of Chanel, from footwear in the Spring, 

Photo from Malleries, click here to shop. to this sporty black leather suit with camellia cut-outs.

What I admire most about Coco Chanel is her revolutionary spirit and how significantly she changed women’s fashions. Did you know she was the first to design clothing for women which did not require wearing a corset? She also introduced sportswear for women.  Many of these fashions were inspired by items she found in the closet of her lovers. She also developed a stretch fabric (jersey) for women’s casual clothing and swimwear.

While researching this post, I was pleasantly astounded to come across a video of Madame Channel! To watch this determined visionary explain her definition of elegance (in lovely thick French) click on Coco.  I don’t understand all that she is saying, but I definitely feel elegance (strength and elegance).

To learn more about her famous apartment on the Rue de Cambon, click on La Camellia.

I wonder what Madame Chanel would think of the woolly mammoths strutting the linked C’s at a fashion show I attended this summer?!  I’ll share photos in the next post…