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Long before Dior brought the Médaillon back in 2026, French fashion houses had been playing with medallions, portraits and miniature mirrors for decades.

This Chanel mirror earring dates to Spring–Summer 1988. A real glass mirror etched with the CC logo, topped with a bow and a portrait medallion of Coco Chanel.

Just one year later, Dior created its 1989 bicentennial medallion jewelry, commemorating 200 years since the French Revolution.

These designs weren’t random. Medallions have a much longer history in French decorative arts — portraits, coins, architecture, furniture and mirrors. Which is revisited by Dior in 2026 once again.

The classics already exist. We curate them for you.

Fashion history breakdown.

In 1989, Christian Dior created a special jewelry collection to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the French Revolution — 1789–1989.

But these weren’t simply Dior-inspired coin charms.

The commemorative medallions were minted exclusively for Christian Dior Bijoux by La Monnaie de Paris — the Paris Mint — and finished in 24K fine gold plating.

One side reads RF 1789 — République Française, surrounded by a laurel wreath.
The other bears CD 1989, marking Dior and the bicentennial year.

More than 35 years later, these pieces remain remarkably bright, with their gold finish beautifully preserved. Made to commemorate a moment in French history, these weren’t meant to feel disposable — and more than three decades later, they still don’t.

On our shipping deck today.

COCO AND THE LION 🦁

Why did the lion become one of CHANEL’s most recognizable symbols? It all starts with Gabrielle Chanel herself. Coco was born on August 19, under the sign of Leo. The lion became more than her zodiac sign — she treated it as a personal talisman, a symbol of courage, independence and strength.

And then came Venice. After the death of Boy Capel, Chanel traveled to Venice in 1920. The city would become an important source of inspiration for her — and everywhere in Venice was another lion: the Winged Lion of Saint Mark, the ancient emblem of the city.

Lions also appeared in Chanel’s private world. Lion sculptures and objects could be found in her apartment at 31 Rue Cambon, surrounding her with the symbol she had adopted as her own.

Eventually, the personal symbol became part of the language of the House. Over the decades, lions appeared in CHANEL jewelry in many forms — sculptural lion heads, medallions, brooches, rings and eventually extraordinary High Jewelry creations.

Today, collections such as Sous le Signe du Lion, L’Esprit du Lion and Lion Solaire de CHANEL continue that story.

Leo.
Coco’s talisman.
Venice.
And finally, a House icon.

But here is where the story gets even more interesting: The lion was never just Chanel. Follow for Part II. 🦁

Fashion history breakdown.

No, Chanel did not make a guillotine. Artist Tom Sachs did.

Created in 1998–99, Chanel Guillotine (Breakfast Nook) takes one of the most brutal symbols in French history and covers it with one of the most recognizable symbols of French luxury.

Sachs has long played with luxury logos — Chanel, Hermès, Tiffany and Prada — placing them on objects where they seemingly don’t belong.

According to Sachs, Chanel’s lawyers were not amused.
Karl Lagerfeld apparently was. Today, the work belongs to the permanent collection of the Centre Pompidou in Paris. It makes all the visitors wonder, does a luxury logo make everything desirable?