The camellias have been a symbol of elegance and beauty within the House of CHANEL since the beginning of time. While records vary when it comes to founder Gabrielle Chanel’s relationship with the flower — some say she was enthralled by a play of the Alexander Dumas novel, La Dame aux Camelias; some say her lover, Boy Capel, gifted her with a bouquet of camellias at the start of their love story; and some say she was inspired by novelist Marcel Proust, who pinned a single camellia to his jackets as a symbol of sophistication and non-conformity — it’s undeniable that camellias are her favourite.
