The Chanel Mademoiselle J12 La Pausa is a playful tribute to Coco Chanel
Fergus Nash- The latest ode to Coco Chanel is the Chanel Mademoiselle J12 La Pausa.
- It shows Coco Chanel in a more androgynous style which she paved the way for in women’s fashion.
- The image is inspired from a photo at her La Pausa villa in 1930.
As the only fashion designer to be named in Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century, Coco Chanel has definitely left a legacy that has lasted just as well as her brand. Although a controversial figure in life, her work as a designer helped introduced casual and sporty womenswear, affordable jewellery, and one of the best-selling fragrances of all time in Chanel No. 5. The Chanel Mademoiselle J12 La Pausa is yet another tribute to her from the timeless brand, this time inspired by a photo of her in her La Pausa villa.
This is the fourth time that the Chanel J12 has featured an image of the famous founder, as previous editions have ranged from another cartoon version, to a more realistic portrait, and even a small pendant of her dangling from the crown. While images of her in the iconic two-piece suit are easily recognisable, the Chanel Mademoiselle J12 La Pausa shows her in a much more androgynous state. Photographed in 1930, Chanel wore a striped marinière top and buckled black pants to match her short hair and pet dog. Her villa La Pausa is situated on the Côte d’Azur, between the borders of Monaco and Italy, and was named for the legend of Mary Magdalene visiting the area following the crucifixion of Jesus.
In one of the classic watchmaking styles of animation, Chanel’s stylised likeness is stationary while her arms traverse the dial as the hands. The hour hand does disappear behind her body at around 6 o’clock, but the time shouldn’t be too hard to figure out. The image isn’t entirely accurate to the photograph either, giving her front-button pants and a cute sailor’s hat to match the vibe of the top. Depending on your choice of the watch in white or black ceramic, Coco’s outfit inverts colours and the white reference becomes the most sailor-like.
The watch itself is in the form of a 38mm Chanel J12, with all of the glamour we have come to expect from these models. The pioneered all-ceramic case and bezel has a liquid-like glossiness to it, while the steel surrounds offer a brilliant metallic contrast. Although it’s a dress diver in the truest of senses, the case is still 200m water resistant with a screw-down crown for underwater activity. The movement is the Calibre 12.1 from Kenissi, a movement manufacturer founded by Tudor that also supplies Breitling, TAG Heuer, Norqain and Fortis. It has a power reserve of 70 hours, a 4Hz beat rate, and is COSC-certified for accuracy within -4/+6 seconds per day.
The Chanel Mademoiselle J12 La Pausa pricing and availability:
The Chanel Mademoiselle J12 La Pausa is available now as a limited edition, although it is unclear how many pieces of each colour will be made. Price: AU$16,400
| Brand | Chanel |
| Model | Mademoiselle J12 La Pausa |
| Case Dimensions | 38mm x 12.6mm |
| Case Material | Ceramic |
| Water Resistance | 200m |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire |
| Dial | White or black |
| Strap | Ceramic bracelet |
| Movement | Kenissi 12.1 |
| Power Reserve | 70 hours |
| Availability | Available now in limited numbers |
| Price | AU$16,400 |