An art exhibit based on the legacy of Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel opened Friday in Beijing, China.  The traveling exhibition is called

Coco Chanel (Image Courtesy of Twitter @Mi_Bellmont)

More than 400 works of art, couture dresses, jewelry, photographs, paintings, and drawings related to Chanel are being featured. The exhibit brings the artistic staples of Chanel to life and captures the essence of the brand. According to FWD, “the show is a remarkable sophisticated contemplation on how art can influence fashion.”

Among the pieces are a bronze head of Chanel by Jacques Lipchitz, an ink drawing by Salvador Dali, a collage by Pablo Picasso and a fan decorated by Jean Cocteau.  The exhibit also houses the oldest piece of ready-to-wear attire that Chanel has ever created.

The Curator Jean-Louis Froment said the exhibit was created as a homage to the artists who were in some way connected to Coco. 

The tribute is located in the National Art Museum of China and reflects the quaint feel of the surrounding city.  It is composed of smaller rooms and intimate spaces, similar to Beijing’s hutongs, or narrow streets. And of course, it keeps in line with Chanel’s black and white logo with its shiny black walls and white lacquer floors. 

The exhibit first opened earlier this year in Shanghai’s Museum of Contemporary Art and is being featured twelve years after the first Chanel boutique opened in Beijing. It will last until December 13, 2012.

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