Patrice Leguéreau, who headed Chanel’s Fine Jewelry Creation Studio for the past 15 years, died Nov. 12 at age 54 of an unspecified illness, according to the French newspaper Le Figaro.
A graduate of Paris-based fine arts college École Boulle, Leguéreau joined Chanel in 2009 after stints at Van Cleef & Arpels and Cartier.
“I studied art at school and I slowly understood that jewelry was a place where I could feel comfortable,” Leguéreau told The Week in 2019. “I arrived on Place Vendôme 27 years ago, and I never left.”
Wrote Le Figaro: “When people came to see him to talk about jewelry and fine jewelry, he loved nothing more than to bring out the preparatory drawings he had made as an introduction.”
In a statement, Chanel said that under Leguéreau’s direction, “the Jewelry Creation Studio has grown and developed, welcoming a wealth of talent that he has constantly encouraged and nurtured. Those who were lucky enough to work alongside him will remember him as a deeply sensitive, humble, and accessible man, driven by a strong sense of community. Patrice’s contribution to Chanel is immense, and he will always be remembered.”
Leguéreau is survived by three children.
(Photo courtesy of Chanel)
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