Inside Coco Chanel’s Legendary, Gilded Apartment

The apartment at 31 Rue Cambon in Paris is an iconic space only few have glimpsed with their own eyes. It's the private residence where the one and only Coco Chanel cultivated her empire in the early days of her fashion house — long before Lagerfeld was slipping on those white gloves. And, the apartment (where the Chanel brand got its start) is the ultimate in opulence and luxury. Prints, rich satins, sparkling crystals, and gold, gold, and more gold covers everything in sight. The entire space is as mesmerizing and layered as the mirrored staircase leading up to it.

So, naturally, we were transfixed when one of our favorite NYC-based photographers, Jamie Beck, visited the abode on a recent trip to the city of lights. Beck created a stunning photo essay chronicling the details of Chanel's interiors, from the numerous lion motifs (Coco was obsessed with being a Leo) to the invisible doors. Click through for our favorite up-close shots — and then head over to Ann Street Studio for the full, time-traveling tour of a legend's sacred space.