The trendy city of Beverly Hills, California, is now home to the largest Chanel boutique store in the US. Officially opened on 5 May, the flagship store spans over 30,000 square feet and has four full floors to house the brand’s range of products from fashion, watches, fine jewellery, fragrances and beauty.
After over a decade of staying at its iconic Rodeo Drive location, Chanel has decided to rebuild and reimagine the space for contemporary times. The brand enlisted the help of its long-time collaborator Peter Marino in envisioning the space, and the result resonates strongly with Coco Chanel’s approach to dressing which is “less is more”. In other words, from the facade of the building to its interiors, the newly opened boutique is a masterclass on elegant restraint.
“A celebration of Chanel’s past, present, and future, the new, expanded boutique is housed in an abstracted exterior reminiscent of a staggered cube, cleaved by a multi-story glass atrium and clad in white crystallised glass,” said the brand in a press release. The choice of using black, white and grey is a nod to Chanel’s house colours, and this pared-back colour palette runs through the entire space.
Upon stepping into the boutique, customers are greeted by a pristine white environment adorned with slender display cases and vitrines showcasing Chanel’s jewellery, bags, fragrances, and other accessories. The ground floor combines elements representing the House’s iconic two-tone style where the luminous white plaster is paired with a different colour or material like cast bronze, interwoven textiles and grey wave stone. Directly above and illuminating the space are resplendent Goossens chandeliers crafted from rock crystal.
The first floor greets customers with a delightful arrangement of handbags and accessories on the right, while on the left, a sophisticated salon awaits which is solely dedicated to showcasing exquisite watches and fine jewellery. Continuing on, there will be a captivating fragrance and beauty section. Ascending to the second floor, customers will be captivated by the stunning display of ready-to-wear fashion. As one ventures further to the third floor, there will be two luxurious VIP suites, accompanied by well-appointed try-on rooms. Finally, the fourth floor beckons with its penthouse charm, boasting a rooftop garden adorned with elegant black framed aluminium trellises and offering unparalleled views of the iconic Rodeo Drive.
As keen advocators for the arts, the masterpiece of this boutique got to be the central artwork called “Golden Lasso”. The spiral art piece by French artist Jean-Michel Othoniel calls to mind an image of Coco Chanel’s pearl necklace. Other notable works include “Title TBC, 2022”, an abstract piece by Israeli artist Michal Rovner who said the inspiration was about a poppy flower blurred to resemble the effervescent nature of dreams.
Being a boutique in one of the most stylish cities in the world, customers will be able to shop the latest Spring/Summer 2023 collection designed by Virginie Viard. It is said that the creative designer was inspired by the French movie “Last Year at Marienbad”, for which its eponymous founder was in charge of designing the film’s costumes.
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