Step Inside Chanel’s New Paris Flagship Designed by Peter Marino
The Place Vendôme space debuts with a celestial high-jewelry collection inspired by Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel’s archival designs
No other brand mines its past to conjure fresh ideas for the present quite like Chanel. The latest example can be found inside 18 Place Vendôme in Paris, now dedicated exclusively to fine and high jewelry as well as watches, which recently reopened its doors after a yearlong refurbishment by architect Peter Marino. The space is swathed in the classic Chanel palette, amplified by artworks by Idris Khan, Johan Creten, and Joel Morrison, while a 1951 masterpiece by Nicolas de Staël packs a punch in the Grand Salon.
“It is more than just a boutique,” says Frédéric Grangié, president of fine jewelry and watches at Chanel. “It stands at the heart not only of the creation of the house but also of its life.”
“I have given figurative expression to the shimmer of the comet, the halo of the moon, and the radiance of the sun”
Patrice Leguéreau
The new high-jewelry collection is yet another ode to the maison’s founder, Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel. Titled 1932, it references the year she presented her first and only high-jewelry offering—an array of star-themed bijoux. “I wanted to create a different vision of this legacy by setting these celestial elements in motion,” says Patrice Leguéreau, director of Chanel Jewelry Creation Studio. “To do this, I have given figurative expression to the shimmer of the comet, the halo of the moon, and the radiance of the sun.” In late October, some of the extraordinary pieces will be on view in a special exhibition in Los Angeles.
A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2022 Fall Issue under the headline “Celestial Beauty.” Subscribe to the magazine.