Lalique Unveils a Dazzling Flagship in New York City’s Historic Chopard Mansion

The French crystal house’s exceptional savoir faire goes on vivid display in an intimate townhouse setting transformed by Studio Preveza

March 21, 2025

Lalique. Photo: Adrian Gaut

The New York City skyline was still coming into its own in the late 19th century, decades before the Empire State Building and Chrysler Building would eventually define the city’s architectural landscape and usher in the heyday of Art Deco. But nothing could stop René Lalique, who founded his eponymous crystal house in 1888 following stints at Cartier and Boucheron, from musing on the future. The visionary French jeweler and glass designer sketched a necklace inspired by the Manhattan skyline’s steep contours in 1894 but promptly filed it away. The drawing sat dormant in Lalique’s archives until recently, when the French maison faithfully transformed it into a dazzling white gold wearable paved entirely with diamonds.

The necklace has quickly become one of the most sought-after—and symbolic—marvels at Maison d’Artiste, the heritage brand’s immersive new Manhattan flagship. Set within the historic Beaux Arts–style Chopard Mansion on a secluded stretch of the Upper East Side, the five-story townhouse showcases Lalique’s unparalleled savoir-faire and crystal artistry across six categories (decorative items, interior design, perfumes, jewelry, works of art, and hospitality) within a rarefied residential setting evocative of a collector’s home. “The Maison d’Artiste was inspired by the interiors of art lovers, artists, and collectors who invite visitors to experience art and craftsmanship in an inspiring ‘home’ setting,” artistic director Marc Larminaux tells Galerie. “By embracing a residential feel, the space evokes a sense of warmth, exclusivity, and refinement.”

The entry. Photo: Adrian Gaut

Achieving an inviting atmosphere while translating Lalique’s vision across five history-laden floors brimming with exquisite crystal creations is no small order, but Larminaux and Christos Prevezanos, founder of the Los Angeles–based Studio Preveza, handled the task with aplomb. They split each floor into thirds to conjure intimacy while maintaining an open, free-flowing plan that encourages collectors, designers, and enthusiasts to explore further. There’s an elevator for that purpose, but guests are encouraged to take the staircase—it features a hand-painted site-specific mural by Chris “Daze” Ellis, an early New York street art pioneer who reinterpreted iconic Lalique motifs like feminine figures, anemone flowers, butterflies, and blackbirds.

Throughout the townhouse, there’s something for every type of Lalique enthusiast. Each room is dedicated to one of the house’s core pillars while paying subtle homage to the city’s cultural heritage, from a breathtaking atrium where Lalique signatures mingle with new masterpieces to the Véranda d’Essences, an olfactory oasis awash in the house’s expertly crafted fragrances. A second-floor salon honors René Lalique’s legacy as a master jeweler, showcasing an array of delicate crystal collections—including the “Manhattan” necklace—backdropped by hand-painted silk wallpaper the house created with Fromental.

The jewelry salon, which features the label’s wallpaper collection with Fromental, at Lalique.

The jewelry salon, which features the label’s wallpaper collection with Fromental. Photo: Adrian Gaut

One floor up, the largest Lalique Art Gallery yet honors one-of-a-kind concepts and collaborations with creative luminaries like Damien Hirst, Zaha Hadid, and James Turrell, who joined forces with the house on a series of exquisite perfume bottles in lustrous hues and prismatic forms. The fourth floor houses the first Lalique Interior Design Studio outside of Paris, fittingly located in Chopard’s former workspace.

Perhaps most impressive are the breathtaking architectural installations integrated into the flagship on a never-before-seen scale that, Larminaux describes, “push the boundaries of possibility.” Among them are an impressive light wall of crystal composed of 36 Lauriers panels, a whirl of 62 light crystal swallows on the ceiling, and a spectacular dome of 177 illuminated crystal anemones, all created by the Lalique Interior Design Studio and the Lalique factory in Alsace, France, the brand’s sole facility that continues to hand-craft each piece.

The bar and lounge. Photo: Adrian Gaut

The extent of the savoir faire on display can easily intimidate newcomers, but visitors are free to venture up to the fourth-floor bar to take the edge off with a cocktail—or a glass from Vignobles Silvio Denz, the namesake private vineyard owned by Lalique Group’s executive chairman. The Art Deco–inspired lounge is tastefully drenched in sumptuous oxblood decor inspired by the Orient Express, which René Lalique designed in the 1920s. The room, admits Prevezanos, is his favorite. “The deep wine-red backdrop creates an intimate cocoon that makes the Lalique crystal pieces appear to float in their display niches,” he tells Galerie. “I love how the space invites visitors to pause and experience the collection in a more personal way.”

See below for more images of the flagship: