I VISITED CHANEL'S WATCHES AND FINE JEWELRY BOUTIQUE IN NYC AND SAW WHY THE BRAND IS BETTING ON IN-PERSON SHOPPING

• In February, Chanel opened a watches and fine jewelry boutique on Fifth Avenue in New York City.
• Peter Marino designed the store with nods to Coco Chanel in mind. 
• The store is bathed in black and gold, drawing the eye to the one-of-a-kind jewelry in the space.

As I walked down Fifth Avenue, I was surrounded by the hustle and bustle I've come to expect from one of the most famous streets in New York City.

Home to an abundance of luxury stores like Bergdorf Goodman and Tiffany & Co., the avenue is constantly flooded with shoppers from far and wide, and the day I headed to see one of its latest additions was no different.

My destination was Chanel's watches and fine jewelry flagship, dedicated to exclusive and vintage jewelry from the brand. According to Robb Report, it's only the fourth Chanel store in the world like it, and renowned architect Peter Marino designed the boutique.

Chanel celebrated its grand opening with a star-studded event in February, joining other luxury brands like Saint Laurent and Gucci's parent company Kering in investing in physical retail spaces for high-end clientele.

I wanted to see what the boutique was like without all the celebrity glitz and glamour, so I used a free Monday to head to the store.

It was hard to miss the two-story boutique thanks to its asymmetrical checkerboard look made of black and textured gold paneling in massive windows. Jewelry sat on busts in the bottom corner under a gold Chanel sign.

The store looked luxurious even from a distance, and I felt eager to go inside after I spotted it.

Stepping inside was like being transported to another world

When I entered the store, the sounds of chattering tourists and honking cars immediately disappeared. Two doormen lingered by the entrance while several other employees waited nearby to assist shoppers. An employee immediately welcomed me inside as I took in my surroundings, and when I asked for a tour of the space, he seemed more than happy to help.

The boutique was mostly empty, with just a few shoppers milling around and another sitting with an employee discussing watch options. I got the impression most people came to the store with an appointment in place, though the workers I interacted with were welcoming of me even though I didn't have one.

The exterior color scheme continued inside, with black floors, gold walls, and rugs blending both colors. The ceilings stretched high, adding to its spacious feel that contrasted with the stores I typically frequent in New York.

Between the gold detailing and sparkling chandeliers, I felt like I had stepped inside a bottle of Chanel No. 5 as I wandered through the store. Every inch of the place seemed to sparkle.

The boutique's distinct scent helped to create the perfume bottle illusion, which an employee told me was unique to the store and couldn't be bought.

Marino told The Hollywood Reporter that texture and luxury were crucial to the store's aesthetic.

"Everything is tactile and gold and special; even the carpets are three-dimensional, a mixture of silk and wool, while the stucco texture on walls was made with people's hands — including my own, you'll find that in the elevator," he told the outlet.

Marino also looked to Coco Chanel's interior design aesthetic for the store's design, which blended the simplicity of black and white decor with "ornate Venetian mirrors," he said to The Hollywood Reporter.

The boutique emanated luxury

As an employee showed me around, my eyes were drawn to the jewelry arranged in free-standing cases and glass displays built into the walls of the store's first floor, which was split into three spacious rooms.

Of the three rooms on the main floor, one held watches, one had more accessible pieces from Chanel's jewelry line, and the third held rarer pieces from its collection. Workers were waiting to help shoppers in each room, and they all offered me a friendly greeting as I walked by them.

The space felt more like a cozy gallery than a store. Bottles of Chanel No. 5 were displayed alongside jewelry pieces, some of which aren't for sale. According to W Magazine, several historic Chanel pieces are currently exhibited in the boutique, like the 55.55 necklace. I was reminded of hours spent at museums with priceless art as I took it all in.

The second floor featured private VIP rooms where buyers could meet with Chanel staff for more intimate appointments. They were just as lush as the first floor, with built-in TV screens for remote meetings and plush furniture.

As I turned to walk back downstairs, a group of shoppers were settling into one of the rooms with an employee, appearing at ease in the luxe space. I didn't know if they were used to being in high-end stores or if the staff just made them feel comfortable, but I could see either being true because the space was somehow both luxurious and inviting.

Chanel's careful curation of its new space — from a custom scent and attentive staff to the shades of gold bathing the property — made it feel comfortable and inviting. Visiting Chanel's watches and fine jewelry boutique is an experience, which you just can't get online.

So, if you plan to walk down Fifth Avenue anytime soon, it's worth popping into Chanel for the look of the store alone.

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2024-04-22T21:23:46Z dg43tfdfdgfd