#JustIn: Chanel just opened its biggest U.S. store

While Brooklyn is still preparing for its first Chanel boutique this summer, California is celebrating the opening of a new Chanel flagship in Beverly Hills, which opened today. But it isn't simply another store: It is now the largest one in the United States, with four full floors spanning over 30,000 square feet.

Architect Peter Marino has rebuilt and reimagined the space as a celebration of Chanel's past, present, and future. The abstracted exterior appears like a staggered cube, split by a glass atrium of white crystallised glass. The inside is a stark white space dotted with thin glass vitrines filled with bags, accessories, fine jewelry, and fragrances.

The ground floor is monochromatic, an homage to the house's signature two-tone, with glowing Goossens chandeliers made of rock crystal dangling from the high ceiling. The back courtyard can be seen through the bright floor-to-ceiling windows, which illuminate the entire boutique. The first floor features handbags and accessories to the right of the atrium, with a salon dedicated to watches and fine jewelry to the left, followed by a fragrance and beauty section. The second floor houses read-to-wear on display and the third features two VIP suites and try-on rooms. The fourth floor is a penthouse complete with a rooftop garden with black framed aluminum trellises and remarkable views of Rodeo Drive. 

Each level provides a different experience, but the aesthetic is Chanel throughout, with black-and-gold lacquered Japanese kurodana cabinets, contemporary coffee tables by Ingrid Donat, and tweed lamps by Delos and Ubiedo that speak to the house's storied design heritage. The central artwork is "Golden Lasso," a commissioned sculptural piece by French artist Jean-Michel Othoniel that cascades from the ceiling to the first floor, calling to mind an image of Mademoiselle Chanel's pearl necklace swaying from her fingertips. "Title TBC, 2022" is another work of abstract art displayed in the lobby, by Israeli artist Michal Rovner, who was inspired by the poppy flower, blurred to recall the sight of a floral bloom appearing in a dream.

The first collection available to shop in the boutique is the spring/summer 2023 ready-to-wear collection designed by Virginie Viard, as seen on the runway last October in Paris. Its rainbow of pastel tweed separates and light black chiffon dresses are ideal for lounging in the California sun.

This piece originally appeared in Harper's Bazaar America.