On November 7th, 2024, CHANEL opens a singular at Taipei 101, the most iconic landmark in Taipei. Designed by long-standing CHANEL collaborator New-York based architect, Peter Marino, the boutique is the first flagship in the Asia Pacific region dedicated entirely to CHANEL Watches and Fine Jewelry.
The Inspiration
A golden jewel box in Taipei Xinyi District, the boutique is a celebration of savoir-faire and CHANEL’s legendary Watch & Fine Jewelry address at 18 Place Vendôme in Paris which houses the High Jewelry workshop, creation studios, Patrimoine and Watches & Fine Jewelry boutique. More poignantly, it is a tribute to Gabrielle Chanel: her lucky number 5, her affinity for art, decoration, and the unique and inimitable interiors of her apartment at 31 Rue Cambon in the heart of Paris.
The Boutique
The boutique is located inside the landmark – Taipei 101. Visitors will first be drawn to the wall of Belgian black marble and glass façade, before being greeted by exquisite cast gold brass screens and curtains. Echoing the spirit of 31 rue Cambon, the boutique’s interiors reflect a delicate yet striking pattern of gold and black, enhanced by touches of rock crystal — a favorite material of Gabrielle Chanel — and an exceptional collection of contemporary and fine art, antiques and custom-made furniture and lighting.
The boutique’s bold entryway sets an elegant tone, guests are greeted by a piece of artwork titled “Gabrielle’s Gate Box”, made of stone with straw-like lines etched in, whereas the upper vitrine itself is made of bronze and cast stone with a selection from the LION SOLAIRE DE CHANEL High Jewelry collection placed on display as a symbol of CHANEL’s exceptional craftmanship and creativity.
Further into the boutique, a gold-plated side table made of bronze and stone by contemporary artists Delos & Ubiedo, on top of which sits cylindrical flower vases made of crystal, tea-color glass and decorated with gold foils by Peter Marino. Moving through the space, to the left of the gallery, a High Jewelry salon unfurls. The room’s gilded walls are illuminated by a diamond shaped crystal chandelier custom-made by the renowned Parisian goldsmith – Goossens, as well as ornate touches such as hand-applied coromandel-style wall finishes, reminiscent of the coromandel screens in Mademoiselle Chanel’s apartment, an elaborately carved 18-inch-high gilt Regency-era mirror, and a contemporary ebonized wood writing desk.
To the right of the gallery is the Watch Salon, which displays CHANEL’s creativity and expertise in Watchmaking and is complemented by a pair of exquisitely crafted stools made of gold-plated bronze and black leather by Phillippe Anthonioz.
The boutique also houses an Haute Horlogerie Salon illuminated by a Madison-style chandelier featuring gold-plated frame made by Maison Goossens. This custom-made chandelier is a masterpiece among many of Robert Goossens’ designs and is representative of his attention to detail and distinctive vision.
A VIP Salon is reserved exclusively for High Jewelry and private client appointment. Decorative pieces such as Ming Dynasty Chinese lacquer tea table with mother-of-pearl inlay and ceramic sculptures by Sterling Ruby. A gold-plated Louis XV armchair mingle with “Tweed” lamps by Delos & Ubiedo and more custom lighting by Goossens, creating a dynamic mixture of modern and ancient art with unrivaled French craftsmanship.
Last but not least, Olivier Polge, CHANEL in-house Perfumer Creator, has imagined an exclusive olfactory identity with intense notes of amber mingled with the elegance of iris.
The Artworks
CHANEL’s strong connection to the art world began with Gabrielle Chanel, who was an avid collector and patron of the arts. Together with longtime partner Peter Marino, CHANEL has curated an impressive collection of art for the location. Highlights include a custom polyptych wall collage featuring 8 panels of gold leaf on linen canvas by Iranian American painter Y.Z. Kami up on the wall behind the couch in the VIP Salon; a sculpted bronze mirror decorated with white quartz and Bohemia crystal placed on the opposite wall that reflects the French Regency-style long table; a crystal sculpture of a deer (Untitled [standing alert]) by American artist Mark Swanson, which symbolizes the pair of deer sculptures that kept Mademoiselle Chanel company at rue Cambon; and “Pride” by UK Barnaby Bradford, who combined ceramics, mirror, enameled wires, wooden frame, and golden flower decorations to create a distinctive artwork.
In the Haute Horlogerie Salon, guests will find a 5-piece sculpture titled “Golden Wave” that demonstrates the fine ceramic workmanship and unique vision of artist Johan Creten, a bronze bell from the Eastern Zhou period of China, Cyprus pottery dated to the 7th and 8th century, and a set of four stone figures placed on metal frame that complem impeccable watchmaking skills displayed in this room.
The Collections
In the Watches and Fine Jewelry Salons, CHANEL’s signature savoir-faire are on full display with a dazzling array of pieces from the Fine Jewelry, High Jewelry, Watches and Haute Horlogerie collections.
The Fine Jewelry collections are emblematic of CHANEL’s original codes, including COCO CRUSH, a refined and delicate tribute to the emblematic house’s quilted motif made of engraved lines, curved profile, and gadroons available in 18K white, yellow, or BEIGE GOLD. 5 new pieces of COCO CRUSH are exclusively pre launched for the opening of Taipei 101. The introduction for the first time of color, with a precious ruby, set on the new COCO necklace and bracelet, as well as 3 new COCO necklaces in white, yellow and BEIGE GOLD set with diamonds. CHANEL offers a special custom engraving service for rings for the COCO CRUSH collection.
The charismatic N°5 Fine Jewelry collection pays tribute to Gabrielle Chanel’s lucky number, the number 5. The organic CAMÉLIA collection gracefully incorporates the motif of Gabrielle Chanel’s favorite flower, while the RUBAN collection draws its shapes from satin hair bows.
The COMÈTE collection is an homage to the stars dear to Gabrielle Chanel, who, on the occasion of the one and only High Jewelry “Bijoux de Diamants” collection she created in 1932, said “I wanted to cover women with constellations. With stars! Stars of all sizes.”
A selection of timepieces is available, including the iconic J12 collection, which incorporates monochrome high resistance ceramic among several creative and audacious designs. The PREMIÈRE ÉDITION ORIGINALE is also on display, a watch originally designed in 1987 featuring the octagonal shape of the stopper of the N°5 Perfume bottle through its black lacquered dial and borrowing the interlace black calfskin and 24-carat gold-coated steel chain reminiscent of CHANEL’s timeless handbag’s one — a combination perfectly aligned with the flagship’s bold surroundings.
Exclusive High Jewelry and Haute Horlogerie Creations
To mark the opening of the Watches and Fine Jewelry flagship at Taipei 101, CHANEL will offer exclusive Haute Horlogerie and High Jewelry designs:
A limited-edition of MADEMOISELLE J12 LA PAUSA watch that draws inspiration from the picture of Mademoiselle Chanel taken at Villa La Pausa. Made and assembled in the House’s Manufacture located in Switzerland, this unique timepiece with a bezel set with pink sapphires is equipped with the Caliber 12.1 self-winding movement, which powers the dial side of Mademoiselle’s silhouette in a Brittany cardigan and buttoned sailor’s trousers.
CHANEL’s Jewelry Creation Studio expresses the power of the Lion through two new High Jewelry creations. The LEGENDARY LION rings feature a statuesque and expressive Lion, whose headdress is intertwined with fancy-cut diamonds. In a play of color duality, each 18-carat white gold Lion is watching over its precious stone: a 4.02-carat cushion-cut ruby and a 1.72-carat Fancy Orangy Yellow pear-cut diamond.
Designed in 2021 to celebrate CHANEL’s iconic N°5 Perfume 100th anniversary the 55.55 masterpiece necklace from the N°5 High Jewelry collection arrives from the house’s Patrimony in Paris for the opening of the Taipei 101 boutique. Centered around a flawless rare tailor-made diamond cut to 55.55 carats DF L Type IIa that is surrounded by a cascade of diamonds crafted to form the silhouette of the CHANEL N°5 bottle, this extraordinary piece embodies the iconic perfume and the essence of CHANEL itself.
