On 12 June, CHANEL opens the doors to its largest shop in the world, spanning an 12,600 square-feet located at 158-159 New Bond Street. The three-storey space took 15 months to build and showcases “the universe created by Karl Lagerfeld”, and houses everything from ready-to-wear, to fine jewellery and beauty. The interior was designed by New York-based architect Peter Marino, who has worked on Chanel boutiques worldwide.

A sculpture inspired by the strands of Coco Chanel’s iconic pearls, by Jean-Michel Othoniel, and made entirely from hand-blown Venetian glass, forms the store’s centrepiece – and appears as if suspended from the ceiling, rising from the ground to the top of the third floor. The piece is flanked by the boutique’s gravity-defying staircases, which have the appearance of floating due to no visible underlying support.

Features unique to the store include dedicated walls for scarves, belts and ties, with a particular focus on accessories, with timeless and classic pieces featured downstairs, and collection-specific products on the first and second floors.

Glass and mirrored walls feature gold ribbon encased within (an original feature devised by Coco Chanel and inspired by her collection of Coromandel screens), curtains feature hand-stitched pearls and the chandeliers real crystals.

Each piece of furniture has been specially made for the store, while each piece of artwork was commissioned by Marino.

An ode to Coco as much as Karl, the layout has a homely feel – with each section divided into separate rooms, featuring coffee tables adorned with Chanel books, fireplaces, plush carpets and unique décor.