MILAN — Chanel is making a press release in Milan’s Via Montenapoleone with its recent fashion, watches and advantageous jewelry boutique, the brand’s first twin store in Italy. It covers 5,616 square feet over three floors and was designed by the brand’s longtime collaborator Peter Marino.

Chanel opened its first Milan location on nearby Via Sant’Andrea 40 years ago and the brand has at all times had a special relationship with Italy, determined by the attachment Gabrielle Chanel herself needed to the country, said Frédéric Grangié, president of Chanel’s watches and advantageous jewelry division since 2016. “Especially when, after the death of Boy Capel [Arthur Edward Capel, the designer’s lover and muse] she was convinced by her friend [musician] Misia Sert to go to Venice for a recent starting.”

Grangié, who before joining Chanel was chief executive officer of Louis Vuitton in Japan, said along with a “strong desire to treat our local clientele for its consistent support and enthusiasm over time,” the corporate’s decision to open a recent boutique in the guts of Milan “has been all of the more motivated because the moment is ripe by way of market dynamics. In recent times, the WFJ [watches and fine jewelry] Italian market has undergone significant changes, as evidenced by the upward investment trend within the country by a few of our international competitors. That is why it’s crucial to establish a robust foothold within the country through the opening of the Montenapoleone WFJ boutique in Milan to develop the brand awareness and desirability of our WFJ creations to cultivate and grow our clientele.”

Via Montenapoleone itself goes through a significant revamp, with the Gucci store opening planned for Dec. 7 after extensive renovation works that lasted greater than 16 months; Ferragamo’s recent store concept shall be unveiled early next 12 months, and Louis Vuitton’s long-standing flagship is being renovated on the road’s stately Palazzo Taverna, where a Tiffany unit can also be expected to open. As reported, Via Montenapoleone, along with Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue, has been ranked because the world’s most costly retail street this 12 months, with rents of $1,766 and $2,000 a square foot, respectively, based on the 2023 version of Cushman & Wakefield’s annual report “Essential Streets Across the World.” 

The Chanel boutique, which opened to the general public on Nov. 25, has two entrances: the foremost one on via Montenapoleone and a separate entrance for VIC customers on Via Verri.

Watches and advantageous jewelry are positioned on the bottom floor with jewelry collections starting from the Coco Crush to the Camelia, along with pieces from the No.5 high jewelry line. Amongst those pieces is the 55.55 necklace, set with a novel 55.55-carat D-FL Type IIa custom-cut diamond, which isn’t on the market but is a everlasting a part of Chanel’s high jewelry heritage. It’s being exceptionally presented on the occasion of the opening. Watch collections include the J12, the Première, the Boy·Friend and the Code Coco.

Rock crystal and gilded metal ceiling lights by Goossens, sleek glass and metal consoles contribute to an Art Deco feel, enhanced by Chanel’s signature graphic black and white palette warmed up by pops of gold with an antique effect.

“The watches and advantageous jewelry division is a key division for Chanel alongside fashion and fragrance and wonder. Italy is a vital marketplace for Chanel, especially due to its sophisticated understanding of fashion, WFJ and luxury which is an inherent a part of its culture, as in France. The home’s business in Italy is powerful for the reason that local clientele is renowned for being connoisseurs and great collectors. Historically there has at all times been a real appetite and tradition about such categories and Italy ranks among the many 10 top watches markets on this planet,” said Grangié.

Grangié identified that Chanel is increasingly opening twin boutiques within the relevant locations with the aim of offering a one-house brand experience to its clients.

There at the moment are a complete of 58 WFJ boutiques worldwide, including Milan, they usually are either WFJ stand-alone boutiques or shared with fashion.

“Italy is in itself a worldwide symbol of culture, savoir-faire, style and fashion, values which might be dear to our house,” remarked Grangié. “Milan has gained a really special place as a worldwide shopping destination and it’s certainly one of the highest cities for luxury. It was imperative to position ourselves on the very heart of the Milanese luxury ecosystem. Not only does the Quadrilatero de la Moda [streets around Via Montenapoleone, Via Spiga and Via Sant’Andrea] offer a strong ecosystem characterised by international and historical local brands, but it surely also allows our maison to speak and reach our clientele more directly, which shall be crucial to develop the brand awareness and desirability of WFJ products at Chanel in Italy.”

Asked concerning the strategy going forward for the WFJ division, Grangié said, “We imagine in creativity, which Chanel has develop into a byword for. So continuing to place savoir-faire on the service of creation above all.”

Several Chanel items have develop into international bestsellers “in a really short time period. From Première, our first watch created in 1987, to J12 created in 2000, to Coco Crush launched in 2015,” observed Grangié. Nonetheless, while seeing strong growth of its No.5 advantageous jewelry collection and the strong performance of its watches, the chief acknowledged”that’s a fantastic pride for us to be so young on the size of the time but [also] to be a part of the best WFJ names.”