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Paris – Chanel opened its first House of Beauty, in the 16th arrondissement in Paris. It is the only location in the world where the French luxury brand consolidates its entire beauty range and treatment offer under the same roof.
The three-story home includes 1,940 square feet of treatment rooms, where clients can experience Chanel’s La Fascia face and body protocols, which take a mind-body approach.
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The house was started after two years of restoration.
“Through its architecture, this house expresses the French spirit of Chanel, its singular and unique taste, with a desire to be part of a very French vocabulary of decorative arts,” said Thomas du Pré de Saint Maur, head of resources creative of the brand. perfume, beauty, watches and jewelry activities, in a statement.
Every decorative detail is in line with Chanel codes, such as its signature colors of black and white, larger-than-life camellia motifs, wrought-iron Chanel lettering and emerald-cut shapes dotting the Chanel No.5 cap.
“I have always thought that classicism – and Chanel is full of classical aesthetics – is not against the idea of modernity or contemporary,” continued du Pré de Saint Maur.
Trompe l’oeil elements can be seen throughout the building. The idea is to make it look like Chanel beauty products have fallen from the sky and deposit them in parts of the house, in a surreal twist. The shape of the brand’s curved-but-square makeup palette is the base in which color cosmetics are presented. Hanging above that, face down, is a similar mirror-lined form. It’s almost like someone watching a giant open compact.
Also coming from the ceiling in a huge wire frame is a No.5 magnum bottle upside down and open. Caps from that and Egoïste Platinum morph into counters and consoles.
“I have always felt that our products are designed as architectural elements of beauty rather than decorative elements of beauty,” said du Pré de Saint Maur.
The stone floor is white, with black and gold lines crisscrossing. Some walls are black and covered in suede – like the Chanel makeup holders themselves. Its gold line goes to the ring around the lipsticks of the house.
The 31 Le Rouge and Sublimage lines have their own alkyds. This is not a place of interactive digital screens, but instead of photographs on the walls.
There is a themed product edit on the ground floor, currently focused on the year-end holiday season. Two makeup stations invite people to try products without an essential and free appointment. Small leather goods are also available.
The white staircase, for those going back on the golden-hued lift, brings people upstairs.
On the first floor up perfumes – all 88 of them – take pride of place, along with their attendants. People can taste the scents, meet perfume experts who will help with selections or take part in master classes. A digital tool, called La Rencontre, helps identify individual fragrance preferences. This is the first time Chanel has used it in the store.
On this level there is a room dedicated to makeup services and facial treatments hidden behind a wall lined with multifaceted mirrors like those on the staircase that connects Gabrielle Chanel’s apartment and the 31 Rue Cambon store.
Chanel’s Vitality Scan is employed to understand the skin’s needs, and protocols combine cryptotherapy, radiofrequency or microcurrents alongside Chanel’s treatment products. Chanel’s La Fascia method is also used. (Fascia is the connective tissue that surrounds a person’s muscles, organs and brain.)
The protocol was developed by Hélène Bourhis-Bois, a fascialtherapy expert, taking body and mind into account. La Fascia de Chanel techniques involve slow, intense stretching of the facial area with the aim of obtaining radiant, toned and vital skin, as well as inner well-being.
The make-up services – which last an hour and a half – include a relaxing hand and limb massage. Makeup lessons are available.
There are two treatment rooms located on the third floor. People can stay with them in the gold-and-black lounge, where a Sublimage jar is transformed into a coffee table and the glass chandelier takes inspiration from the shape of Chanel lipstick tubes.
The entrance to the two treatment rooms – called Gabrielle and Coco – is draped in black glitter fabric, which acts as a foil to the white rooms beyond, accessed through doors with camellia-shaped handles. The huge silhouette of the flower can be seen on the ceiling, and the beds are dressed by Maison Lesage, one of the Metier d’Arts experts, owned by Chanel. Lighting and sound evolve depending on the treatment chosen. Shower is lined with more than 150,000 tiny mosaic tiles installed by hand.
The exclusive treatment menu at this Beauty House lists the L’Allure personal body protocol and Le Grand Soin, a bespoke body and face treatment lasting between one and three hours. Other signature Chanel treatments and massages are also available.
Beyond the House of Beauty, a new upcoming book for the brand celebrating a century in color cosmetics. “Chanel: The Allure of Makeup” was written by Natasha Fraser and published by Thames & Hudson. It comes out starting December 5th.
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