Ask any non-fashion-devotee who Phillip Lim, Helmut Lang, or Isabel Marant are and you’re most likely going to get nothing but a confused stare, cocked head, and silence. Now, ask about Chanel and suddenly you’ll see a hint of recognition flicker through their glossy eyes. Over the past century Chanel has become a household name –the “McDonalds of the fashion world” if you will (not to be confused with Moschino’s Fall 2014 RTW that did in fact feature McDonalds themed clothing).
Taking a trip to Chanel’s Soho Store on Spring Street, one gets a small glimpse into the empire. Before entering the shop the trendy SoHo streets prepare you for what you’re about to feast your eyes upon: decadence and luxury at its finest. In fact, street vendors lined along Soho’s trottoirs taut Chanel knock-off sunglasses and other designer brands by the bucket load – further propelling the coveted designer image.
Taking a trip to Chanel’s Soho Store on Spring Street, one gets a small glimpse into the empire. Before entering the shop the trendy SoHo streets prepare you for what you’re about to feast your eyes upon: decadence and luxury at its finest. In fact, street vendors lined along Soho’s trottoirs taut Chanel knock-off sunglasses and other designer brands by the bucket load – further propelling the coveted designer image.
A security guard opens the double glass doors for each visitor as they look onto rows of bags, coats, sunglasses, and lipsticks all pimped up with Chanel’s white, black and gold detail. Peppered throughout the store are amazing examples of soft leather, shiny metal clasps, thick fabrics, embellished boots, and a beauty section chock full of products that claim to lighten, tighten, and lift.
The Chanel store is an apt mélange of classic design and new age flare. Mixed in with their staple quilted bags and the glass square packing of the Chanel No. 5 fragrance that dates back to the twenties (and costs a whopping $325), lies two square screens that rest above the sunglass display. Each screen plays a video of an eye blinking and searching the room on a loop. The video makes the display fun and interactive but I can’t help feeling a slight “Big Brother” vibe from the aesthetic as the ocular orbs scan the store.
The video component is curious and is no doubt an attempt to attract a younger crowd of individuals interested in Chanel. Not to mention the obvious “monolidedness” of the eyes, indicating that the eyes belong to an individual of Asian descent. With the influx of Chinese buyers over the past few years, it is not surprising that Chanel is trying to capitalize on the explosion of desire for luxury goods across Asia. In recent trips to Singapore and Beijing there are often lines out the door for brands like Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Prada. Even the Chanel section of Paris’ Galleries Lafayette hires workers who not only speak fluent French, but English and Chinese as well.
It’s a conflicting experience walking into the store, surrounded by hundreds of beautiful, thousand dollar handbags and coats, knowing that you cannot indulge. Most of us walk into the Chanel store an alien, trying to avoid the stares and offers of help from sales clerks because, honestly, they’d just be wasting their time – most of us are walking out empty handed.
Last week I spent some time loitering around the shoe section and overheard a French couple discussing a pair of gilded Chanel knee-high boots, the man exclaims: “Ca monte jusqu’a ici?” He gestured, asking if the boots would reach his waist, gawking at the presumed absurdity of the $2,500 chaussures. I laughed to myself as I gravitated toward a pair of simple patent leather booties, gasping as I read the price tag: $1,195.
As my friend and I prepared to exit the store, we walked toward the double glass doors and the security guard quickly pulled it open for us. This always makes me uncomfortable as I can clearly open the door on my own. Just as I began to cross the threshold to the other side my friend’s eye caught a maroon version of Chanel’s small classic quilted flip bag ($4,700), she rebounded back into the store. I recoiled in embarrassment, apologizing to the security guard for holding the door ajar for us. I can only imagine how many snooty men and women this man opens doors for everyday especially in a store that sells products one can scarcely afford on a middle class salary. There he stands everyday, completely isolated from the products that his place of work sells.
We take adult field trips to the Chanel store, peering into the glass cases like children pressed against the glass at the aquarium. “Look, don’t touch” the products scream. And yet, we keep going back, again and again, to gaze upon the not-so-wild animals that are Chanel pumps and tweed jackets because even it is just a glimpse, it is a glimpse nonetheless into a luxurious world of history, tradition, and art, a culture that has us coming back for more.
Chanel Store Soho
139 Spring St, New York, NY 10012
(212) 334-0055
The Chanel store is an apt mélange of classic design and new age flare. Mixed in with their staple quilted bags and the glass square packing of the Chanel No. 5 fragrance that dates back to the twenties (and costs a whopping $325), lies two square screens that rest above the sunglass display. Each screen plays a video of an eye blinking and searching the room on a loop. The video makes the display fun and interactive but I can’t help feeling a slight “Big Brother” vibe from the aesthetic as the ocular orbs scan the store.
The video component is curious and is no doubt an attempt to attract a younger crowd of individuals interested in Chanel. Not to mention the obvious “monolidedness” of the eyes, indicating that the eyes belong to an individual of Asian descent. With the influx of Chinese buyers over the past few years, it is not surprising that Chanel is trying to capitalize on the explosion of desire for luxury goods across Asia. In recent trips to Singapore and Beijing there are often lines out the door for brands like Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Prada. Even the Chanel section of Paris’ Galleries Lafayette hires workers who not only speak fluent French, but English and Chinese as well.
It’s a conflicting experience walking into the store, surrounded by hundreds of beautiful, thousand dollar handbags and coats, knowing that you cannot indulge. Most of us walk into the Chanel store an alien, trying to avoid the stares and offers of help from sales clerks because, honestly, they’d just be wasting their time – most of us are walking out empty handed.
Last week I spent some time loitering around the shoe section and overheard a French couple discussing a pair of gilded Chanel knee-high boots, the man exclaims: “Ca monte jusqu’a ici?” He gestured, asking if the boots would reach his waist, gawking at the presumed absurdity of the $2,500 chaussures. I laughed to myself as I gravitated toward a pair of simple patent leather booties, gasping as I read the price tag: $1,195.
As my friend and I prepared to exit the store, we walked toward the double glass doors and the security guard quickly pulled it open for us. This always makes me uncomfortable as I can clearly open the door on my own. Just as I began to cross the threshold to the other side my friend’s eye caught a maroon version of Chanel’s small classic quilted flip bag ($4,700), she rebounded back into the store. I recoiled in embarrassment, apologizing to the security guard for holding the door ajar for us. I can only imagine how many snooty men and women this man opens doors for everyday especially in a store that sells products one can scarcely afford on a middle class salary. There he stands everyday, completely isolated from the products that his place of work sells.
We take adult field trips to the Chanel store, peering into the glass cases like children pressed against the glass at the aquarium. “Look, don’t touch” the products scream. And yet, we keep going back, again and again, to gaze upon the not-so-wild animals that are Chanel pumps and tweed jackets because even it is just a glimpse, it is a glimpse nonetheless into a luxurious world of history, tradition, and art, a culture that has us coming back for more.
Chanel Store Soho
139 Spring St, New York, NY 10012
(212) 334-0055