Peter Marino Brings Parisian Sophistication to CHANEL’s New Sydney Boutique.

CHANEL has opened the doors to its impressive new Fashion and Watches & Fine Jewellery boutique in Sydney’s Market Street, marking a significant moment for luxury retail in Australia. The two-storey space, designed by celebrated architect Peter Marino, occupies a redeveloped landmark building and represents the first dedicated Watches & Fine Jewellery space in the country.

Marino, a long-time CHANEL collaborator, has created an environment that recontextualises the house’s architectural codes with bold creativity. Drawing inspiration from the horizontal lines of the rue Cambon façade and the striking black borders of CHANEL N°5, the design creates a captivating rhythm throughout the boutique. The result is a sophisticated interplay of form, texture, and CHANEL’s iconic palette.

The boutique’s central staircase becomes a defining feature, framed by transparent glass and a wall of mirrored panels that resemble pleated fabric. This rhythmic motif continues into the angular walls of the Watches & Fine Jewellery space, punctuated by small, window-like vitrines that create an intimate browsing experience.

Marino’s material palette contrasts light-reflecting surfaces and hand-polished metals with deep black feature walls, woven silk and wool carpets, and emblematic tweed. The space feels more like a private home than a traditional retail environment, thanks to an eclectic array of art, objects, and furniture spanning classic to contemporary periods.

Discover the Magic of Métiers d’art at Design Parade Toulon.

Find out why this international festival continues to be a boon for emerging designers to collaborate with established brands and artisans, emphasising the extraordinary craftsmanship of the Métiers d’art.

Particularly noteworthy is the curated selection of artworks, including a striking diptych titled “Hairstring/Mina Mina Dreaming” by renowned local artist Judy Watson Napangardi, displayed above the central staircase. Scottish artist Alastair Gordon’s ink-on-paper artwork “Etude” also features prominently, alongside notable antiques such as Regency-period writing desks and elegant alabaster wall sconces by French designer Pierre Chareau.

The boutique’s corner location maximises its street presence with an expansive windowfront in the original 1936 heritage façade, complete with charming porthole windows. Inside, the mall features two contemporary facades, with the dedicated Watches & Fine Jewellery boutique enveloped in black and adorned with elegant gold CHANEL signage.

The lower floor houses spacious universes for handbags, accessories, and footwear, while the upper floor accommodates the latest Ready-to-Wear collections in adjoining rooms complete with three fitting rooms and one VIP salon. The boutique opens featuring the CHANEL 2024/25 Métiers d’art collection and the fresh CHANEL Coco Beach 2025 collection.

For Australian design enthusiasts, this boutique offers more than luxury retail—it’s serves as a fine example in how architectural heritage and contemporary design can create compelling spatial narratives that honour both brand legacy and local context.

Gabrielle Chanel: Fashion Manifesto Opens at NGV International.

One of the most influential designers of the twentieth century, Gabrielle Chanel introduced a language of modernity into fashion that still resonates today.

[Images courtesy of CHANEL.]