NEW YORK — Those who won’t get to the South of France anytime soon can head to the Meatpacking District for the closest thing to the Côte d’Azur.
On Friday, Chanel opened a pop-up store at Jeffrey New York, re-creating the feel of Saint-Tropez and its iconic Café Sénéquier, where Chanel staged its cruise show last May. The 1,000-square-foot shop-in-shop, located in an area usually reserved for men’s wear, features the café’s signature red lacquer tables and umbrellas, red Chanel awnings, dressing rooms that resemble beach cabins and stands stocked with postcards of Chanel’s cruise campaign featuring Georgia May Jagger.
“We loved the experience of the show, and we thought, How can we create the kind of a moment in New York,” said Barbara Cirkva, division president of fashion, watches and fine jewelry at Chanel Inc. “I don’t think of it as a pop-up shop, but almost as an installation that recreates the magic of Saint-Tropez in New York, and gets everyone in the mood as they are thinking about going away for the holiday.”
Related Galleries
The decor is a suitable backdrop for the cruise collection on offer at the specialty store, from printed chiffon blouses to cage dresses, frilled bikinis and patchwork bags. The shop also sells Chanel’s popular J12 watches and a selection of men’s ties.
“Creating a new way for people to see, understand and appreciate Chanel in a different way than they may have before, outside of our own boutique concept, is always exciting,” Cirkva said.
The boutique will be feted with a party on Nov. 30 and remain open through Jan. 4. Store founder Jeffrey Kalinsky said it was natural for him to jump at the opportunity.
“Our business with Chanel is incredible across all classifications,” said Kalinsky, who declined to disclose sales projections. “The idea of having a Chanel pop-up shop in the store for that six-week period seemed like an amazing opportunity. For a retailer like myself, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Kalinsky didn’t attend the show in Saint-Tropez, so he was all the more supportive of bringing the energy to his New York store. “I think it will do amazingly well,” Kalinsky said.