Western Australia has emerged from the pandemic with an economy so strong that the world’s most luxurious brands have invested in our retail market with multimillion-dollar investments.
Luxury fashion house Chanel has opened the doors to its much-anticipated new store in the heart of our CBD today.
The 700sqm store designed by Peter Marino is located in the heritage-listed Wentworth Building at Raine Square, almost three times larger than their previous location on King Street, which closed last week.
In an Australian first, the store will be a combined fashion and beauty boutique showcasing ready-to-wear clothing, accessories, fragrance, and cosmetics.
Camera IconChanel Spring Summer 2022 collection Credit: MARIE ROUGE
The boutique is the only location in Australia with changerooms customers can personalize via a mobile device to customize airflow, music, and lighting.
The interior pays homage to the brand’s founder, Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel. It echoes her legendary apartment with symbols inspired by the couturier, including the black, white, and beige color palette and the graphic language synonymous with her eternally modern allure.
The ground floor is dedicated to bags, shoes, small leather goods, and jewelry. Straight off the runway, the first floor features designs from Virginie Viard’s Summer 2022 collection, displayed in large bay windows overlooking the bustling central business district.
The fashion giant follows an array of high-end exclusive brands relocating to Raine Square from King Street, including Kailis Jewellery, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany and Co., and Watches of Switzerland.
Camera IconThe new Chanel store in the heart of Perth’s CBD. Credit: Chanel
With the addition of its latest luxury tenant, marking the completion of Charter Hall’s $60 million redevelopment, the retail destination has cemented itself as the city’s newest luxury hub, taking the crown out of King Street’s hands.
“Chanel’s grand opening marks yet another significant milestone for Raine Square, completing our luxury retail offering and firmly cementing our position as the home of premium local and international brands in Perth’s CBD,” Miriam Patterson, Head of Office Partnerships and Raine Square Fund Manager, told The West Australian.
“When Charter Hall purchased Raine Square in 2013, it was with the understanding that the redevelopment needed to be agile and responsive to the community’s needs.
“Raine Square provides a diverse and unique blend of tenants and placemaking offering convenience, aspiration, and entertainment for visitors inspiring the community to engage with the precinct.”
Camera IconFirst look at the new Chanel store in the heart of Perth’s CBD. Credit: Chanel
Edward Maradona, director of the renowned streetwear store Cabinet Noir at Raine Square, mirrored Patterson’s sentiment.
“For so many years, King Street has been known as the primary destination for luxury shopping. This has changed with Raine Square’s proactive move in securing Louis Vuitton to move into the premise. LV’s move resulted in all luxury brands from King Street making a move. Tiffany & Co moved in recently. And now with Chanel taking the corner of William and Murray Street makes it the most visible luxury designer store in Perth CBD,” Maradona told The West Australian.
“We (Cabinet Noir) made a move knowing this would happen shortly and committed to the action as they offered us the space directly behind Louis Vuitton.
“Being in the same neighborhood with LV, Tiffany, and Chanel will create a stronger synergy. Being in the new “Luxury Space” also lets us show our customers our luxury designer brand offerings.
“Since the move, our business has grown, and our reach to new clientele has expanded. Being so close to LV, we noticed we share similar demographics, and our stores complement each other. With the addition of Chanel, we are confident this will only attract more people of a similar audience,” he explained.
“Having multiple designer stores in Raine Square also will help the city invite back tourists (as the borders re-opened). I believe we can revive shopping in the city with the right marketing strategies from Raine Square and the City of Perth. I am confident Raine Square will become one of the tourist destinations.
Iconic West Australian jewelry brand Kailis Jewellery expressed excitement about being a part of Perth’s most prestigious retail destination.
“We are so proud to be one of the exclusive retailers hand-selected to perfectly round out Raine Square’s luxury offering, giving city-goers an elevated, world-class shopping experience,” says Tanya Tindall, General Manager, Kailis Jewellery.
