Matthieu Blazy‘s first Coco Beach collection has landed in Shanghai, taking residence at a leafy Spanish-style mansion that recalls La Pausa Villa, Coco Chanel‘s Mediterranean home.
The pop-up format, a first for Chanel‘s latest annual summer collection, envisions a “summer interlude” in the heart of downtown Shanghai, namely the Hengshan-Fuxing historic area that’s quickly morphing into a hip retail hub, home to brands such as Lemaire and Longchamp.
The three-story villa, which was previously a Louis Vuitton pop-up store, draws design inspiration from the countryside and black-sand landscapes, with walls covered by surreal skies and colorful corals that take visitors under the sea without getting wet.
Inside the pop-up.
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Visual motifs echo Blazy’s playful collection, which includes crabs, starfish, seahorses and a clownfish, whose playful coral, black and white palette morphed into raffia flap bags, bag charms and small leather goods.
A Chanel surfboard and its miniature bag charm are items exclusively available at the Shanghai pop-up.
A Chanel surfboard will be exclusively sold at the Shanghai pop-up.
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The retail layout, organized around several areas across two floors, includes a central zone for ready-to-wear and swimwear, a footwear space with deckchairs as seating, and a beach changing area stocked with summer essentials, such as striped towels, terry cotton totes and knitwear.
On the second floor, with more ready-to-wear, several private fitting rooms, and an outdoor terrace, the sunny atmosphere creates a “veritable escapade” for shoppers, according to the brand.
The store, which requires a booking on the brand’s WeChat Mini Program, will be open to the public every day until May 24.
A similar retail project also launched in Taipei, at the city’s Huashan 1914 Cultural Park.
On Friday in Shanghai, Chanel celebrated the store opening with an evening soirée for its VIPs and celebrity guests.
Qu Ying, a Chinese supermodel-turned-actress, was the undisputed star of the night — the 54-year-old star recently went viral online for her appearance on Chinese internet star Papi Jiang’s talk show, where she allowed her comedic side to shine through.
For the event, Qu enjoyed live music among Chanel ambassadors Xin Zhilei, Zhang Zifeng, and Chinese actors Vanda Li, Xiang Hanzhi and Chinese supermodel He Cong.
Qu Ying, Xiang Hanzhi, Zhang Zifeng, Xin Zhilei, Vanda Li and He Cong at the Coco Beach pop-up in Shanghai.
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As a media partner, SuperElle — a Gen Z-friendly sister publication for Elle China — will also host a small session at the venue featuring local art world connoisseurs and a new generation of VIP clients.
