Peter Marino

RSVIP: Starry Karl Lagerfeld Relaunch of the Chanel Boutique in Soho

Filed under: Apparel, Events, Architecture & Design, Luxury Shopping

The economy didn't appear to be an issue when Chanel reopened their boutique at 98 Wooster Street in Soho on Thursday night with an effervescent Euro budget. Champagne and trays brimming with bits of foie gras just kept coming on the wide black walkway built around the side of the building with louvered walls open to the cobbled street.

Also served to celebrities on trays were black cans marked Chanel that looked as if they held spray paint. Instead, the device shot infrared to create graffiti on slick black wall monitors. "All right," said Claire Danes, aiming her can. "We need to do some graffiti!"

Graffiti has never looked quite so elegant.

With a bejeweled, shimmering black jacket over her shoulders, Sarah Jessica Parker mentioned that only her shoes and the bag were not Chanel.

Peter Marino, in head-to-toe black-leather, said that he had designed the new Chanel Boutique with Karl Lagerfeld. He described the interior as "only black-and-white, no beige."

"Beige is the color of Chanel," said Marino. "But this is strikingly youthful. And there is a lot of artwork by up-and-coming artists: works by Robert Green, Gregor Hildebrandt-- he melted old 45 records into cake pans. Richard Woods did the black-and-white faux-brick columns." Up high, fluorescent lights wrapped in rubber were also art.

Tags: blake lively, chanel, Diane Kruger, karl lagerfeld, peter marino, rsvip

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Louis Vuitton Takes London With Massive New Flagship

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Events

In a bold recession-defying move, Louis Vuitton just opened a massive new flagship store in London, it most luxurious yet rivaling its famed Paris property on the Champs Elysées. Designed by New York-based architect Peter Marino, who also worked on the Paris store, its most eye-catching feature is a two-story wall of trunks from various decades showcasing the Vuitton tradition of working in leather, alongside a glass and LED staircase. The 15,000-sq.-ft. store is designed to reflect the 21st century mood of London and bring together innovation, heritage and fashion - "all values that are important to Louis Vuitton," Yves Carcelle, Vuitton's chairman and CEO, told the London Telegraph.

Marino conceived the store as the home of a world-class Vuitton collector and connoisseur. The ground floor is devoted to Vuitton accessories and features original artworks from artists like Richard Prince and Takashi Murakami who have collaborated with the famed French luxury goods house in the past. The first floor is devoted to womenswear and shoes, and also houses a library of coffee table books. The store's second floor is a private client suite accessible only by invitation, for celebrities and VIPs, while menswear is located on the lower ground floor. Celebs attending the star-studded opening of the new store included Gwyneth Paltrow, Kirsten Dunst, Elle Macpherson, Gemma Arterton and Thandie Newton.

Gallery: Louis Vuitton's New London Flagship

Tags: architecture, boutiqe, coffee table books, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kirsten Dunst, London, Louis Vuitton, luggage, luxury goods, LVMH, Peter Marino, Richard Prince, store, Takashi Murakami, trunk

Chanel Set To Open In Shanghai

by Deb West (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Handbags

Chanel is opening a new boutique in Shanghai on November 25. Peter Marino is the architect for the new space and was inspired by the Paris apartment of Mademoiselle Chanel. It is a fitting city for the famous couture house to unveil a new store as Shanghai is known as "the Paris of the East".

According to the architect, the idea was to give this new boutique a residential feel by combining hand picked art, antiques and other objects with a refined store decor. The fashion house has also commissioned original artwork by french artist, Jean-Michel Othoniel, to be displayed. The art of shopping is to be a subtle experience at this unique salon where customers enter the apartment-like space, can sit on sofas and have individual items brought to them as opposed to jostling elbows with other shoppers while browsing the merchandise. It is to be a different, more elegant, experience for the customer. Peter Marino is quoted "The result is comfort, quiet elegance, timelessness. The chic of Chanel."

Karl Lagerfeld has also designed exclusive products only to be sold in the Shanghai location to celebrate the stores opening. These include a classic quilted flap handbag with an inside signature "Shanghai Karl Lagerfeld", sling-back heels with a metallic CC logo, various items of clothing including a tweed jacket and skirt with gold trim.

The boutique has an excellent location in the newly opened The Peninsula hotel. The latest addition to the luxury travel market the Art Deco styled hotel has a terrific location on the Bund, the waterfront promenade in Shanghai.

Tags: CHANEL, china, new boutique, NewBoutique, peninsula hotel, PeninsulaHotel, peter marino, PeterMarino, Shanghai, shopping

Bell & Ross Apparently The Official Watch Of Leather Daddies Everywhere

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches, Celebrity Shopping

Any conservative people at Bell & Ross corporate needed to simply suck this one up. World famous architect and interior designer Peter Marino recently visited Bell & Ross headquarters to check out their latest watch collection and was apparently quite impressed with the Bell & Ross BR01 Airbone - a controversially styled watch meant to honor American airborne paratroopers.

In some marketing images for Bell & Ross, the oft leather-clad Marino was photographed wearing the square-shaped, skull-faced watch in what will surely be a message to fans of his work, and fans of his wardrobe. At least here in San Francisco I can say that leather-clad gentlemen all around will likely perceive this image to mean that Bell & Ross should be the official timepiece of the leather daddy lifestyle, the black leather lifestyle and look that can't be mistaken for just a biker who has taken the look a bit further. I think of it as the bondage outfit look turned metropolitan.

New York based Peter Marino's designs and work are nothing like how he dresses actually, and typically represent quite comfortable and inviting spaces. His work is actually very good and impressively dynamic. His large portfolio of work includes retail shops, hotels, private residences, and much more. He is one of the most well-rounded architects that I know of today. Select famous clientele include Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Andy Warhol, Giorgio Armani, Calvin Klein, and many more.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Gallery: Bell & Ross BR01 Airbone watch