Marino X Chanel

Phaidon announces today “Peter Marino: The Architecture of Chanel.” This new book tells the fascinating story of two remarkable legends–Coco Chanel and Peter Marino–through a stunning collection of buildings that Marino designed to elevate Chanel’s luxury retail spaces to the realm of fine art. Through his dedication to his craft and expert devotion to Coco Chanel’s vision and resolutely modern spirit, Marino has ushered Chanel into a new age, all while perfecting the always elusive art of the timeless in architecture and design.

The book examines sixteen separate buildings worldwide, demonstrating how Marino’s practice has executed stunning architectural projects at every site, but has also managed to gild every store with an incredible trove of art. Some works on show, by such artists as Andy Warhol, Agnes Martin and Robert Mapplethorpe, are simply curated by Marino; however, a great many more, by Idris Khan, Vik Muniz, and Jean-Michel Othoniel, are specifically commissioned from the artist for each specific store.

The level of detailing and subtle cultural references does not end there. The book, for instance, reveals that Chanel’s Chicago store, with its clean, modernist lines, pays tribute to Mies van der Rohe; the Beverly Hills store’s black aluminum trellises reference the city’s venerable Case Study houses; and the Chanel property in Ginza, Tokyo has a glass facade into which Marino and his team have set LEDs in horizontal tubes so that, as night descends, delicate tweed motifs drift, a subtle reference to Chanel’s signature fabric.

“Peter Marino: The Architecture of Chanel” is available to pre-order now.

Posted by: TAWD on June 21, 2021