Rue St.-Honoré may be rather inconspicuous, but it’s one of the few shopping arteries in Paris where luxury brands are eager to settle and pull out all the stops, including Celine. The revered fashion house, headed by the elusive Hedi Slimane, anchored its presence here two years ago with a dedicated haute parfumerie boutique, an event we’ve covered in a previous post, but it has recently further raised its profile on this luxury axis by snapping up a bigger and more prominent space right next door to which it has become connected indoors. The 19th-century building in Haussmannian style features two floors which have been designed by Slimane who selected a number of artworks from the Celine Art Project, an initiative he launched in 2019 to support contemporary artists through commissions and acquisitions. Almost an extrapolation from the small perfume boutique, the new premises easily adapt to Slimane’s distinct design codes despite the more voluminous dimensions. Here, in stark contrast to the perfume shop, the black and white marble covers the floors instead of the walls.

The marble is paired with sleek steel shelving and horizontal decorative strips of gilded brass that cover either the walls and opaque windows, and large mirrors. The double height vault in the very corner on the ground floor elicits the sense of new French contemporary elegance when beholding a setting anchored by an arresting, semi-helicoidal staircase in shiny gilded brass and large Art Déco-inspired pendant lamps. The ground floor presents women’s accessories, leather goods and jewellery pieces, while up on the mezzanine, the full range of Celine bags and small leather goods is showcased. The first floor is home to an intimate salon in matching style, and sees a marble fireplace with andirons, sturdy, fur-clad sofas, and of course, plenty of artwork. Speaking of which, the many trophies in the new Celine store include a suspended mobile of brass and glass commissioned by Slimane and crafted by artist Virginia Overton, a painting by Los Angeles-based artist Will Boone, and Ian L.C. Swordy‘s various sculptures.