Chanel X Harrods takeover


Mondays aren’t known as a key day for launches and events in the fashion world. Fridays and Mondays are usually event-free to give us weary fashion folk the chance of a long weekend without the worry that we might be missing something major. But with so much to fit in before Fashion Month, including Fashion’s Night Out, last Monday was stacked with appointments. Boy am I glad I wasn’t out of town for the preview of the astonishing Chanel X Harrods takeover. As well as taking over all the Harrods windows with a display of fairytale splendour, Chanel created a pop-up shop (enter via the Hans Road side entrance), a beauty studio and – the biggie – Une Promenade, a ‘world of Chanel’ installation that far exceeded all my expectations.

SPOILER ALERT! Don’t press play unless you want to see what I saw!

The attention to detail is what makes this experience magical. Entering through a beaded curtain of ‘pearls’ (but of course!) you arrive in a miniature version of Chanel’s SS11 maze-like Versailles gardens set. From here, a warren of rooms lead off and into each other, each one an ode to a Chanel ‘code’. A wall of videos showing the making of a 2.55 bag? Mesmerising. A roomful of Chanel couture? Spectacular. A pop-art room dedicated to Chanel No 5, complete with Warhol artworks? My favourite…





Tweed-print carpet!

Chanel branding throughout the store


A Chanel watering can? Why not?










In the beauty studio on the ground floor, you can have your make-up done using the exclusive (and extremely limited edition) Knightsbridge collection created by Peter Phillips and then get your photo taken in a custom Chanel photo booth (I know!). If you’re really loaded, you can accompany your Belgravia lipstick (£24) and Brompton Road highlighting powder with one of these exclusive giant-sized bottles of Coco (note, there’s real scent in these bottles, not fake)…

The Chanel adventure is only in situ until 25th September, but if you’re heading to London any time soon it’s an absolute must-do. Don’t forget to buy your £1740 Harrods X Chanel souvenir carrier bag…

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