Bright lights, iconic architecture, bold fashion: Paris evokes an immediate response in terms of what this international city means to design—and it is the inspiration for the newest Van Cleef & Arpels boutique in the United States.
The 3,000-square-foot store is located in Pennsylvania’s King of Prussia shopping center, in the greater Philadelphia region. This is the venerable brand’s first boutique in the state, and the store will feature classic as well as new Van Cleef & Arpels designs, it says.
The store design has the drama of the Eiffel Tower along with the excitement of shopping in some of Paris’s most beloved stores. The boutique’s entrance grabs your attention for evoking the art deco period, creating a facade that is both timeless and yet fitting for the modern moment.
The interior provides a sleek and subtle backdrop for Van Cleef & Arpels’ well-known jewelry. The primary colors are gold, onyx, and dove gray in various tones. The cases and seating areas are offset by a dark wood floor and a stark white ceiling. In addition to the main room, there is a smaller salon for customers to shop in private.
Soft furnishings in dove gray and a blush also add to the luxury element of the boutique, which features bookcases filled with Parisian touches to complete the feeling that you’re a character in a movie or television show like Emily in Paris.
The boutique’s showstopper is a hand-crafted glass chandelier, which the jeweler had made in France to create an eye-catching moment in the center of the large space. Another standout design element is the gold leaf paneling on the walls, providing an elaborate yet delicate style that gives the room a feeling of 1920s glamour.
“We are excited to bring to life the elegant universe of our French Maison by sharing iconic creations and rich heritage with the sophisticated King of Prussia community,” Helen King, president and CEO of Van Cleef & Arpels, Americas, said in a statement. “We look forward to welcoming guests to this special boutique that will be designed to evoke the warmth and elegance of a Parisian apartment.”
The boutique will carry some of the brand’s most recognizable jewelry designs, such as its Alhambra good luck pieces and Perlée watches, as well as new works. On the classic side, there is the Van Cleef & Arpels snowflake motif, which it introduced in the 1940s but still resonates today with its high jewelry collection with its combination of diamonds and platinum.
The Alhambra collection, which dates to 1968 but never feels out of style, will also be on display. The boutique will feature five new Alhambra creations in guilloché white gold. The long necklace, bracelet, pendant, ring, and earrings have a sunburst pattern as well as a beaded contour.
Van Cleef & Arpels has more than 140 boutiques worldwide that seek to highlight the brand’s legacy, which dates back to 1906 in Paris, with its latest designs and signatures.
Top: Gold leaf wall decor as well as a stunning French chandelier are among the top design elements inside the latest Van Cleef & Arpels U.S. boutique (photos courtesy of Van Cleef & Arpels).
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