>> It's become something of a ritual to come up with a Chanel x ... title every time the brand does an interesting pop-up concept. Chanel really is no stranger to exorbitantly extravagant temporary and fleeting spaces given that they've now done pop-up stores with colette and Harrods as well as going mobile with their gigantic art installations and of course ensuring they blow everyone else out of the water with every catwalk show set build they do. As I mentioned before, the tourist-flooded Covent Garden is getting a summer high fashion boost courtesy of Chanel's Beauty pop-up store, just a stone's throw away from Opening Ceremony's pop-up, and a first for the UK. Chanel's fine roster of make-up artists, nail technicians, theatrical artists and stylists will be coming together to do special in-store events over the next five months.
Parking four Chanel vernis coated London black cabs in this summer's shades of Blue Boy, Holiday, Chance and Rebelle outside the store ensured that the passing crowd would be snapping away with excitement, even if they don't know exactly what it is they're snapping (isn't that the way with crowd drawing attractions in tourist spots?). There was also a Chanel street performer preening and peering into a mirror on a podium outside, paying homage to Covent Garden's tradition for creepy slash hilarious street performers (there's even an association for this theatrical group). I jostled around for about five minutes inside the pop-up and the thing to take away from the store is London's first dedicated Chanel nail bar that will be downstairs. I am a simpleton when it comes to beauty products, and specifically nail polish. I can't profess to have found some sort of zany avant garde alternative to Chanel's Le Vernis. A sheeny shiny bottle of Chanel nail polish is my guilty pick me up at airports when something has gone inevitably gone wrong (lost luggage, delayed flight, no copies of Guardian left at WHSmith etc). I'm wearing several poorly applied coats of Chanel's Holiday shade right now. I'll definitely be popping in for more expertly applied polish, especially if the likes of Marian Newman and Sophy Robson will be there. The street performer outside may have specified that there be no donations but rest assured, the till at Chanel's pop-up will be going ker-ching-ker-ching.
