The luxury fashion house has opened its most expansive Australian boutique in Sydney’s CBD, taking over the iconic corner of Market and Castlereagh Street.
It is the brand’s largest Australian store and the first here to include a standalone Watches & Fine Jewellery space with its own entrance. The boutique sits inside the former David Jones menswear building, a 1930s corner site folded into Westfield Sydney. The heritage façade stays; but inside, the interior has undergone a full reset.
Peter Marino handled the design. The layout reads as a series of salons rather than one open floor: leather goods and shoes downstairs; ready-to-wear and accessories upstairs; a smaller accessories room tucked away.
The Watches & Fine Jewellery boutique sits adjacent to the main store with a dedicated entrance from the mall interior. The space uses angular walls punctuated by small, window-like vitrines. Chanel describes it as offering “a more intimate experience.”
Inside, the cues are restrained. A First Nations artwork by Judy Watson Napangardi sits above the central staircase. Commissioned objects and antiques add texture without crowding the floor.
Lucie Juhel, Chanel’s Managing Director Australia & New Zealand, says the brand recognised the huge potential in the Australian market.
“As the local market continues to evolve, there is a growing appreciation for luxury and an increased demand for meaningful and immersive experiences,” she tells Forbes Australia.
She says both Market Street and Castlereagh Street will play crucial roles for Chanel’s Sydney clientele.
“Sydney is a global city, and a leading cultural and financial hub in the Asia-Pacific region. Its arts scene, diverse population, and status as a gateway to Australia make it an attractive location for investment in long-term growth,” she says.
“Each boutique delivers a unique story, allowing clients and visitors to be immersed in exceptional savoir-faire and the finest craftmanship, celebrating the creative spirit of our House.”
The opening also lands as Chanel’s global brand power has stepped up.
In Brand Finance’s 2025 Luxury & Premium 50, Chanel rose to No. 2 worldwide, overtaking Louis Vuitton, after a 45% jump in estimated brand value to US$37.9 billion – the fastest growth among brands in this year’s ranking.
On the strongest luxury and premium brands for 2025, Chanel moved from fifth to fourth with a Brand Strength Index of 89.6 out of 100, trailing only Dior, Ferrari and Rolex.
The mix on Market Street tracks with that trajectory.
Over the past 18 months Chanel has leaned into higher-margin categories and controlled environments – opening a Fifth Avenue Watches & Fine Jewellery flagship in New York (Feb. 2024) also designed by Peter Marino – before rolling out Australia’s first dedicated Watches & Fine Jewellery space here.
“The Watches & Fine Jewellery boutique seamlessly blends art and antiques with technology,” Juhel says. “Here, clients can discover the exquisite Chanel Precious Jewellery, watches, high jewellery, and Haute Horlogerie.”
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