In terms of ridiculously expensive luxury worldbuilding, Chanel is unparalleled. The house that Coco built remains the top dog of outrageous set design. Remember the Chanel supermarket? The Chanel carousel!?
The sheer indulgent excess is all so over the top that it kinda circles around to being awesome again.
No surprise that Chanel doesn't miss a trick even when launching a pop-up simply to promote a seasonal campaign. No expense will be spared in the name of overwhelming spectacle.
Over in Tokyo's bougie Omotesando neighborhood, Chanel has erected a giant Chanel Moon Base pop-up for its "Once Upon a Moon" Holiday 2022 campaign.
Inspired by a space station, the Chanel Moon Base itself is imposingly massive, utterly unnecessary, and jaw-droppingly complex, especially for a week-long pop-up. It's also kind of amazing, a testament to the power of imagination and deep, deep pockets (Chanel grossed upwards of $15.6 billion in revenue in 2021).
Rather than freeze-dried ice cream and oxygen tanks, Chanel's space station is packed with Chanel N°5 perfume, high jewelry, and seasonal watches. It's all the typical stuff you can find at most other Chanel boutiques but with a space-age twist.
For instance, guests will receive a complimentary space-themed passport as a commemorative tchotchke.
Japanese actresses and models stopped by the Chanel pop-up, as they are wont to do, with Ai Hashimoto and Kiko Arai making appearances to pose in the Chanel moon rover — this is a real thing.
The Moon Base pop-up blasts off from Tokyo on November 20 but Chanel hasn't confirmed that it'll touch down elsewhere.
It's not likely, honestly, but who knows. Chanel plays everything close to the vest.
The moon remains a frequent inspiration for Chanel campaigns and collections, most recently inspiring the 2019 "Over the Moon" N°5 perfume campaign.
But never before has it inspired a pop-up quite so extraordinary. A Chanel space station! Who'd have thought.
