Step inside Chanel’s first Singapore shoe boutique designed by Peter Marino

The recent launch of Chanel’s first dedicated shoe boutique in Singapore at ION Orchard is far more than a retail expansion. It is a fusion of architectural design genius, brand statement, and a portal into the world of couture footwear perfectly orchestrated by the privately owned luxury French house.

Spanning 125sqm on the first floor of Singapore’s one-stop-mall for luxury aficionados, the boutique is conceived by none other than Peter Marino. An internationally acclaimed architect and designer based in New York City, he is celebrated for redefining luxury retail architecture through his sculptural use of materials, art integration, and long-standing collaborations with various high-end brands. Synonymous with Chanel’s retail vocabulary, he has also worked with Dior, Louis Vuitton, and Bvlgari.

In particular, this new space in question elevates Chanel shoes into objets d’art. From the first glance through its expansive windows, the boutique draws you in. Soft golden alcoves frame the display of the latest collections, set against the house’s signature palette of white, beige, and black — colours dear to founder Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel.

Within, tweed sofas echo the house’s famed tweed suits, bespoke carpets whisper luxury underfoot, and a lacquered black floor grounds the entire space in chic intimacy. A shimmering golden brass and rock-crystal chandelier by goldsmith Goossens hovers above a Peter Dayton painting of camellias, which is a fitting tribute to the camellia flower that Coco Chanel adored. This blend of architectural precision, art reference, and maison heritage is exactly what Peter Marino has built his reputation on.

For more than a quarter-century, he has collaborated with Chanel on flagship boutiques around the world in metropolises like Tokyo, Istanbul, Seoul, Paris, and New York City. Through his work, he translates the maison’s codes into architecture and interior design in equal measure.

But what about the shoes? After all, the boutique marks not only space but as a place to encounter the signature Chanel female footwear styles. First and foremost is the iconic two-tone slingback, conceived by Coco Chanel in 1957 in collaboration with shoemaker Raymond Massaro.

The beige body elongates the leg, the black cap-toe protects the shoe both visually and physically, and the strap offers a liberated alternative to the era’s rigid pumps. That design, once revolutionary for its comfort and elegance, has endured for decades as a pillar of Chanel’s footwear language. Meanwhile, the luxury brand’s ballet flat holds its own. Introduced in 1984 under its late creative director Karl Lagerfeld, the shoes were inspired by an earlier slingback silhouette that embody minimalism in motion: effortless, understated, polished.

In the Fall-Winter 2025/26 collection, the boutique also presents refreshed iterations of the two-tone slingback and ballet flat as well as new creations such as sleek black stretch and patent leather ankle-boots, set on pearl heels — all unexpected, modern, yet rooted in Chanel’s couture savoir faire.