Chanel’s links to Scotland are deep-rooted and longstanding, traceable back to house founder Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel who spent long stretches of time in the Scottish Highlands (largely down to her decade-long love affair with Hugh Grosvenor, 2nd Duke of Westminster, who owned swathes of land in the country). Since, the house has become synonymous with tweed – the hardwearing fabric named after the River Tweed in the Scottish borders – which Coco Chanel began commissioning from local factories in 1924.
A new ephemeral boutique in the Scottish capital Edinburgh (open from 8 June – 5 August 2023) celebrates this unique relationship, housing Chanel’s Métiers d’art 2023 collection, a selection of watches and fine jewellery, fragrance and beauty across the light-filled three floors. The house says that Edinburgh was a city that Coco Chanel ‘adored’, forming ‘a strong bond with Scotland both aesthetically and professionally, relishing country and town life alike’. Chanel also notes that Scottish weavers and knitwear producers continue to create the house’s cashmere and a selection of its tweeds.
