More than a century after Gabrielle Chanel established her legendary fashion house at 31 Rue Cambon in Paris, Tom Sachs brings his own interpretation of the iconic address to New York, transforming his Centre Street studio into a playful and meticulously crafted version of the famous Chanel world.
At first glance, the installation captures the visual language of the original: cream awnings, black gates with interlocking Cs, mirrored walls, beige carpeting and carefully arranged garments evoke the atmosphere of a Parisian couture house. But as the viewer moves closer, the illusion begins to reveal its handmade character.
Luxury materials are replaced by humble, unexpected ones. Furniture is constructed from plywood, a chandelier incorporates bicycle reflectors, and Chanel-inspired garments are recreated using wood, paint and hardware-store materials. Thirty-one suits form part of the installation, each painstakingly constructed by Sachs and his studio. Bouclé textures are suggested through layers of paint, while accessories are rebuilt from cardboard, plastic, wood and LEGO.
The contrast is deliberate. By translating the codes of haute couture into inexpensive materials, Sachs questions what truly creates the perception of luxury. Rather than relying on precious fabrics or flawless finishes, his work emphasizes proportion, detail, repetition and craftsmanship.
The project also reflects Sachs’ long-standing fascination with recreating familiar cultural and consumer objects through his distinctive language of bricolage. His visible seams, painted surfaces and imperfections become an essential part of the work, revealing the labor behind the illusion.
His interpretation of Rue Cambon is therefore more than a tribute to Chanel. It becomes a playful conversation between fashion, design and making—where the visual identity of a luxury brand survives even when its traditional materials disappear.
In Sachs’ hands, plywood becomes a new language for couture: humble, imperfect and unmistakably handmade, yet capable of producing its own unexpected sense of luxury.
