By now, we're well aware of Garbielle Coco Chanel’s affinity with the UK. Following the successful retrospective exhibition opening at the V&A, which attracted the largest crowds to date and was so immediately popular, its run time was extended until 10 March 2024. As well as, the monumental Métiers d'art show which took over Manchester’s Northern Quarter, that will go down in pop cultural history. But Chanel’s love for Britain extends even further north, to the deepest, darkest reaches of the country, all the way up to Scotland.

The Chanel tweed jacket may be one of the most coveted items in fashion history, but it’s also one of the most recognisable. An iconic piece that manifests as a true icon of the luxury French house, the tweed jacket has its humble beginnings in the Scottish Highlands, a corner of the world that Coco herself fell madly in love with.

Renowned for rubbing (well-tailored) shoulders with the British upper echelons, Chanel met the Duke of Westminster in the early 1920s. While the two enjoyed a decade-long romance, it was Coco’s affair with Scotland that would outlive the both of them. While you might think her Parisian affectation would leave her out of place in the wild and woolly highlands, Chanel enjoyed hikes and fishing expeditions with the Duke and Winston Churchill.

In 1925, inspired by the jackets, caps and trousers that were sported by her countryside contemporaries, Coco designed the iconic tweed jacket, a garment and fabric that would go on to define the style of the world’s most famous fashion house. So while you may be wondering how the immeasurably chic luxury brand finds itself in the steep cobbled streets of Edinburgh, Chanel has ensured that the Scottish charm that once captivated Coco lives on, over 100 years since her first visit.


Chanel Beauty’s latest pop-up boutique lands in Edinburgh on March 9th, in the place where it all began. Designed to feel like a twilight excursion, the pop-up celebrates the launch of the new Rouge Allure Velvet Nuit Blanche Matte lipsticks and will run throughout March. The luminous matte lipsticks are available in 8 limited edition shades to represent each hour of the night, ensuring that all your after-dark adventures are perfectly puckered up.

Chanel Beauty has taken over the space at No.8 Charlotte Square, an elegant townhouse nestled in the New Town part of Edinburgh. Designed by Robert Adam in 1791 Charlotte Square beams with a storied past – from haphazard renovations during the Victorian era to a massive restoration in the 1920s which returned the facades to their original glory. With its great history and many lives, No.8 is the ideal location for a heritage house like Chanel.


Upon entry to the boutique, guests will be greeted by a team of Chanel Beauty experts, on hand to guide visitors into the pop-up cinema where they can kick back to the Rouge Allure Velvet Nuit Blanche campaign film, starring none other than the suitably luminous Margot Robbie. An interactive digital clock will be installed in the boutique and available for guests to discover their favourite shades of the new lipstick.

While the backstage area of the space will provide plenty of opportunities to play around with and explore the new shades, allowing a truly hands-on Chanel Beauty experience. With vibrant shades of pink and red and muted tones of warm brown and rosewood, guests will be sure to find their perfect partner for any nighttime beauty look.


And if that’s not enough to make you book your train to Edinburgh, the Chanel School of Make-up will be hosting beauty masterclasses available to pre-book, helping you master your own evening look, and of course, finished with a spritz of Chanel fragrance. Parisian chic, found in the heart of Edinburgh!

By Olivia Barrett

The pop-up opens from March 9-30th at No.8 Charlotte Square, Edinburgh, EN2 4DR. Discover more at chanel.com...

And shop our picks of Chanel Beauty below...