Dior’s New York and Beverly Hills windows transform city life into surreal art installations, thanks to Alex Chinneck. At the House of Dior New York on 57th Street and the Beverly Hills flagship in Los Angeles, Chinneck warps urban objects into masterpieces that challenge how you see the everyday. Timeless icons like yellow taxis, traffic lights, street lamps, and clocks take center stage, twisted into forms that defy their usual function. This project marks the one-year anniversary of these Dior locations while reflecting on the brand’s historical roots in America, dating back to 1947.
New York’s twisted taxis and urban artifacts
In Midtown Manhattan, Chinneck turns the House of Dior New York into a miniature cityscape behind glass. The store’s pale facade opens into transparent bays, showcasing nine sculptures visible from the crosswalks and sidewalks. One window features a yellow taxi that appears to peel upwards, as though crafted from cloth. Another installation explodes with traffic lights, their red, yellow, and green lenses radiating like a dynamic bouquet. These creations take familiar New York street elements and reimagine them as abstract sculptures, offering a fresh, artistic perspective on the city’s machinery.
Architectural dialogue through couture-inspired designs
Chinneck crafts these sculptures with an architectural sensibility. Elements like lamp posts bend with the elegance of bows, while road signs and traffic signals twist into whimsical formations. The installations draw a parallel between street furniture and fashion, mimicking the drapery and structure of couture design. A looping black lamp post gracefully encircles a mannequin, while arched street lamps frame figures within the window. The result blurs the boundary between the bustling street and the carefully curated world of Dior’s interior.
Cinematic sculptures in Beverly Hills
Out west in Beverly Hills, the art takes on a different tone, echoing the city’s dreamy boulevard culture. Alex Chinneck creates five distinct works at Dior’s Los Angeles location, inspired by polished cars and ornate lamp posts. These pieces explore themes of movement and shine, embodying the cinematic spirit of the street. A standout piece positions a red car, its body elegantly looping into a spiral. With its chrome trim and signature whitewall tires, it reads both as an automobile and a larger-than-life sculpture. This whimsical creation challenges you to pause and appreciate the artistry embedded in everyday objects.
Source: designboom.com