Chanel Design Architect
About Chanel
Chanel is one of the world’s most revered luxury houses, founded by Gabrielle Chanel and distinguished by an enduring vision of elegance, freedom, and modernity. As an employer, the House brings together métiers ranging from haute couture, fashion and leather goods to fragrance, beauty, watches, and fine jewelry, offering employees the opportunity to contribute to a legacy defined by exceptional craftsmanship and creative audacity. Chanel values excellence, discretion, collaboration, and long-term development, fostering an environment where talent is nurtured and heritage is continually reinterpreted for contemporary clients. Its teams are united by a commitment to quality, innovation, and the timeless spirit of the brand.
Design Architect at Chanel Tokyo: lead retail and event design for Fragrance & Beauty projects across Japan's local market and travel retail.
Role & Responsibilities
- Support the Architect Manager on Fragrance & Beauty retail projects including department store counters, standalone boutiques, multi-brand, and travel retail distributions with highest creativity aligned to Global Art Director direction
- Understand and adapt global design guidelines in the roll-out of all retail projects
- Develop design concepts through 3D modeling using SketchUp software
- Produce high-quality 3D visualizations of final designs for stakeholder communication
- Collaborate closely with the Merchandising team to ensure creative and articulated store presentation
- Prepare drawing packages and support cost estimates and value engineering activities
- Identify opportunities for cost efficiencies, project savings, and innovative design solutions
- Ensure the highest level of quality and consistency in construction execution across all distribution channels
- Interface with internal functional teams and external consultants to optimize project delivery
- Support the manager in follow-up on improvements, retrofits, and maintenance activities
Qualifications
- Demonstrated expertise in retail design and project development
- Proficiency in 3D modeling and visualization software, particularly SketchUp
- Strong understanding of global brand identity and design guidelines adaptation
- Experience managing retail projects from concept through store opening
- Ability to produce professional architectural drawings and technical documentation
- Knowledge of fragrance and beauty retail environments preferred
Skills
Experience
Proven experience in retail architecture or design development, with a track record of delivering multiple store renovation and new opening projects. Experience in the luxury goods, beauty, or fragrance retail sector is highly valued. Demonstrated ability to manage design projects through all phases: kick-off, development, tender, construction, and opening.
Education
Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Design, or related field is preferred.
Workplace
This position is based in Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Culture
Chanel fosters a culture of timeless creativity, exacting craftsmanship, and quiet excellence, where employees are encouraged to uphold the house’s heritage while contributing to its continued innovation. The workplace environment is refined, collaborative, and deeply committed to quality, offering professionals the opportunity to grow within a globally respected maison that values discretion, artistry, and long-term vision.
About Cerulean
Cerulean is the definitive career portal for the global luxury industry. We match exceptional professionals with exclusive opportunities at the world's most prestigious brands. From haute couture and fine watchmaking to prestige beauty, hospitality, and boutique retail, Cerulean centralises luxury employment to help you find the career for which you were destined.
Frequently Asked Questions
The luxury industry is characterised by a diverse and nuanced nomenclature. Esteemed houses frequently employ proprietary terminology, and even within a single organisation like Chanel, titles may vary across global markets to reflect local conventions. To ensure absolute clarity, Cerulean assigns a standardised, industry-coherent canonical title to every listing. However, it is worth noting that this role is functionally synonymous with «Retail Design Architect», «Fragrance & Beauty Designer», «Studio Architect», «Visual Design Specialist», and other variations. Our sophisticated search architecture anticipates these variations, ensuring that inquiries using related terms will seamlessly yield the exact roles you desire.