Talk about a big reveal. After teaming up with Jonathan Anderson on some of the most-talked-about shoes of Paris Fashion Week at Dior, Nina Christen is now revealing another big project — her first Christen store.
The boutique, which will open on the storied Rue de la Paix in the second quarter of 2026, is being designed in collaboration with architecture firm Salahars and multidisciplinary artist Azadeh Shladovsky. The interior will play up innovation, timelessness and craftsmanship, according to the designer.
“With Christen, I aim to communicate not only through strong products but equally through space and the retail experience that surrounds them,” the designer told WWD and FN exclusively. “Our first store location represents a significant milestone in the creation of the brand.”
Over the past week, the fashion flock has taken notice of Christen signage decking out the space, which was formerly occupied by couture brand Amin Kader. Diamond specialist DeBeers and jeweler Tasaki also are setting up shop on Rue de la Paix.
Christen, which debuted in September 2024, has grown quickly in its first year. Buyers were immediately attracted to the understated line, which emphasizes upscale materials, sculptural materials — and fit with its custom footbed. The brand launched at Bergdorf Goodman in May, expanding for fall to Selfridges, Lane Crawford and Dover Street Market addresses in London, New York and Los Angeles.
The Chilean Swiss designer is behind some of the most innovative designs of the past several years, including Bottega Veneta’s Puddle boot from fall 2020 and its Lido sandal with its wide band of Intrecciato leather. She also dreamed up Loewe’s shoe festooned with balloons and toy-like Comic Foam pumps.
At Dior last week, Christen, designer director of shoes, and Anderson continued to show out-of-the-box designs they became known for at Loewe. One standout was an oversized rounded rosette embellishing several mules — in an array of colors. The designers also put their own twist on classics like a pointed-toe kitten heel with a floating heart embellishment and loafers with gold letters spelling out Dior on the upper, complete with an enlarged O in the middle. Another series of kitten-heel sandals with a D-shaped toe and bow on the top was another highlight.
In an interview this spring, Christen said design has always been her calling. “It was always a very clear path. I knew I wanted to know how to make things,” she said in May.
After enrolling in fashion school, where she studied tailoring and pattern-making, the designer realized she wasn’t invested in ready-to-wear. “But shoes, I like everything from rubber boots to home slippers — everything,” she said. — With contributions from Lily Templeton