Renovated Dior boutique

An interior view of the Dior boutique in Beverly Hills, which reopened after an extensive eight-month renovation. (Richard Cadan)

By Booth Moore

October 25, 2012, 4:11 p.m.

The house of Dior is certainly making its mark on the red carpet of late, with a bevy of stars (Jessica Biel, Marion Cotillard, Julianne Moore, Jennifer Lawrence) stepping out in Raf Simons’ daring new designs. And now, the French fashion brand is looking to translate all that buzz into sales with the reopening of its Rodeo Drive boutique Thursday after an eight-month renovation.

It was worth the wait. The 5,000-square-foot space is so stunning, it’s indisputably the new gem of Rodeo Drive, the kind of place you want to drop in just to see.

The interior designed by Peter Marino is in keeping with the design concept featured in Dior’s worldwide flagship in Paris on Avenue Montaigne. This atmosphere has a residential feel, with 18thcentury-inspired furnishings and fixtures mixed with contemporary art commissioned by the house.

The boutique, which has a cool gray color scheme, features five rooms on the first floor, with Dior’s signature top-handled handbags and lace-covered pumps each in their own spaces. There’s a ready-to-wear salon (currently featuring the cruise collection, designed before Simons’ arrival) with fireplace and seating area, and a separate fine jewelry room.  Upstairs is a VIP salon that will house pieces from Simons’ first two collections, to be shown to celebrities and stylists as we enter awards show season.

Dior commissioned several artists to create special pieces for the boutique, including a circular Claude Lalanne ginkgo-leaf bench in the entrance room, which is filled with fresh flowers, and “Cosmic,” a Rob Wynne mirror glass installation on the ceiling of the handbag area. A Johnny Swing couch made of welded half dollars and stainless steel sits in the ready-to-wear room, and two glass sculptures by artist Jeff Zimmerman reside in the shoe salon alongside a Pae White tapestry. In the fine jewelry area, glittery baubles are displayed in a dollhouse modeled after the Avenue Montaigne flagship. Another glam touch? Chairs upholstered with marabou feathers. Ooh la la.

There are several special accessories that were created for the Rodeo Drive opening, including a gold cuff made from a cluster of stars, which is appropriate considering the star treatment that Dior and its new designer are enjoying. Simons’ impressive couture collection, his first for the house, shown in Paris back in July, is displayed in the boutique windows for all to see. His first ready-to-wear collection for spring begins arriving in store in February.

Dior, 309 North Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills.