Establishing one of the first Fabergé boutiques to open since Russia’s 1917 October Revolution was no small undertaking. The project involved transforming a stark concrete space, formerly a Donna Karan showroom, in Martin Place into an opulent setting worthy of a Russian Tsar, all within 12 months and within the heritage-listed art deco MLC Chamber. The interior featured a single supporting column, six-metre-high ceilings, and one marble wall. The design required extensive research into Imperial aesthetics whilst meeting the client’s demand for uniqueness: “to find truth in the product is to find truth in the process of product.”

Fabergé’s entrance is flanked by tall windows adorned with golden sculptures of the double-headed crowned eagle from the Russian coat of arms. Inside, visitors encounter a luxurious salon that blends modern elegance with 18th-century Russian opulence. The neo-classical showroom includes decorative non-structural columns, timber and plaster cornices, and large ornamental frames supporting Romanesque chandeliers. Nearly everything is custom-made, from intricate display cases to seating and mirrors. Creamy walls and distressed mirrors provide a subtle backdrop, allowing Fabergé’s exquisite, diamond-encrusted eggs to take centre stage, inviting new discoveries with each visit.