Tiffany & Co. Opens Beijing Flagship With Ambassador Zhang Ziyi

The American jeweler brought the exhibition "Birds in Bloom," showcasing archival works by Jean Schlumberger, to mark the flagship opening in a big way. That combination of living icon and archival legend says something deliberate about where Tiffany & Co. is planting its flag in China.

Tiffany & Co. held a grand opening celebration for its new flagship store at Taikoo Li Sanlitun in Beijing on March 14. The event kicked off with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the store with Lan Luan, president at Tiffany & Co. China; Han Zhi, retail director at Swire Properties; global house ambassador Zhang Ziyi; China house ambassadors Tiffany Tang and Zhang Ruoyun, and China brand ambassadors Elaine Zhong, Song Yuqi, Li Yunrui and Wang Xingyue.

CEO Anthony Ledru described the new store as "a cultural hub that seamlessly brings together exquisite art, craft and heritage in one location," providing "an experience beyond traditional retail." The building itself makes that case before you step inside: the Beijing store is the fifth in a series of façade designs created by MVRDV for Tiffany, with flowing shapes inspired by the masterpieces of jewelry designer Elsa Peretti.

Upon entering, shoppers are welcomed by sparkling crystal chandeliers that interplay with the champagne gold leaf ceiling, while handcrafted walls with gilded accents create a backdrop for the American brand's collections, including HardWear by Tiffany, Lock by Tiffany, Knot by Tiffany and T by Tiffany, as well as Tiffany watches. At the foot of the staircase, a bronze sculpture, "Pair" by British sculptor Tony Cragg, leads visitors toward the second floor. Antique jewelry and a selection of historic stained-glass lamps by Louis Comfort Tiffany, the founder's son, are also on display throughout the store, collapsing nearly two centuries of the house's history into a single address.

Open to the public from April 1 to May 27, the "Birds in Bloom" exhibition highlights Schlumberger's fantastical nature-inspired vision, unique imagination and poetic expression. Key pieces include sapphire and turquoise necklaces, floral brooches, and the iconic "Bird on a Rock" design. A broader selection of masterpieces from the Tiffany Archives will also be on display at Beijing SKP and Shanghai IFC stores until May 27, together celebrating nearly two centuries of the house's creative heritage.

The Sanlitun setting adds its own context. Taikoo Li Sanlitun was a pioneer in introducing the concept of neighborhood shopping to China when it opened in 2008 and has recently gone through a luxe transformation teeing up a slew of high-profile luxury flagship debuts including Dior, Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Loro Piana, Saint Laurent, Alaïa and Sacai. Tiffany's arrival completes what is now one of the most concentrated corridors of luxury retail in Asia.

Tiffany & Co. has bet big on China, debuting its newly transformed Taikoo Li flagship in Chengdu, the brand's first triplex flagship in the country, at the start of 2025. The Beijing opening reads as the logical next chapter: a market commitment measured not just in square footage, but in an ambassador like Zhang Ziyi, an archival exhibition of Schlumberger's rarest work, and a building designed to be as visually arresting from the street as it is refined within.