The Montblanc boutique, located at 15 E. Oak St.
Chicago’s retail scene has just welcomed a stylish new addition—Montblanc has officially opened its doors, bringing iconic signature writing instruments, Swiss-made timepieces and leather goods to the city's luxe Oak Street shopping district. For over a century, the brand’s distinguished pens have graced the hands of honored figures, from Ernest Hemingway to Queen Elizabeth II. Today, the maison is a luxury staple, not only when putting pen to paper, but in the form of style accents and accessories.
Relocating from its former Michigan Avenue storefront to a prime location at 15 E. Oak St., the new boutique aims to present a refined retail experience that harmonizes modern design with Montblanc’s rich heritage rooted in the art of writing. The shop’s striking exterior façade sets the tone, featuring two black striped concrete panels with the silhouette of the brand’s namesake, iconic Alpine peak Mont Blanc. The exterior design also showcases the Montblanc snowcap emblem and matches that of Montblanc Haus, the maison’s Hamburg headquarters.
The exterior façade, consisting of two black striped concrete panels, the silhouette of Mont Blanc mountain and the snowcap emblem
Inside, the retail destination is embellished with a black-and-white color palette inspired by the Montblanc emblem, coral elements from the brand’s archive and touches of gold from the Meisterstück writing instrument—the maison’s most distinctive and historic pen since 1924, featuring a handcrafted solid gold nib, a rhodium-coated inlay and a three-ring cigar shape.
Motifs of penmanship resonate throughout the space, including paper lamps, nibs as design accents on walls and textured calligraphy wallpaper incorperating the figure eight shape—a symbol repeatedly written when manufacturing Montblanc writing instruments to test nibs.
A section of the boutique dedicated to the brand’s writing instruments
“Chicago has long been an important city for Montblanc, with a discerning clientele that appreciates the maison’s dedication to craftsmanship and excellence. With our new boutique on Oak Street, we are offering a space that not only showcases our iconic writing instruments but also our expanding collections in leather goods, watches, and accessories,” says Sylvain Costof, Montblanc President Americas.
With more than 1,400 square feet of retail space, the boutique showcases a curated array of limited-edition writing instruments on the Collectors Wall, including pieces from Great Characters, Masters of Art and Writers Editions collector lines. Additionally, it boasts an expanded assortment of Montblanc’s Swiss-made timepieces, from the Montblanc 1858 Collection to Star Legacy.
Leather goods, writing instruments and accessories on display
Leather craftsmanship is also on display, including a dedicated section exhibiting artistic director Marco Tomasetta’s latest designs, which range from contemporary business bags to elevated travel accessories and small leather goods, ideal for modern professionals and travelers alike.
The retail experience is accompanied by personalized offerings, including on-site embossing, engraving and innovative nib customization with the brand’s Bespoke Nib service, which allows clients to personalize their writing instrument based on an evaluation by a trained digital writing analytics expert.
The storefront's selection of Swiss-made timepieces
To celebrate the opening, the maison is unveiling a premier collaboration with contemporary artist Alexander Iskin, renowned for his interrealist works characterized by biomorphic, ambiguous forms set against multi-layered surfaces and immersive pictorial spaces. The boutique will showcase Iskin’s commissioned artwork, which draws inspiration from Montblanc’s ethos of creativity and exploration.
Throughout the year, the storefront will serve as a venue for private events, exclusive product unveilings, and curated cultural experiences tailored to Chicago’s creative and luxury communities.
Costof concludes, “This move is a testament to our commitment to creating immersive experiences for our customers so they can discover or rediscover the universe of Montblanc in a compelling way.”
For more information, visit montblanc.com.
See also: Revealed: The 10 Best-Dressed Chicagoans
Photography by: Photography courtesy of Montblanc
