Van Cleef & Arpels has a longstanding relationship with dance, so it comes as no surprise that the French maison launched its latest outpost near Dubai Opera, the definitive destination for performing arts in the city.  The luxurious new address, called Les Salons Van Cleef & Arpels Dubai Opera, spreads across 22 square meters in a two-storey building, centrally located facing Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard.

Currently on view at the boutique is the Delicate Dancers exhibition, which revisits the love that Louis Arpels, one of the founding Arpels brothers, always had for ballet and dance. The patrimonial showcase features ballerina brooches from the 1940s and ’50s, done in yellow gold and encrusted with rubies, sapphires and diamonds, which have become a pièce de résistance of the brand.

The building is imbued with Art Deco sensibilities and takes inspiration from a drawing from the brand’s archives, which features a jewel box designed in 1929. A metallic moucharabieh dots the boutique’s façade, creating a wondrous interplay of light and shadow. Inside, the staircase, dressed in custom-made embellishments serves as the centerpiece. If you’re in the UAE, make sure to take a walk down history with Van Cleef & Arpels, and experience the exhibition that runs until 15 September.