All Photos By Gail

Luxury crystal rarely finds itself suspended over cobblestones, but this winter, Baccarat has turned one of its most iconic designs into a full-scale public art moment. Towering above the Meatpacking District, the Baccarat Zénith Crystal Chandelier transforms a historic object of interior design into an outdoor spectacle—part holiday illumination, part brand statement, part urban theater.

Installed as the centerpiece of Lights on the Cobbles Presented by Baccarat, the chandelier stands at the intersection of 9th Avenue and West 14th Street, just steps from Baccarat’s new flagship boutique at 33 Ninth Avenue. Traditionally destined for palaces, ballrooms, and grand salons, the Zénith now hangs in open air, reframing luxury craftsmanship within the grit and glamour of downtown Manhattan.

At an impressive scale — approximately 15 feet tall — the chandelier features 84 lights and thousands of hand-cut crystal pendants. Among them are Baccarat’s unmistakable red crystal elements, achieved through a proprietary process that fuses clear crystal with 24-karat gold powder, producing a deep, glowing vermilion that feels both festive and unmistakably branded. Against the industrial architecture and dark winter skies of the Meatpacking District, the crystal refracts light in dramatic bursts, turning the street corner into a luminous landmark.

The Zénith design itself traces its lineage to the 19th century, when Baccarat helped define the language of monumental crystal lighting for cathedrals and aristocratic interiors. By relocating this historic form outdoors, the installation blurs boundaries between decorative arts, public design, and contemporary placemaking. It invites passersby — whether intentional visitors or accidental flâneurs — to experience fine crystal not as something distant or rarefied, but as part of the everyday urban landscape.

The display also signals Baccarat’s evolving relationship with place. By anchoring the neighborhood’s seasonal lighting program, the brand positions itself not just as a purveyor of luxury objects, but as a contributor to public visual culture — bringing craftsmanship, heritage, and spectacle directly to the street.

Installation view with the Apple Store in the Background

The Baccarat Zénith Crystal Chandelier will remain on view at 9th Avenue and West 14th Street through January 16, 2026, offering New Yorkers and visitors alike a chance to encounter one of design history’s grandest lighting forms — unexpectedly, and memorably, under the open sky.