#14 | March 2011
the move
All photographs by Erica Simone
Who has time to cook when you’re moving an entire store downtown?! In this month’s blog, I’ll be talking about the process of moving and how it will or will not affect the Jay Kos brand. Thank god for the Juice Press, whose green juice will have to satisfy the food portion of our blogzine this month! It seems what everyone wants to know most about the new store is if it will be remain “the same.” No, the store will obviously not be the same. First of all the new location itself, on Mott and Houston in SoHo (which was previously half of the restaurant Ballato’s) will pave the way for a new style of customer and an overall fresh vibe. However, we are not “changing” - we are “evolving,” which we are always in the process of anyway. The store itself will be more private and exclusive, catering to people who truly cherish luxury. And when I use the term “luxury,” I’m dissociating from giant logos you would find in Heathrow Airport or something you can buy a knock-off of on Canal Street. To me, the term “luxury” (which does not inherently mean expensive) translates into the quality of the production, the colors, the fabrics, the momand-pop manufacturers in Italy or France who have spent generations and generations perfecting a product to its finest level.
“Luxury” could also easily have to do with food. To a local hunter who happened to stumble upon a delicious truffle in the forrest: that is luxury. The design of the new store will incorporate a combination of art deco, modern, mid-century and boudoir styles. I’ve been doing all the furniture and lighting shopping myself, and it has been quite an exciting experience. With regular trips to the flea market on 24th street as well as almost every antique furniture and lighting store in New York City, the design process is now coming together beautifully. The most important addition to the shop will be the installation of a custom Glass GD Cucine kitchen on the main floor, with pots from Staub and knives from Henkel, which I will constantly be using to prepare small dishes for my customers. For me, food and fashion are one in the same - they are two creative outlets of which I’m extremely passionate about, and I’ve always dreamt of somehow blending the two in my brand and store. So, while you’re getting your fitting, you may be lucky enough to try a bite of an artichoke dish or a pasta that I will make myself fresh that day. Most importantly about the new store, is that we will not be fitting into a box. I don’t like them, especially the cardboard
ones. The new store is all about embracing the eccentricity of the personality behind the brand and to constantly strive to run far far away from that cube object that the media and the industry love to squeeze people in. To me, creativity has no limits, and I’ll be making sure to push them as far and as wide as possible. I’d like for the new store to feel like home — somewhere where you could feel comfortable walking around in bare feet, where the lighting is warm and the chairs hug you. The boutique will no longer have traditional in-store display fixtures, but rather home furniture or vintage fixtures - maybe an art deco desk or a coffee table where you can browse through bow-ties or a mid-century hat rack where you can find the latest styles. We are converting the basement into a ‘secret’ fitting and dining room, where our special customers and celebrities can disappear to for a truly luxurious and private shopping experience. The merchandise will remain the same as far as design and style, but more focused and edited to offer the most important range of products we offer. For example, the familiar Jay Kos corduroys will remain a staple as will our navy blue hopsack blazers and unexpected sport jacket designs. As we grow and evolve, we are hoping to see you enjoy the results sometime in June. Stay tuned for details on the opening reception!
8'-11 1/4"
1'-11 5/8"
2'-11 3/8"
1'-11 5/8"
2'-1 5/8"
5 1/2"1/2"
2'-7 1/4" 3'-1"
7'-9 7/8"
DW
1/2"
1'-11 5/8"
2'-8"
2'-3" 8'-11"
GD CUCINE N
1'-11 5/8"
1/2"6 3/4"
E
W
Y
O
R
K
GD Cucine Usa 227 West 17th Street New York, NY 10011 Phone 646-786-0005 simone.biscontin@gdcucine.com www.gdcucine.com
Client:
JAY KOS 550 MOTT STREET NEW YORK, NY
Architect:
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Material: Model
Velvet
Toe-kick
Anodized aluminum, natural grey finish
Base cabinet
Tempered colored glass
Tall cabinet
Tempered colored glass
Upper cabinet
Tempered colored glass
Interiors
White pearl
Handles
Velvet built-in profile
Countertop
Tempered colored glass
Backsplash
Tempered colored glass
Fixture/Appliances: Oven
None
Cooktop
None
Refrigerator
None
Microwaves
None
Hood/Ventilation
None
Dishwasher
None
Faucet
None
Sink
None
Wine cooler
None
Coffee machine
None
Ice maker
None
kitchen floorplan
1'-11 5/8"
1/2"
Ceiling height: t.b.d.
Revisions: 1.
03-02-2011
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Date: 03-02-2011 Scale: 1/2" = 1' Drawn by: Simone Biscontin
A-1