A spotlight _ new york
Extraordinary boutiques By Marwan Naaman
Manhattan is a shopper’s paradise. The island’s Downtown is particularly appealing for those seeking offbeat, one-of-a-kind boutiques offering unique retail experiences. Here are four stores where fashion and design have melded to create extraordinary spaces in which to shop.
and various ballerina flats by Australian brand Bloch. More than just a retail space, Beyond 7 is a veritable haven for those seeking to discover up-and-coming or newly trendy brands. 623 W. 27th St., tel. 1.212.643.4810, store. beyond7boutique.com
Beyond 7 If Carrie Bradshaw were a flesh-and-blood person, this is where she would spend most of her free time. Iconic boutique Beyond 7, in Chelsea, is set inside a grand, late-19thcentury structure that was once the popular nightclub Tunnel (back in the ‘80s). The high beams, exposed brick and unfinished wood floors serve as a dramatic backdrop for the niche clothing brands available here. The avid female shopper will find items like an animal print dress by British brand Issa; a velvet blazer by Japanese label Akiko Ogawa;
Espasso Even though home accessory stores abound in Manhattan, few are as dramatic looking as Espasso, an all-white, ultra-minimalist but expansive space that sells mid-century and contemporary Brazilian furniture. Owned by São Paulo native Carlos Junqueira, the Tribeca space carries anything and everything from light fixtures, trays, vases, mirrors and coat hangers to bar stools, benches, coffee tables, desks, sofas, dining room tables and more. Featured designers include Carlos Motta, Arthur Casas, Branco &
©Paul Clemence
Four New York boutiques are taking the retail experience to new horizons
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Preto and Etel Carmona to name a few. A sort of one-stop shop for those looking to furnish their home, Espasso also sells Brazilian artworks by the likes of AmÊlia Toledo and Mauro Restiffe. 38 N. Moore St., tel. 1.212.219.0017, www. espasso.com Moss One of Soho’s most dynamic stores, Moss (owned by Murray Moss and Franklin Getchell) focuses on industrial designers from around the globe. Pieces of interest include tables by Dutch design firm Studio Job, light fixtures by New York-based designer Marcus Tremonto, rugs by Cristian Zuzunaga from Spain and accessories like the Ostrich Egg by Belgian designer Martin Margiela, to be used as a paperweight or doorstop. A gallery, showroom and salon all at once, Moss presents its furniture and
This page Espasso (top photo) and Moss (bottom photos) Opposite page Clothing choices at Beyond 7
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A spotlight _ new york
United Nude United Nude has to be one of Manhattan’s most visually dramatic shoes stores. Featuring mostly women’s footwear (all by United Nude) and some men’s models, the store was originally conceived by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, who says that after a particularly painful breakup with a former girlfriend, he decided to deconstruct architecture to its most basic element: a woman’s foot. Thus the Möbius shoe was born. Koolhaas then hooked up with British shoemaker Galahad Clark, and together they launched the United Nude label, beginning with the Möbius shoe and then expanding to produce dozens of footwear designs for women and men as well as some accessories, including wallets, hats and bags. The New York flagship store, which opened in 2010 and is located in Noho, on the edge of the East Village, A 312
is moodily lit, quite dark, with towering heels spectacularly displayed around the perimeter of the space in backlit frames. 25 Bond St., tel. 1.212.420.6000, www. unitednude.com
©Paul Clemence
United Nude boutique’s dramatic shoe display
objects in a loft-like space flooded with natural light. 150 Greene St., tel. 1.212.204.7100, www. mossonline.com