Little over a decade ago, BALENCIAGA first opened up shop in Soho, one of New York City‘s most coveted shopping grounds. And now, the much talked about Paris-based fashion house has relocated its boutique on Mercer Street a block away to much bigger premises. The new retail space, situated inside the early 20th-century landmark SoHo Building, measures no less than 900 sqm. (9,688 sq.ft.) set across two floors, and obviously, it features the brand’s groundbreaking ‘raw architecture’ aesthetic which seems to have been taken to new heights. The chosen aesthetic has become pure artistry here, featuring next-level faux demolition and intensive aging techniques which suggest an accumulation of time, including a vintage-style black and beige diamond-point marble tiled floor which resembles that of founder Cristóbal Balenciaga’s original couture atelier in the French capital.
The ground floor and mezzanine are visually separated with a slab spanning the store’s width, while columns resist this spatial disruption, supporting saw-cut remains of solid pieces which are repurposed as shelving. The two floors of the BALENCIAGA store are connected by an elevator on one side, and a staircase on the other side with a skylight in the middle. The material palette is more elaborate than initially meets the eye, and includes lime-wash bricks, cabochon marble flagstone, concrete masonry, cement panels, bare drywall, and exposed uses of plaster, stucco, steel, and glass which all reference the building’s many reincarnations over the years. Adding another sophisticated touches to the settings are signature carpeting, satin wraps, and subtle lighting. The new BALENCIAGA store carries women’s and men’s apparel, accessories, shoes, bags, small leather goods, jewellery and eyewear. © superfuture
BALENCIAGA
110 Greene Street (SoHo)
New York, NY 10012
Telephone +1 646 3470808
Mon-Sat 11am-7pm
Sun 12pm-6pm
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