Andrew Blyszak explores the future of retail at new New York-based concept store, The Apartment.
The notion of 90s consumerism and retail as we know it today had effervescently come to a near stand still through the economy meltdown. For the most part, those usual top end retail faces were less pioneering in their vision, presenting us with a cool but ominous palette of atypical combos to include black and navy.
Moving ourselves to New York City and we see a tidal wave of fresh retail concepts. The highly anticipated Dover Street Market NYC will open its doors this Saturday and earlier in 2012, Five Story – an Upper East sider townhouse come luxury boutique located in the mid-eighties houses a conservative though well curated selection of luxury goods from the mildly niche to globally renowned.
Further downtime there is a new store dubbed The Apartment, a month old venture whose online counterpart can be found at www.THELINE.com.
The Apartment is the brainchild of creative director Morgan Wendelborn and stylist du jour Vanessa Traina. Alongside a masthead of six others, the experienced group brings together a flurry of extraordinarily well-compiled lifestyle product presented in the setting of an inconspicuous Apartment.
"A highly original concept space that doesn't break the traditional mould of 'style is a lifestyle choice'"
The unassuming entrance – an elevator located directly at street level – humbly whisks you to a third floor world of curiosities. Occupying your typical 1600 sq. ft. Soho Loft space, the woman, man or family who may in real life reside here, are well travelled, understated and utterly condemned to scouring the globe for only the most refined assortment of lifestyle and home wares including Creel and Grow ornamental ostrich eggs and oversized glass lighting fixtures by Czech Republic makers Lasvit. A highly original concept space that doesn't break the traditional mould of 'style is a lifestyle choice' but instead offers interior as well as exterior ideals whilst shaking up the Ikea-esque normality to how we present ourselves.
Individuality in retail concepts and a sure savviness are crucial components to tackling an ever-changing retail landscape today. Appropriate other prerequisites include a freestanding flagship store coupled with a coherent, well-thought ecommerce platform. The Apartment is breaking ground in the lifestyle arena, and is a winner on all fronts.
The Apartment, 76 Greene St. 3rd floor, NY. Shop The Apartment at www.THELINE.com
Text by Andrew Blyszak
