DECOR: Big Retailing Flavor Served Up in Small Designer Packages…
0 Comments Published by *ms.b on Thursday, April 20, 2006 at 7:32 AM.
In a world where mall shopping is becoming increasingly the norm, it is refreshing to see a place that accommodates the wiles of new design talent. Located at 65 Bleecker street, tucked away among the chaos of neighboring restaurants, is the Edge NY NOHO, a concept store seemingly dedicated to those who have struggled with traditional retail entry. Self coined “the future in retailing”, the Edge NY NOHO uses the concept of breaking up a large retail outlet by renting the space to individual designers. It's a trend that is spreading internationally as more retail outlets are coming up with new answers to the age old question of “just what are we going to do with all this square footage?”
The Edge NY NOHO seems to have a solution by bridging the gap between flea markets and specialty stores. The tradition of the European mercantile society, where one could go to their Saturday morning market and get everything from designer shoes to kitchen widgets, has just not seemed to catch on in the US. Before this new outlet was introduced, domestic designers were forced to develop clandestine guerilla marketing techniques to create enough of a buzz to catch the eye of a wayward retailer. Until now, the only form that seemed to mirror the classic entrepreneurial support system of our European counterparts were the occasional flea market or street fair, which usually require you give your first born or terms equally ridiculous as a means for entry.
Not every designer represented at the Edge NY NOHO was a genius. Keeping in line with normal ratios, if ten percent of the field -give or take- are allowed to be called masters of their craft, then the same holds true of this talent pool. Some of the designers were palatable, others were down right awful, and a handful of them had works that could easily be coined the next new thing. Either way, the Edge NY NOHO makes for a good afternoon stroll on the way from somewhere or going to see something.
For more information visit their website at http://www.edgeny.com/.
*Originally Posted on Word on the Street on 4/20/06
The Edge NY NOHO seems to have a solution by bridging the gap between flea markets and specialty stores. The tradition of the European mercantile society, where one could go to their Saturday morning market and get everything from designer shoes to kitchen widgets, has just not seemed to catch on in the US. Before this new outlet was introduced, domestic designers were forced to develop clandestine guerilla marketing techniques to create enough of a buzz to catch the eye of a wayward retailer. Until now, the only form that seemed to mirror the classic entrepreneurial support system of our European counterparts were the occasional flea market or street fair, which usually require you give your first born or terms equally ridiculous as a means for entry.
Not every designer represented at the Edge NY NOHO was a genius. Keeping in line with normal ratios, if ten percent of the field -give or take- are allowed to be called masters of their craft, then the same holds true of this talent pool. Some of the designers were palatable, others were down right awful, and a handful of them had works that could easily be coined the next new thing. Either way, the Edge NY NOHO makes for a good afternoon stroll on the way from somewhere or going to see something.
For more information visit their website at http://www.edgeny.com/.
*Originally Posted on Word on the Street on 4/20/06
Labels: Decor
Decor: A Whole New World of Organic...
0 Comments Published by *ms.b on Saturday, April 1, 2006 at 7:28 AM.
People are always looking for different ways to improve their quality of life, and are becoming more inspired by their grocery shopping. Or at least that is what we are seeing living in an integrated world where one aspect of your life translates into another. If chocolate comes in organic, why not your paint?
Anna Sova has developed a new blend of organic paints, and I am left wondering is there really a market for it? The new trend of organic luxury is a term that seems mutually exclusive, but poses the question do rich people secretly want to live the lives of the bohemians. Are they secretly wishing to trade in their 1000 thread count sheets for refined burlap? Organic lifestyle companies boasts about a life away from the harsh dyes that took the textile industry centuries to refine, in return for food grade dyes that you can essentially eat, except most three course meals do not include your bed sheets. In addition to their surprisingly colorful array of bedding, and soft goods, Anna Sova has also included a line of the "healthiest paints you can buy." One can only imagine the essential oils your body can absorb by licking your walls.
The aesthetic value you gain in exchange for a brush with altruism is a bit lack luster. The paints, though vibrant, are only available in rustic, matte finishes. Essential oils can be added to the mixture, but the scent is noticeable only in small spaces, like closets, or dressing rooms, and only last for six months to a year. This attribute is only good if you want change the colors or scents every year. There are many details that though seem like great add-ons to a product line, when combined, seem to not serve any purpose, accept for an interesting conversational piece. However, it does ask the question “what is the intrinsic value of organic, and does it translate into more than just food?”
For more information on the Anna Sova product-line, visit their website at http://www.annasova.com/.
*Originally Posted on Word on the Street
Anna Sova has developed a new blend of organic paints, and I am left wondering is there really a market for it? The new trend of organic luxury is a term that seems mutually exclusive, but poses the question do rich people secretly want to live the lives of the bohemians. Are they secretly wishing to trade in their 1000 thread count sheets for refined burlap? Organic lifestyle companies boasts about a life away from the harsh dyes that took the textile industry centuries to refine, in return for food grade dyes that you can essentially eat, except most three course meals do not include your bed sheets. In addition to their surprisingly colorful array of bedding, and soft goods, Anna Sova has also included a line of the "healthiest paints you can buy." One can only imagine the essential oils your body can absorb by licking your walls.
The aesthetic value you gain in exchange for a brush with altruism is a bit lack luster. The paints, though vibrant, are only available in rustic, matte finishes. Essential oils can be added to the mixture, but the scent is noticeable only in small spaces, like closets, or dressing rooms, and only last for six months to a year. This attribute is only good if you want change the colors or scents every year. There are many details that though seem like great add-ons to a product line, when combined, seem to not serve any purpose, accept for an interesting conversational piece. However, it does ask the question “what is the intrinsic value of organic, and does it translate into more than just food?”
For more information on the Anna Sova product-line, visit their website at http://www.annasova.com/.
*Originally Posted on Word on the Street
Labels: Decor