via @OlsensAnonymous
The first time the public was invited into Mary-Kate and Ashley’s home it was in San Francisco and it was a Full House (SORRY). In New York, they’re taking a “less is more” approach.
The actresses turned CFDA Award-winning designers behind ultra-luxe brand The Row have just opened a converted Upper East Side brownstone as their first New York flagship. The sisters kept an eye on the three-story townhouse at 17 East 71st Street for years before it became available, meanwhile launching their mid-century modern Los Angeles outpost.
Before the opening, contractors shepherded in works by Basquiat and Man Ray, a Frank Lloyd Wright mirror, and a Royère lamp that would make Kanye jealous.
“Having lived in New York now for 12 years, we wanted the store to very much feel like a home — that’s sort of the dream of here: a brownstone in New York.” Ashley explained to Vogue. “It was really important for us that when you walk into the store it wasn’t about clothes being shoved in your face. It was about the experience of walking in, taking in the space, being able to slowly introduce yourself to sweaters and slippers, or maybe a handbag, have an open area for shoes so you can relax, come upstairs, walk through the collections in a space that’s calm. Less is more, I believe.”
Swapping out bowls and bowls of cigarettes for custom couches, Mary-Kate and Ashley collaborated with Jacques Grange on the decor. The famed interior designer, known for his ornate, orient-inspired boutiques for Yves Saint Laurent, helped the sisters create an in-store art gallery, and accompanied them on a shopping trip to Paris for finishings and upholstery.
And if your first instinct is to take off your shoes upon entering The Row’s pristine new digs, that’s actually the idea. The sisters encourage you to see, touch, and feel everything in the space for the ultimate shopping experience. Mary-Kate affirms: “I’ve never purchased anything online.”
Credits
Text Taylor Ford
Photo via @OlsensAnonymous