NARS Opens 2nd Flagship Store in NYC

NARS addicts, get ready to shop to your heart’s content the next time you’re in NYC. NARS Cosmetics is excited to announce the opening of its second New York flagship and fifth free-standing boutique, located on Madison Avenue in the heart of NYC’s most luxurious and upscale shopping districts.

The 700 square-foot boutique features sharp lines and modern amenities with a luxuriously sleek design conceived by Founder and Creative Director François Nars and Fabien Baron, of New York design firm Baron & Baron.

With the excitement of the new store, NARS shared the below insights from Creative Director Francois Nars:

Madison Avenue is such a departure from downtown. Why do you think the Upper East Side is a good fit for NARS?

There isn’t one type of NARS woman. The NARS woman is uptown and downtown. I don’t want people to just think of NARS as a downtown brand, and so it was important that we have a boutique in a place just as iconic as the West Village: Madison Avenue.

 

 

What is the feeling of the boutique?

I want our boutiques to be inviting.  Clients should walk in and want to play – with the makeup, the objects on our book shelf – it’s a home for makeup artists and fans to explore color and texture.

 

How did you incorporate personal touches into the boutique?

All of our boutiques have a bookshelf with objects that I’ve hand-selected – books from Richard Avedon, Paul Gaguin and Henry Miller and films from over the years (like Fellini’s La Dolce Vita!) – all the things that have and continue to inspire my work. They also rotate seasonally so our clients can always find something new – most of the objects are for sale as well.

 

What are your favorite elements of the new boutique’s design?

There is a staircase in the middle of the space that is encased in a glowing glass cube for installations or projections – it’s the centerpiece of the boutique.

 

How does the feeling of the boutique differ from the Bleecker Street?

Madison has a modern design concept which feels more appropriate for its location. There are sleek design elements from the lighting and clean lines, to the staircase and technology. Bleecker has an old-world, vintage feel. We designed it to be reminiscent of a French makeup boutique complete with a fireplace – it is cozy and feels intrinsic to the West Village. I like to customize the elements of each boutique – to reflect the neighborhoods in which they are located and incorporate the architectural features of the space.