NEW YORK — Devi Kroell’s store is an amalgam of what the designer stands for: daring design steeped in classic techniques.
Kroell’s flagship opened Tuesday at 717 Madison Avenue in a landmark building dating from the late 1800s. The boutique offers a view into Kroell’s world, offering consumers all of the designer’s categories — including ready-to-wear, handbags, shoes and fashion jewelry — merchandised together for the first time in the 3,000-square-foot space.
“The customer doesn’t know the whole breadth and width of my designs,” Kroell said. “It’s going to be a big surprise for a lot of my customers.”
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Designed by New York design firm Space4 Architecture, the old-world facade is juxtaposed with an ultramodern double-height ceiling.
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“I wanted to come up with a design that will transcend time, that we can hold onto for a decade or two decades,” Kroell said.
The space has an edgy, minimalist feel. The mezzanine has gallery white walls and sculptural built-in chaises combined with warmer touches such as aged Russian oak wood floors, statuary bronze and a glossy Venetian plaster ceiling.
“It’s a very tactile feeling,” Kroell said. “I love mixing different materials.”
Kroell also has a store in East Hampton, N.Y., and plans to open a shop in Las Vegas next month, followed by units in Houston, Chicago, Florida, California and a second New York address within the next two years.
The firm projects that the Madison Avenue flagship will generate $6 million in retail sales in the first 12 months, and eventually reach volume of $9 million to $10 million annually.
Kroell’s signature exotic skin handbags, shoes and leather accessories are dotted around the store. There is rtw on the first floor, but the second floor houses a more comprehensive assortment of clothing.
The shop also has exclusives, such as scarves, jewelry and other gift items. Kroell plans to offer a luggage set made of alligator in time for the holiday season.
Rtw retails from $390 to $2,690, jewelry from $490 to $1,490 and small leather goods sell from $90 to $390. The store also carries the new leather bag collection.
In mid-November, the opening of the store will be celebrated with a party.