“House of Houses – Interior Experiences”, a concept store selling 100% Belgian luxury items is due to open next September 15th, on a 2,500-square-metre (26,900 square feet) site in downtown Manhattan, in the fashionable New York Meatpacking District (a cluster of galleries, luxury hotels, and designer stores), according to a Thursday press release from Sylvie Bouffa, the project initiator. The Belgian entrepreneur, who has been dreaming of this concept since 2007, announced a total investment of $17.6 million (including $4.7 million for the security deposit). The store will create jobs for 70 people, 10 of which have already been recruited in Belgium.
On its six different floors, eight times a year, the store will play host to a different Belgian designer or artist. On the ground floor, New Yorkers will be able to explore design, decoration and fashion pieces, along with Belgian food items. The next 3 storeys will be dedicated to flats decorated by 3 Belgian interior designers, and the top floor will house a restaurant offering Belgian gourmet dishes by Mechlin chef Kenny Bernaerts (formerly assistant to Yves Mattagne).
“House of Houses – Interior Experiences”, located at 55, Rue Gansevoort, “will offer the services, products and know-how required to kit out building and hotel complexes, as well as private residences, from the largest down to the smallest items and details. An American turnkey concept… but 100% Belgian!” adds Sylvie Bouffa.
Creators involved in the project include “Baden Baden” interior design, candlemaker “Baobab collection”, the Single malt Whisky producer “Belgian Owl”, cuberdon (a cone-shaped sweet) maker “Léopold”, milliner Fabienne Delvigne, fragrances by “L'Antichambre”, jeweller “Leysen”, “Maison Dandoy”, chocolatier “Marcolini”, the illustrator Philippe Geluck, crystalware by “Val Saint-Lambert”...
(Source: Belga)
