Very rarely do I do a double-take.
It’s not that I’m not easily impressed – which is maybe kind of true – but more often, I am deeply focused and not aware of my surroundings.
So I was walking home from the beloved internet cafe last week (update: I now have wireless back in my apt!!) and I literally did a tailspin and my heart stopped.
No, it was not the guy from Twilight who supposedly is staying in Nolita (I likely wouldn’t even notice him)… and no, it wasn’t a girl in way too much makeup and far too little clothing (although I probably would notice her). No, better than those two, it was the coolest jewelry store I’ve ever seen.
It was as though the designer handmade each item just for me, so perfectly it matched my aesthetic and my style.
I was elated.
And, naturally, it was CLOSED for the day.
I snapped the above shots with my blackberry to remind myself it wasn’t a dream.
And in the time it took me to return, I dreamt of owning some of the window pieces.
I popped in yesterday to browse more and was overwhelmed by my deep desire to buy almost every one of the displayed designs.
The lovely and uber-sophisticated storeowner came over and it was only a matter of minutes before we were playing dress-up and she was snapping photos of me for the blog and telling other customers who were staring that “we’re modeling” :)
My favorite design, for those of you who remember a previous jewelry post, unsurprisingly is called Constellation. I was very excited to “model” it.
The 4 layer version costs $480 and the 3 layer version, $420. Think I’m considering a little pre-birthday gift to myself… (Anyone have a strong preference on which version? Or better yet, want to remind me we’re still in a recession?)
The price points vary but everything in the shop is unique and interesting and, as the name suggests, edgy.
Metal Pointu’s translates to Edgy-Metal and there are shops all over Europe. This is the first and only US location, perfectly situated on Elizabeth Street in New York (252 Elizabeth Street, 646.454.1539, www.metal-pointus.com).
The fabulous storeowner told me all about the history of the brand and the designer. But rather than relay our detailed conversation in my words, I’ll give you their words:
“Metal Pointu’s which literally translates into Edgy-Metal was born in Paris 15 years ago.
The designer and artist Bernard Bouhnik has imagined a jewelry line exclusively conceived and realized around the metal notion. The base of the beautiful and original creations is the metal. Tin, Bronze and Silver are designed and worked in all the shapes and combinations possible in an atelier in the center of Paris.
The pieces are multiplied, assembled, welded in infinite and startlingly impressive interpretations.
Sometimes they are married with handmade beads of pate de verre and sometimes they are cheating with sparkling crystals.
Already established all over Europe, principally in Paris with many stores in the best fashionistas’ streets, in the Netherlands, in Spain, in Italy, the brand is now spreading out to the US with its first flagship store opening in one of the best bourgeois boheme streets of Manhattan.”
If you’re downtown, you have to pass through. And if you’re uptown, you do too.