Atelier Courbet: downtown design chic in NYC
An inspiringly offbeat mélange of old craftsmanship and fresh imagination
Set in a 19th-century carriage house, Atelier Courbet, a new shop-cum-gallery in SoHo, is a paean to offbeat contemporary design made by new artisans using old-world techniques. The slightly obscure mélange – a yellow limited-edition, hand-stitched buffalo-leather bicycle ($16,500, seen in second picture), designed by the singer Pharrell Williams and crafted by Domeau and Pérès, beside art-installation-esque porcelain chalices by Andrea Branzi for Sèvres ($3,500), and a subtle yet striking grey crystal Apollo table lamp (from $1,195) by Cristallerie Royale de Saint-Louis – appears to be anything but off-putting, as was evident on my recent visit as people milled about excitedly.
Founder and creative director Melanie Courbet honed her aesthetic while collaborating with luxury brands such as LVMH, and is now tuning her attention to showcasing the fine craftsmanship of storied producers with heritage clout but modern sensibility – such as Sèvres, Puiforcat, Cristallerie Royale de Saint-Louis and centuries-old Japanese textile maker Hosoo.
One of Atelier Courbet’s most unique offerings is the upholstered leather work by Domeau & Pérès, a Parisian firm helmed by two Hermès veterans – one a master saddle maker, the other an upholsterer – who launched their own venture. Their sculptural Bouroullec desk ($13,500), designed by Erwan and Ronan Bouroullec as a tribute to Jean Prouvé’s Compas desk, pays homage to the midcentury designer’s work through solid oak and butter-soft lambskin. The playful Bumper bed (from $28,000) is a collaboration between Domeau & Pérès and designer Marc Newson, and offers a grown-up take on the traditional futon, complete with pebbled leather, and is available to order in white, sand or chocolate with a bold orange stripe.
A selection of chic games includes a chrome and camel-leather-clad Bonzini foosball table ($8,200), again made by Domeau & Pérès, and a limited-edition backgammon set by Puiforcat ($28,000), carved from Macassar ebony and sycamore, and with sterling-silver pieces. A rosewood and stainless-steel knife set ($4,600), designed by Gabriele Pezzini and Michelin-starred chef Pierre Gagnaire, looked almost too lovely to be used, while I coveted Puiforcat’s simple champagne beakers ($860 each, third picture). The shape and detailing of these vessels is meant to keep fizz at an ideal temperature, and each is engraved with a guilloche pattern that makes the liquid more effervescent.
The old world meets new at Atelier Courbet, a shop that just may be 2014’s downtown design destination.