Irene Neuwirth pops up in Tribeca

In a city where it seems like there’s a new pop-up store every week, it’s no small task to make New Yorkers stop in and take notice. Irene Neuwirth’s offering at 57 Walker St. (through October 12), BOFFO Building Fashion’s second in a series of five designer-collaboration pop ups, is (thankfully) less seizure inducing than the first, Nicola Formacetti’s Gage/Clemenceau Architects-designed mirrored funhouse store, but is every bit buzz-worthy. At the opening party on Friday night, while confused-looking guests had to sidestep a construction crew jack hammering directly outside the front entrance, once inside, the spell of an undulating metal urchin-like confection dotted with Irene Neuwirth’s creations under bell jars against a verdant living wall set an entirely different, otherworldly mood.

“He’s so crazy-talented,” said Neuwirth of architect Marc Fornes of TheVeryMany, the man responsible for dreaming up the scene. “It’s like a piece of jewelry.” And while not for sale, more than a few people were wondering aloud about who might have a large enough loft to accommodate the sculpture at the close of the show.

In the meantime, the creation is definitely accomplishing its task of drawing in curious window shoppers—there was a healthy crowd on Saturday afternoon—though Neuwirth’s exquisite creations are a bit more expensive than the budget of most casual window shoppers. At a much more impulse-purchase-y price of $80 is a very cool black tote bag emblazoned with a picture of Neuwirth’s dog decked out in her jewels. “He looks like Luke Wilson from The Royal Tenenbaums,” says Neuwirth with a laugh. “That was literally me being bored in my office thinking, ‘I wonder what my jewelry would look like on him.’” Fingers crossed for a tote bag capsule collection.

Photos: Evan Joseph