Basic.Space's Second In-Person Retail Experience Will Channel '80s New York

Invitation-only curatorial platform Basic.Space will open its second in-person retail experience on November 14. Aptly named Basic.Space NY, the 20,000-square-foot shopping experience follows an inaugural in-person edition in L.A. this March. For New York, collectible design and contemporary works from galleries, designers, fashion brands, and artists will couple with thought provoking immersive installations. This iteration includes a powerhouse participant roster featuring Ateliers Courbet, BEAMS, David Zwirner and Marcel Dzama, Devon Turnbull, Eckhaus Latta, Salon 94 Design and Max Lamb, MSCHF, Samuel Ross MBE, The Future Perfect, and more.

From a design perspective, founder and CEO of Basic.Space, Jesse Lee, looked to Barneys in Beverly Hills, circa 10-15 years ago, as inspiration for the L.A. activation. “It’s why we chose Pacific Design Center as the venue and reimagined the empty rooms upstairs to create a fun, shopping experience for the weekend,” he tells Surface. “When we were thinking about bringing the concept to New York, I immediately thought of ‘Wall Street’ and ‘American Psycho,’ as they’re two of my favorite movies that also represent a very specific time period—the late ’80s.”

“Both films highlight the juxtaposition of finance and the Upper East Side with emerging art and cultural happenings in downtown New York,” Lee says. “It’s why we chose 575 Broadway, an iconic building in SoHo, taking over the entire second floor which was previously occupied by Estée Lauder.” From the floor plan to the materials used in production—custom carpeting, wood-paneled walls, and aluminum detailing—the vision is that of an ‘80s-era executive office.

Central to this is an installation by MATTE, the creative and production partner for Basic.Space NY, featuring Alexander May and USM’s “Collector’s Desk,” drawn from both parties’ new project, “The Architecture of Work.” Lee says the product curation also mirrors the aesthetic—and level of taste. “Even the CCTV installation when you first walk out of the elevator is an homage to ‘Sliver,’ another movie from the early ’90s New York,” he adds. “We’re not necessarily romanticizing the late ’80s or early ’90s but they are absolutely the mood board of Basic.Space NY. We pride ourselves on being obsessively curated and unapologetically commercial at the same time.”