In a new light

In a new light
Poleci expands into a vintage artist's studio in New York and puts the spotlight on fashion

By Vilma Barr, New York Editor
May 01, 2008

Peter Murdock, New York

Three years ago, when we opened our first store in the Meatpacking District, people thought we were out of our minds," says Diane Levin, managing director and CEO of Poleci, a women's high-fashion resource. The store's affordable and stylish assortment proved the doubters wrong, and soon attracted a sizable New York following. So when an elongated 5,000-sq.-ft. space in the area became available that was more than double the size of the original shop, Poleci decided to make the move to better serve its growing market.

Located at 32 Gansevoort St., the long, rectangular space is sheathed in white and radiates elegance from all angles. Three different types of accent lights mounted primarily on exposed overhead beams softly integrate the apparel and accessories with the store's angular architecture.

"Our collection has evolved and expanded since we opened our first store here," says Levin, who operates the Los Angeles-based firm with her sister, Creative Director Janice Levin-Krok. "It's a lot more luxurious now, including cocktail and eveningwear. The new space has drama and texture to really showcase the assortment." Founded 12 years ago, Poleci wholesales its lines to more than 1,000 stores worldwide.

Levin-Krok worked closely through planning and design with New York-based architect Luca Andrisani, who was formerly with Peter Marino Architect before starting his own practice. She also worked down to the final installation and aiming of the light fixtures with lighting consultant Mark Raissen, principal of Irvine, Calif.-based Lighting Imagination. "The atmosphere we hoped to create was warm and welcoming, to make customers feel like guests in a lovely private gallery setting," Levin explains. "We wanted to retain the aesthetics that made our customers feel comfortable in the original store, and elevate the look for this space."

Andrisani's design for the two-level space, which was formerly an artist's studio, grew out of guiding input from the Levin sisters. "They know what they like and understand very well the image that they want to communicate," Andrisani says. "Their concept was a pale, crisp and elegant envelope so that the colors of the clothes would be the attraction."

Toward the rear of the 85-ft.-long store, a cascading chandelier is suspended from the 14-ft.-high beamed ceiling from a dropped ceiling panel. Designed by Andrisani, it extends another 8 ft. to the lower level that houses Poleci's New York wholesale office. Fabricated of overlapping circles of rectangular, sandblasted, curved glass panels, each row is lit from behind with 15-watt candelabra bulbs. "We didn't want to generate more heat by using a higher wattage," Raissen explains. "It's the central decorative element, so its soft glow provides a visual signature that is apparent from the street."

The opening in the floor existed when Poleci leased the store. The artist who had this space before worked on canvases too large to carry up the stairs, so he used to bring them up through the 5-ft.-by-6-ft. opening, Andrisani explains. Rather than conceal the opening, Andrisani enclosed it with 44-in.-high glass that frames and protects the chandelier.

The century-old masonry building, still structurally sound, required upgrading to make the bi-level Poleci space code-compliant. No significant alterations could be made to the landmarked exterior. Inside, the exposed wooden beams were treated for fireproofing and replaced where needed. For the floor, a terrazzo-like conglomerate concrete was poured to create a smooth surface to match the height of the exterior sidewalk. A high-gloss finish on top of the concrete gives the floor a reflective surface.

Lighting was integral to the design of the space and the materials selected. "There is no ambient lighting in the store," Raissen points out. "Nearly every luminaire is focused to accent the apparel, on the racks, mannequins and a freestanding white area divider, and items in the niches and on the display tables." Light-enhancing qualities were a priority in the selection of such materials as a textured white wallcovering and crystalline-surface stone in niches.

Raissen specified three basic lamp types: compact fluorescent, dichroic MR16 and linear tungsten halogen. He favors circular PAR and MR16 lamps to emphasize the shoulder curves on hanging merchandise. "The light just pops off the shoulders to accent the curved line," he observes. Hanging apparel is presented on slotted white racks secured to the perimeter walls.

The overall color rendering index ranges between 85 and 100, while footcandle levels are within 100 and 150, depending on the emphasis needed to highlight the merchandise. Care was taken to prevent glare by mounting the track fixtures high up onto the exposed wooden beams. Raissen used compact fluorescent wall washers to define the store's perimeters. The growing accessory and handbag categories are housed primarily in wall niches illuminated by 20-watt halogen puck lights. "They are like MR16 lamps without the inside reflector," Raissen explains.

Andrisani designed two rectangular freestanding, low-profile, white acrylic display tables, which are internally lit with 4-ft.-long 32-watt fluorescent lamps. Above the stairs leading from the lower level is one of the two circular forms containing recessed downlights that was relocated from the original store—this one cut to fit a side of the exposed brick wall.

The white sculptured cashwrap blends with a white-brick background wall flanking a recessed panel. Along the base, an arrangement of slender greenery is enhanced by an overhead track containing halogen lamp fixtures.

A visual change of pace occurs at the back of the store in the dressing room area. Andrisani and Raissen collaborated on a 3-D, portrait-like still life in an exposed brick niche. Groups of slender, 6-ft.-high, black-gloss-painted bamboo stalks are uplit with outdoor-rated landscape light fixtures. Raissen substituted 20-watt lamps at the base to reduce the amount of heat generated, in place of 50-watt lamps typically used with these fixtures.

After the store closes in the evening, a computer-controlled system picks out individual mannequins at the front of the store and spotlights each in sequence. The program utilizes narrow-beam lamps mounted out of sight inside the overhead beam.

In addition to the New York location, the Levin sisters and their design team opened a 2,000-sq.-ft. Poleci store in The Palazzo Las Vegas in mid-March. Next on their construction schedule is a relocation of their Los Angeles flagship. For the future, CEO Levin has her sights set on eight to 10 additional Poleci stores opening in the next five years.