New Kid on the Block: Ten Thousand Things

Ten Thousand Things room“This is by far the most beautiful space we saw,” says David Rees, who founded Ten Thousand Things with Ron Anderson in 1991, and it’s easy to believe: The southwest corner of Harrison and Staple, in the newly converted 7 Harrison, is not only gorgeous inside, but it also looks out on a quintessentially Tribeca streetscape. Moving here, however, involved some trepidation. TTT’s boutique had been in the Chelsea/Meatpacking District area since 1997, and Tribeca was an entirely new neighborhood. “I didn’t know much about the area,” says Rees. “But then I began to realize how many of our clients have moved here.”

The space is also an atelier: Behind the tall frosted windows on Staple are artisans making jewelry by hand. Asked what distinguishes the brand, Rees says that they’re always creating, exploring, and experimenting. “A lot of the techniques are unique to us, or at least were,” he says. “For example, these necklaces are a signature beading of ours. And over the years we refine that technique and use it elsewhere—such as in these chandelier earrings.”

The material dictates the design, adds Anderson: “It leads you. There’s always a story about it, and the designs are built around exposing and showcasing it. We push the natural element to the fore.” They resist following trends, and inspiration can come from anywhere. “All jewelry is inspired by nature, whether the designer admits it or not,” says Rees. “In our sense, it’s an abstraction, not a literal representation.”

The store is fairly minimal, with TTT’s trademark brick floor, and more merchandise is coming. There’s jewelry by other designers—including Annette Ferdinandsen and Judy Geib—as well as porcelain bowls by Jeanine Payer, Strange Invisible fragrances, and shoes (Ancient Greek Sandals and GP4TTT espadrilles, a collaboration with Gregory Parkinson). We can expect more collaborations, too.

Last but not at all least, TTT is creating exquisite sculptures—you could think of them as jewelry for the home—such as glass bottles and terra cotta and porcelain planters cast from a rock. “The sculpture is a long-held dream of ours,” says Rees. “We’re having fun here.”

Ten Thousand Things is at 7 Harrison (at Staple), 212-352-1333, tenthousandthingsnyc.com.

Ten Thousand Things outsideTen Thousand Things room2Ten Thousand Things glass bulbsTen Thousand Things charmsTen Thousand Things plantersTen Thousand Things objectsTen Thousand Things glass vesselsTen Thousand Things Strange Invisible perfumeRecent New Kid on the Block / First Impressions articles:
Houseman
Jacadi
Vin des Amis
Baxter & Liebchen
Gunbae
James Perse
Uhuru
Black Tap Burgers & Craft Beer
Ming Utility and Entertainment
Beaubourg

 

Comment: