ginette_ny jewelry bar
Neighborhood: Greenwich Village
Type of Place: Jewelry
Description:
It takes something special to draw a crowd into a small indoor space on
a warm Manhattan weekend. But when I entered ginette_ny, I found an
eager throng of shoppers looking over the wares--even though it was a
great beach day. (I myself headed to the beach after visiting the shop;
for that matter, I can't say that the other shoppers didn't do the same.
No reason why shopping and shore can't both fit into a long summer
Saturday.)
What's the draw here? Beautiful, delicate, and distinctive designs,
locally made by Frederique Dessemond--a Frenchwoman who began as an art
student at the Sorbonne and has ended up, like lots of artistic entities
these days, a resident of Brooklyn. Her hand-engraving, her creative
execution, and her attention to detail have made her something of a
jewelry star; her work, until recently crafted in her studio in Ft. Greene,
is a big hit with fashion magazines and with lovers of all things
pretty. Now the studio is in Manhattan, with a little shop attached, and
fans are arriving in a steady stream.
The space is minimalistic and elegantly arranged; I especially admired
a decorative basket of antique African beads. Some jewelry is displayed
on cowhide pieces, with fur-side up, but the animal lover in me felt
better about this when shop assistants explained that these were found
and refurbished scraps. Meanwhile, the jewelry is lovely. Most pieces
are made from gold or white gold; some are strung on thin silk rope in jewel
tones. Circles and disks are an ongoing theme: A gold "fusion bracelet"
($175) features two linked circles on a delicate chain. Some disks are
formed of interlocking letters--spelling, for example, "joy" or "you."
Some pieces are engraved; and custom design is available.
Generally speaking, pieces here start at about $150. A young woman next
to me at the counter bought a necklace and earrings for herself in the
designer's "mini lace" style--a clear example of good things coming in
small packages, with careful handiwork evident in the little engraved
spheres. I chose not to spoil the moment by asking how much her
purchase cost, but I did coo over it and tell her the necklace looked great on
her, which it did.
Hint to brides-to-be: Dessemond's work, with its romantic overtones and
interlaced looks, is proving a very popular bridesmaids' gift. To show
you appreciate the love and support you've received, pieces from
ginette_ny could be a great choice.
- Pamela Grossman; July 15, 2007
ginette_ny jewelry bar
172 W. 4th St.
New York, NY 10014
212-627-3763
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