The Auction House Boutique
Sotheby’s new permanent store further cements its reputation as a destination for luxury items.
After finding success with its growing online marketplace. Sotheby’s, a 277-year-old art world institution and the world’s largest fine art and luxury collection broker, opened its first permanent store in New York. The Emporium occupies the street level of the auction house’s 10-story premises and offers a cross-category assortment of pre-owned lifestyle goods selected by guest curators and influencers.
Curiously, the items available for immediate purchase not only include rare objects, jewelry, handbags, and collectible books, but also sneakers, skateboards, and vintage vending machines. In recent years, Sotheby’s sneaker sales have grown with the rise of streetwear and sneaker culture, with some sales setting world records, such as the private sale of Kanye West's Grammy-worn Nike Air Yeezy and the auction of Michael Jordan’s game-worn Nike Air Jordan from 1985. The store also will serve as a tangible place to showcase special collaborations, including LOEWE’s Weaves collection.
The Emporium isn’t Sotheby’s first foray into retail space in North America – the auction house also operates two gallery locations in Palm Beach and East Hampton, with select merchandise available for immediate purchase. Located at The Royal Poinciana Plaza, Sotheby’s Palm Beach gallery showcases a curated rotational selection of luxury cars in a lifestyle setting, in addition to the other collectibles.
With the addition of a brick-and-mortar store, Sotheby’s is further blurring the line between, or rather, connecting online and offline luxury retail, positioning the auction house as the prime destination for pre-owned luxury and rare pieces, thanks to its established reputation, credibility, and valued connoisseurship.
Source: Hypebeast (May 12, 2021) | Image: Laura Pittaccio