From Right: A look from FORM’s 2009 Spring Collection; Inside EVA.
Remember when EVA closed last August? Well lift up your black veil and come out of mourning because EVA is back.
And, at the risk of sounding cliché, it’s better than ever. After a seven year stint on Mulberry Street, owner Stephanie Pappas had the urge to “switch it up”. But instead of redesigning the dressing rooms or changing the window treatments, this New York style maker did something a little more drastic: she packed up shop, moved downtown and reinvented EVA on the Bowery.
“I wanted to do something really different,” answered Pappas when questioned about the move.
When EVA’s doors opened this past March, it was clear that she had done just that. Designed by Manhattan-based architecture firm Volido, the minimalist 2,400-square-foot store embraces the historic Bowery’s pulsing creativity in both form and essence. A connoisseur of the cutting-edge, Pappas finds and fosters fashion’s most exciting new talents. From c.neeon’s explosive prints to Pamela Love’s bewitching claw and skull necklaces, her boutique is a carefully curated minefield of independent labels and emerging designers.
But the store’s innovative assets extend far beyond its stock list. Doubling as an experimental art gallery, EVA will host a wide range of provocative exhibitions, including a performance piece by Coco Dolle. And then there are the fashion installations; the first of which launched early last week. With Cecilia Jurado’s vibrant photos of blurred supermodels as a backdrop, local womenswear label FORM showcased an ethereal spring collection.
Four FORM-clad mannequins dangled from the storefront’s ceiling. A yin-yang pair of softly draped dresses, one in nude chiffon, the other in black balanced the arrangement while a sheer evening look lurked near the window. It was a cheeky black jumper, however, that dominated this fashionable foursome. The remainder of FORM’s collection was nestled in the boutique’s back room. Airy separates in creams, neutrals and shades of Caribbean blue fused classic simplicity with fluid designs while loose-hanging wafts of delicate fabric added an angelic drama to sultry cocktail looks.
As a special treat, the instillation included a sneak preview of FORM’s fall collection. A balance of dark feminine shapes and architectural construction, the label’s draped jersey dresses, voluminous wool skirts and structured jackets are inspired interpretations of smart seasonal essentials.
Considering Pappas’ forward-thinking and interdisciplinary pursuits, EVA belongs on the Bowery; just as FORM belongs at EVA. And with a common denominator of unwavering originality, this creative collaboration promises to be a fruitful one.
Store Images courtesy of the New York Times.com
