There’s one version of New York City that is noisy and chaotic. Then there’s the New York City of fine-jewelry designer Eva Zuckerman, who says she wants her first retail space to honor the city’s beauty and the inspirational role it plays in her jewelry.
The resulting store for Eva Fehren, the New York–based brand designed by Zuckerman, is composed, calming, and warm. Its mixture of metal, marble, and glass represents the brand perfectly, the designer says.
“I walk a fine line with my pieces, which feel feminine and delicate yet strong and confident,” she says. “The challenge is, when you gravitate toward a minimalist aesthetic, it can be cold and intimidating. I wanted the store to feel open and clean—it conveys the sharpness of the brand but still feels inviting.”
The store opened at Rockefeller Center this month. Zuckerman and business partner Ann Gorga, who are celebrating the 10th anniversary of the brand, also have a showroom, but this is their first retail location.
Eva Fehren is known for its X-shape motifs, so you can see that theme and Zuckerman’s attention to detail across the store, from the signature X on the platforms to the gallery styling within the custom cases, as well as the sleek, marbled neck forms that display her pieces.
“New York can be a crazy place. I always crave interiors where you feel like you can take a deep breath when you walk in the door,” Zuckerman says. “When you’re surrounded by that noise, it can be hard to capture people’s attention. I wanted people to walk into my space and feel a moment of quiet.”
The store currently features the brand’s best sellers, Zuckerman says, but she is adding featured collections as special drops. There will also be exclusive products for the holidays, such as new charms and diamond initials, that will be special only to the Eva Fehren location.
Zuckerman, who studied art and painting, showcases other parts of her work within Eva Fehren, including home designs such as jewelry boxes. She also highlights the work of other like-minded designers. The store includes lifestyle items such as bowls by Fernando Mastrangelo Studio, candles by L’Objet, and sculptures by Christian Lord.
“These are my friends but also members of the creative community,” Zuckerman says. “It was a confidence boost to have my friends in the store. I wanted to feature peers that we love.”
Designing an entire store was daunting, as Zuckerman wanted every detail to not only be reflective of the brand but also create something immersive for the customer. Yet when she walked into Eva Fehren for the first time, she felt it was a dream realized.
“It was important to me to highlight the full picture of who I am as a designer and who I am creatively,” Zuckerman says. “I take great pride in the city as a native New Yorker. When the opportunity presented itself [to open a store], it came during a time when I felt like it was really important for me to celebrate New York and put my stake in the ground and say, ‘We are here.’”
Top: The Eva Fehren store at Rockefeller Center emphasizes the sharp, graphic lines of the jewelry brand. (Photo: Herring & Herring; all photos courtesy of Eva Fehren)
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