Daily Front Row

2010 December 7

A Moment With...Pierre Hardy

Comments | | Print

Sean Thomas
View Gallery

(NEW YORK) Shoe fanatics, rejoice: Pierre Hardy finally opens his first boutique in America tomorrow. The adorable French designer invited us to a sneak peek of the super-chic space in the West Village. EDDIE ROCHE  

Welcome to the neighborhood! Why Jane Street?
The neighborhood---I really love it. I feel comfortable here. Maybe because it’s more European than other parts of the city. It’s a chic side of New York, not show-off. Quite discreet. The landscape is beautiful, and there are no tall buildings. I love sky scrapers, but I feel comfortable here. 

How long has the store been in the making?
We’ve been looking for the right place for six months. The workers have been quite fast, but the project started two years ago.

What's the concept behind the store?
We wanted to bring a feeling of preciousness and intimacy to something that was not. This was a garage warehouse and open space, and everything was possible. At the same time when you enter a shoe shop, you are vulnerable, you are barefoot, you don’t want to be seen by everybody so I tried to organize a space with intimacy and some protected space to try shoes and feel OK.

If you could have anybody walk in your shoes...
Marilyn Monroe! Definitely. She’s the sexiness of America. Even if it’s a cliché, she’s amazing. She was very well known for her shoes.

Any holiday plans?
I start holidays tomorrow! When I’m back in Europe, I’m going to Italy, around Nice. It’s beautiful in winter, and not too far from Paris.

And what does Pierre Hardy want for Christmas this year?
A gift is something you never dare buy for yourself.