Elizabeth Beer and Brian Janusiak's first LES effort was a clean-lined, minimally-decorated shop in Chinatown named Project No. 8 (as you can imagine, several projects for the duo had come before). Its innovative mixture of incredibly hard-to-find designers and gallery-inspired aesthetic earned it top marks among editors and locals alike. (The fact that the pair had exquisite taste certainly didn't hurt.)
So the buzz surrounding last week's opening of the pair's menswear effort, Project No. 8b, was to be expected, and we're happy to report that the impressive lineup at the new store does not disappoint. Located a block away from its sister location, 8b has the same clean-lined look, with crisp white brick walls, cool gray floors, and pale wood furniture (embellished with some leafy plants in the middle).
The focus here is on fashion, not decor, with Natalia Brilli satchels and Martin Margiela sunglasses poised on shelves like art, and crisp separates from lines like Sweden's Hope and Germany's Bless lining the simple metal racks.
Project No. 8b
38 Orchard St (near Hester Street)
(212) 925-5599
projectno8.com
