OC Concept Store is celebrating their one year anniversary, this month. New York City’s first concept store was designed by Christophe Pillet, and it offers a champagne and caviar bar and personalized service. Two further stores, both situated in exclusive resorts, were opened in St Tropez and Courchevel. The flagship store have enjoyed a groundbreaking surge of avant garde artists, and century old businesses who have collaborated with the store’s owner, Orianne Collins, in order to bring her clients some of the world finest goods and services. From art, home decor, jewelery, time pieces, accessories, exclusive travel destination services, in a 300 square meter store – all beautifully curated.
When you enter the OC Concept Store, what you’ll find is an array of some of the most heart stopping, and innovating pieces that you’ve ever laid eyes on. From Swarovski crystal iPod covers, vintage marquetry music box, to Orianne Collins’ own jewelry collection, which draws from many different traditions, and is a blend of mystical and fashionable elegance, for men, women and children.
A few weeks ago, I sat down with the woman behind this successful store, located right across the street from the iconic Barneys New York. Orianne talked to us about her passion for travel, her heart warming charity, as well as what truly inspires her work. Her Tale Jewelry Collection can be described as “a work of art” “historical” “soulful” as well as “dreamy”. But it is so much more than that. It is an artist’s dream story told against a multi continental jet set soundtrack. Observant and reactive, Orianne draws on her dreams and experiences to nourish her passion, finding inspiration at all times – with her family, on the phone, and during her travels.
High End Weekly™: Please tell us a about your charity – The Little Dreams Foundation.
Orianne Collins: The foundation was founded in 2003 in Switzerland with my then husband Phil Collins. It is primarily for orphans and handicapped children from Zimbabwe, and around Europe. These children have shown excellence in areas such as music, and sports. It’s quite rewarding seeing these children grow up and having some of them participate in the US Open finals for handicapped tennis players.
HEW: When you wanted to expand your flagship store, you could have chosen a number of noteworthy cities like Paris, London, Milan. Yet you chose NYC. Why is that?
OC: New York City is a very challenging place to do business, and I’ve always loved a challenge. Plus it is also a destination place, the same way that OC is becoming a designation place for New Yorkers. Three years before we’ve opened our store, there was an awful lot of thoughts and planning that went into creating it. When we first opened, our objective was to make the OC Concept Store a Dream Destination store. And we’ve achieved that.
HEW: What’s your definition of luxury in three words?
OC: Untouchable, Priceless, Dreamy.
HEW: What was your work background like, and what type of materials do you use for your jewelry?
OC: I was born in Nyon, Switzerland, and I have Thai and Swiss origins. My childhood and young adulthood consist of growing up in Switzerland and studying there as well. I was first attracted by a career in design, but finally chose International Management studies and obtained my degree at the age of 19. After occupying different positions in communications and marketing, I set up my first events and communications agency, O-COM, in the 1990s. My first jewelry designs were centered around the theme of the Little Dreams Foundation. In collaboration with Van Cleef and Arpels, I created a “charms” bracelet which represented eleven of the Foundation’s areas of interest.
As with my work with Van Cleef and Arpels, my own jewelry collection consists of the best quality of precious and semi-precious stones, elegant modern designs and jewellery to suit every occasion. I use diamonds, sometimes black diamonds to embellish these creations.
Tales Earrings
White Arabesques Earrings: White Gold, White Diamonds: $134,680
Black Arabesques Earrings: Blackened Gold, Black Diamonds: $84,800
Romance Collection
Bangle Heart (Bracelet) – White Gold, Pink Mother Of Pearl $5,680
Heart Ring – Pink Gold, Pink Quartz: $5,720
During the month of October, 10% of the sale price of these or any other pink merchandise purchased will be go to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
HEW: Was there a piece from your recent collection that you’re most proud of? And why does it matter to you?
OC: From the Tales Collection, my love for travel and orchards came shining through. For example, the Tales earrings came from my love of architecture and a particular design from Morocco. In The Symbol Collection I use Buddhist, Tibetan and Chinese symbols as they represent love and good luck.
HEW: Who inspires you?
OC: My grandmother. She was an extraordinary woman. Beautiful – inside and out.
Luxury Redefined
Skull Bracelet by Michael Kanners of Kanners Jewelers
(price on request)
HEW: What can we expect from you in the future?
OC: We have about 20 lines of new merchandises coming up – from phones, wine control panels, continued collaborations with companies like
KIS. And starting this fall, we are having Happy Hours at our champagne and caviar bar from 5:00 to 7:00 PM every Thursday. It is true that we bring our clients the best of the best, but our products are also exuberant, thought-provoking, filled with beautiful history, and knowledge.
OC Concept Store
655 Madison Avenue
(at 60th Street)
New York, NY 10065
T: 212-759-9220
info@occonceptstore.com
www.occonceptstore.com
