The penthouse once housed a pipe organ and a stuffed buffalo head. An artist who might also have been a spy lived upstairs for decades. The building was home to a women-only bar. That may sound like a 21st-century sensibility, but this particular space, designated a city landmark in 1988 and once called “the most bizarre studio in the city,” has a century-long history of hosting fantastic events - and fascinating people. Jones and Luca Santonato, say their mission is to foster a space where “commerce meets culture and community.” Part luxury store, part art gallery, part private club, Luxuny is a bit difficult to define. Nearby, a pink-haired painter from Cyprus was explaining her most recent work, hung on the wall behind her.įor the past year and a half, Luxuny - the atelier occupying this penthouse high above Bryant Park - has been the setting for various live performances, trunk shows and chef tastings. In another part of the room, a hat designer was showing off his one-of-a-kind creations, involving emeralds, snakeskin and feathers from Peru. When they finished, a small, international and impeccably dressed crowd cheered. A saxophonist and a violinist who had met moments earlier decided to play a Charlie Parker tune together. On a recent Wednesday afternoon, as the sun turned the stained-glass skylight of a Midtown penthouse into a dazzling display of jewel tones, Prosecco was poured into flutes.
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