The Tamesis
As summer approaches, the city comes alive, and no neighborhood is busier than SoHo. The venue was particularly crowded on Thursday for the opening of Jacques Marie Mage’s much-anticipated “gallery” on Worcester Street. During the evening, the brand gave friends, artists and entertainers a glimpse into its universe: chrome cabinets, zebra-print chaise longues and an oversized wolf skull sculpture by Quentin Garel, seamlessly integrated.
As guests acquainted themselves with the three-story space, waiters served them Kruger sparkling wine, caviar crepes, imported German sauerkraut and ring (or some would say) modeling) of this brand of sunglasses. During the exploration, attendees had the opportunity to test the frames—many consulted friends to help narrow down favorites—and get an up-close look at the gallery’s collection of leather goods, jewelry, ceramics, and artifacts. “I wanted this space to remind people of the pursuit of beauty,” said Jérôme Mage, founder of Jacques Marie Mage. Fashion. “Beauty is strong and individualistic, and breaking away from the norm is an act of rebellion. This reminds us not to be afraid to explore the beauty you find.”
After warming up with champagne, guests gathered around Mage next to a bison skull on the lower level as he shared snippets of inspiration for the space (“Nature is the ultimate luxury”) and more about the brand’s decade-long partnership with Yellowstone National Park. He also invited guests to look up at the eagle’s beak sculptures hanging from the ceiling and reiterated that they were a tribute to the park’s keystone species.
“There is a duality between the wolf and the bison,” he shared with the crowd. “They’ve been friends and foes for millions of years, and I think New York City is a little bit like that. You have to survive the highs and the lows — and we’ve done our best to bring that duality inside.”
March then introduced Doug Smith, the wildlife biologist who led the reintroduction of the first gray wolf to Yellowstone in 1995. Smith implored guests to consider the natural world beyond humans, then shared a poem by poet Robert Service and set the stage for the evening’s final guest.
Back then, it was the time of the one and only Patti Smith—singer, songwriter, local icon, and longtime collaborator of the label. Accompanied by guitarist Tony Shanahan, Smith performed three of her favorite songs: The people have power, ghost danceand because of night. Guests including Grace Gummer, Mark Ronson and Collier Schorr were completely mesmerized as she swayed enthusiastically and raised her hands to the beat, clapping and singing along with every word.
The audience erupted in applause as Smith played the final chords as she shouted, “The night belongs in New York!” “It’s very helpful when people bring out their energy and sing with you,” Smith told Fashion Then. “My work with Jacques-Marie March has always been about friendship, and everyone here tonight provided me with that.”
After Smith’s set, people poured into the two-story building, humming her melodies and sipping one last glass of “Ring.” As night fell, they took to Worcester Street with champagne flutes and shamelessly smoked a cigarette. They left with a Jacques Marie Mage gift bag containing a coffee table book written by the sculptor, so they could take a piece of the gallery home with them into their own space.
