Barneys Returns to Downtown N.Y.C. with a Gorgeous New Flagship

The large stainless steel columns on the main floor, made of straito marble, are inspired by the work of John McCracken, a contemporary artist who was fond of making installations using irregular spacing. The avante-garde polished brass tables are "reminiscent of Hans Arp and '40s cubist architecture," Harris says. 

The heroic staircase, made of steel and plastered fiberglass, pays homage to the one at the original 1923 location in Chelsea. "It's very theatrical," Harris says. "Everybody sees you when you're walking down that stair, and you see everyone else. There's a notion of performance and spectacle." It also functions as a landmark within the space. "You always know exactly where you are by referencing it," Harris adds. 

If you look closely, you'll notice reflections on the ceiling, which was a happy accident in Harris's design process. "Every time you rearrange the shoes on the tables, the patterns of the light on the ceiling shift," he says.

The amoeba shapes on the ceiling help feign height and define lighting. "There are very few walls on these floors, so they etch out a space," Harris says. Similar to the staircase, they also act as a map. "Each of the shapes is different, so they define one area from another," he adds.

A vibrant 36-foot mural by L.A. painter Conor Thompson is the main attraction in the restaurant, which will serve a modern Italian menu helmed by executive chef Mark Strausman. The sprawling oil painting features figurative and abstract motifs of a dinner table and a painter's palette.

From the top floor, walls made of laminated glass feature gray, matte, and mirrored lines, enabling shoppers to see all the way across the store. "If you look closely, you can also see yourself in the mirrored slivers on the glass," Harris says.