Brett Heyman on Opening Her First Edie Parker Boutique in NYC

by Sydney Sadick

Brett Heyman, the woman responsible for amping up the evening handbag game for many of us, has just opened her first Edie Parker boutique in New York City. The digs, located on the Upper East Side, is an emporium for the handbag-obsessed, featuring Heyman’s clutches, new styles and product categories, and soon-to-launch jewelry. We caught up with the designer to hear about the space and how she plans to expand on the retail front in the future. 

Brett, why was now the right time to open an Edie Parker store?
We have been adding to the overall breadth of handbags and adding new product categories for the last year or so. It’s increasingly hard to showcase all of our new offerings within the confines of our wonderful wholesale partners. We think we have enough brand DNA at this point to invite our customer into the world of Edie Parker.

Why did you decide to open on the Upper East Side?
I started drawing Edie Parker bags in my dining room on the Upper East Side. Our first wholesale partners—Barneys New York and Bergdorf Goodman—started selling our bags on the UES. I love every neighborhood of New York City, but uptown is my home. I want to visit the store daily, on my way to and from the office.

What went into the design of the store?
We wanted the store to feel residential, like visiting someone’s groovy apartment before a night out. The aesthetic is Gio Ponti meets Gloria Vanderbilt. I think we succeeded.

We hear you’re expanding into jewelry.
Jewelry will be in stores within the next six months. I have been sampling it for over a year and it looks amazing. We’re mixing metals with acrylic. There will likely be customization, and the price point will be a luxury price consistent with the handmade quality and craftsmanship of the bags.

Where would you love to open up next?
I grew up in Los Angeles and have a great affinity for the West Coast, so hopefully we can open there next.

Edie Parker, 781 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10065

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