Written and photographed by Erica Gonzales
From website to pop-up shop, a shopping experience by jewelry retailer Bauble Bar is always fun, integrating style and technology. The “one stop shop” for fashion jewelry started as an internet sensation in 2011 and, due to its success, opened a second pop-up store in SoHo on June 6th, with a previous pop-up in the Meatpacking district earlier in 2013. A laid back studio style interior, bright colored accents, hi-tech tools, and of course a boundless jewelry collection create an ambiance that makes shopping exciting and easy.
Bauble Bar’s gadgets are sure to make customers go wild. Explore five of the essentials on a digital display provided by PERCH, with interactive tabletop projections that demonstrate how to wear each piece with photos from Bauble Bar’s social media handles and encourage shoppers to “Try me on!” Personalize pendants and rings with initials or the silhouette of a U.S. state using an iPad with the BB design app. Take a picture of yourself wearing a select piece of jewelry in any of the “Win This Piece!” stations around the store, and submit it via Instagram or Twitter. Or take multiple pictures with a digital photo booth fully equipped with a mirror, printed backdrop, and crate of props.
But let’s not forget about the jewelry. Bauble Bar's necklaces, rings, bracelets, and earrings are sourced from various up-and-coming designers, including some “Guest Bartenders,” such as Courtney Kerr and Harley V. Newton. Bauble Bar’s bright, youthful, trendy yet elegant styles can embellish any outfit with items from classic chains to edgy two-finger rings, and everything in between. If just one necklace won’t suffice, Bauble Bar encourages mixing and matching with an assortment of layer-worthy necklaces hanging on the walls. spikey necklaces, Lucite bibs, and animal-inspired bangles.
The affordability is just as dazzling as the jewelry, with prices that average $30 to $40 and a featured participatory sale that lowers prices even more. Online, an activity named "Buried Bauble" engages customers in a weekly treasure hunt for an item secretly marked down to $10. In store, the hunt is much easier with a whole table full of $10 to $20 items.
Bauble Bar shares its space with travel-inspired accessory line "Cuyana" and "Godiva Liqueur," with whom it teams up to host special events, such as 5:00 p.m. happy hour. Customers can enjoy complimentary chocolate-infused cocktails and mini cupcakes while accessory shopping. Any young, trendy city girl—especially one on a budget—will fall in love with Bauble Bar’s ultimate shopping experience. But hurry, the pop-up store closes on August 13th!