NEW YORK, Feb 9, 2011 / FW/ — NARS Cosmetics unveiled of its first flagship boutique in New York City’s famed West Village. Located at 413 Bleecker Street, the 525 square-foot space boasts a design conceived by Founder and Creative Director François Nars and long-time artistic collaborator and friend Fabien Baron, of Baron & Baron.

François Nars and CEO, Louis Desazars, along with an intimate gathering of close friends of the brand, convened for the celebratory ribbon cutting to signify the official opening of the boutique. The flagship location, created as a unique destination where artistry can be cultivated and consumers educated, will be officially open to the public on February 10, 2011.

“I love Bleecker Street, it’s a cool fun area with great shopping,” said François Nars. “The boutique is very intimate and chic, and the exterior is very ‘old’ West Village, which is nice. The Bleecker Street storefronts are extremely charming.”

The boutique fuses elements of modernity and artistry with the feeling of a residential space that is inviting and uniquely NARS. The black and white color scheme echoes the brand’s signature packaging. A red, high gloss lacquer block (color matched to Jungle Red Lipstick) stands at the rear of the boutique, positioned against a matte black wall. Offsetting the vintage accents are modern elements including floor-to-ceiling mirrors that feature hidden illuminated frames and a series of three screens featuring a loop of various films created by the brand.

In addition to the full NARS cosmetics product line – displayed in a custom-designed unit – and exclusive products, including a special Bento Box and 413 Bleecker Pure Matte Lipstick, the boutique also carries items both accumulated by François Nars throughout his travels and those that have served as inspiration in his product development (such as Exhibit A, by Guy Bourdin; or Belle de Jour, a film starring Catherine Deneuve).

Photos by David X Prutting / BFANYC.com