Ulla Johnson Unveils a Madison Avenue Boutique Steeped in Craft and Personal History - Galerie Magazine

"Ulla Johnson's new Madison Avenue boutique unfolds like a portrait. The 2,000-square-foot storefront is layered with objects the Galerie Creative Mind designer has gathered over decades, from a bronze sculpture by artist Alma Allen to a vintage Fratelli Marelli mirror, each gesture grounding the shop in a richly personal atmosphere. "Having grown up on the Upper East Side,&quot says Johnson, who launched her namesake label in 1999, "our new boutique represents not just an important moment for the brand, but also a true homecoming.""

"Known for garments defined by romantic silhouettes, her dedication to artisanal craftsmanship, and collaborations with the estates of painters Lee Krasner and Helen Frankenthaler, Johnson has worked carefully to translate her ethos into retail environments that feel equally as free-spirited and artful. The NoHo flagship, opened in 2017 with Elizabeth Roberts Architects, captured that ambition with the intimacy of a brownstone. Her Amagansett and Los Angeles outposts, created with Kelly Wearstler, expanded her vocabulary while reinforcing its tactile sensibility."

"To bring that vision to life, Johnson turned to Giancarlo Valle and Jane Keltner de Valle, the husband-and-wife designers behind downtown firm Studio Valle de Valle. "We were channeling this idea of 'Ulla goes uptown.' She's a native New Yorker. She grew up on the Upper East Side. This boutique is a homecoming and coming of age in many ways. It really speaks to the evolution of her brand and what she's built," explains Keltner de Valle."

Ulla Johnson's 2,000-square-foot Madison Avenue boutique evokes a portrait-like intimacy layered with objects collected over decades, including a bronze sculpture by Alma Allen and a vintage Fratelli Marelli mirror. The shop emphasizes artisanal craftsmanship and romantic silhouettes central to Johnson's brand, echoing collaborations with the estates of Lee Krasner and Helen Frankenthaler. Previous stores — a NoHo flagship resembling a brownstone and Amagansett and Los Angeles outposts with Kelly Wearstler — established a tactile, free-spirited retail vocabulary. The new location is conceived as a homecoming that channels Upper East Side traditions, with Studio Valle de Valle incorporating trompe l'oeil and neighborhood context.

Read at Galerie Magazine