After a decade in business, Alison Lou is celebrating not only its longevity but also the brand’s new Madison Avenue store, which now serves as a touchstone for the business as it looks forward, says founder Alison Chemla.
Chemla founded Alison Lou in 2012 and serves as its designer and creative director. She was also served as interior designer for the new store at 994B Madison Avenue, which had its soft opening in September. Chemla says the store had to both highlight her colorful jewelry and be a tribute to the color red, which has been a part of Alison Lou since its debut.
“I have wanted a space in this area on Madison Avenue for a long time,” Chemla says. “It was just a matter of time until the right store for us became available.”
Chemla went with bright red plaster, red carpet, and red furnishings throughout. These bold choices are balanced with white walls, golden accents, and her jewelry—which comes in a rainbow of Lucite and hand-painted enamel colors.
“Red has been a color that has stayed true throughout my brand since day one. I wanted there to be a real ‘wow’ moment with the red, hence the plaster and the carpet,” Chemla says. “When it came to the jewelry, I wanted it to be shown on a neutral, sleek background since our jewelry itself is so colorful with all of the enamel.”
Chemla says the store was a true collaboration with her longtime work and life friends. Chemla says she worked with her best friend Sasha Bikoff, who helps her with many Alison Lou projects, to get this post-pandemic project off of the ground. She also worked closely with her project manager, Jessica Hyland, to make this dream of a store come true, Chemla says.
The store carries “everything” in the Alison Lou universe, including her one-of-a-kind diamond pieces. The store has already hosted events, including a piercing party, and Chemla says she hopes to do more in-store get-togethers soon.
“I wanted to get into retail after the pandemic because people are getting really excited about shopping in person,” Chemla says. “I can’t think of a better way to celebrate our 10-year anniversary.”
One of the collections she highlights in store is her latest and part of the brand’s 10th anniversary celebration. The collection, known as CeLoubrations, gives Alison Lou customers an array of jewelry from pendants to rings that focus on celebrating major life events, including a birthday, a baby on the way, or a special anniversary.
CeLoubrations uses Chemla’s signature looks in hoops, rings, and bracelets as well as cocktail silhouettes in what she describes as “reimagined forms.” The result is a collection that highlights milestone moments with joy and a sense of humor.
“This store is a great way to showcase all of our capabilities from bridal to custom to all the studs you can imagine,” Chemla says. “We love creating the world of Lou for people to explore and hope this is just the beginning of our retail expansion.”
Top: With her new retail store on Madison Avenue, Alison Lou designer and founder Alison Chemla says she wanted a space where all of her collections could live together, allowing her customers to see the whole “world of Lou” (photos courtesy of Alison Lou).
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