ID Pop Shop Returns to Chelsea Market

Shop the 25 Best Independent Designers at ID Pop Shop: Fashion, Jewelry, Art and Home
April 22 – 28th, 10:30am – 7:30pm daily. Chelsea Market, 75 9th Avenue

Designer-entrepreneurs Barbara Wilkinson and Raoul Calleja have created a game-changer in the group market realm with the work of 25 independent designers shown in thoughtful mini-boutique settings. The designer-driven week long pop ups at the elegant Chelsea Market are a favorite of shoppers looking for something truly different.

Eyewear by Lumete

Faced with a shortage of good shows to showcase their own brands, Wilkinson of Barbara Wilkinson Jewelry, and Calleja of Vernakular Photo Designs, did what any creative entrepreneur and independent-spirited person would do, they created their own event, the Independent Designer Pop Shop (ID Pop Shop). Wilkinson and Calleja did more than just rent out space and have a show. They had a clear mandate–to assemble New York City’s most exciting independent brands by designers who design and create their own products. The huge success of the first shopping event in June 2011, paved the way for over a dozen more shows in 2011 and 2012. The next event is April 22 – 28th and will be featuring 25 independent brands, from jewelry, apparel, accessories and skin care, to home décor.

ID Pop Shop is successful in part because of the way Wilkinson and Calleja curate the event, bringing together a wonderfully eclectic mix of brands all under one roof. From event to event the brands change, but the one constant is that the participating brands are always fresh, exciting, and ones you won’t find just anywhere. “Our aesthetic is clean, upscale and fashion focused,” says Wilkinson. The shows are extended time-frames as well, usually a week at a time, so that customers can actually come back during the run of the show. Many Google, Food Network and other nearby employees enjoy stopping by several times during the week and are loyal customers.

Necklace by Sonja Fries

Having the events at Chelsea Market Event Space is also a big advantage. Currently one of the most buoyant retail areas in Manhattan, in part due to the Highline and the revitalization of the Meatpacking District, Chelsea Market attracts a healthy combination of tourists, locals, and business people. Now that word of the events has grown, the show boasts wait lists of dozens of designers who wish to participate in ID Pop Shop.

Wilkinson and Calleja truly care about working with the designers, because they are designers too and these are their peers. “We know what we want to get out of a space like this and we work with these designers to maximize their sales and bring more people through the door each time we have an event,” says Calleja.

The Independent Designer Pop Shop (ID Pop Shop), spearheaded by creative design entrepreneurs Barbara Wilkinson and Raoul Calleja is run with a clear mandate–to assemble New York City’s most exciting independent brands by designers who design and create their own products. The huge success of the first show in June 2011, paved the way for over a dozen more shows in 2011, 2012 and 2013. To keep the most up-to-date on ID Pop Shop happenings visit follow them on Twitter @IDPopShopNYC and “Like” their page on Facebook: www.facebook.com/IDPopShop.

Designer Participating:

Avalove Design, Barbara Wilkinson Jewelry, Bellero Designs, Corrente Handbags, Elaine Arsenault Handbags, jq loves u, Kimberlin Brown Jewelry, Kyoko Honda Jewelry, Lauren Wimmer Jewelry, LinePosters, Lumete, Morphicism, naturevsfuture, Pamela Barsky, Paste, RICA Bath & Body, Selen Design, ShayaNYC, Sohung Designs, Sonja Fries, SPJ, Urban Boulder, The Vanity Project, Vernakular Photo Designs, VERRIER