Los Angeles–based luxury jewelry brand Spinelli Kilcollin is expanding thoughtfully and with its distinctive aesthetic as it adds retail locations this month in both its hometown and New York City.
“The opening of our NYC flagship marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of our brand,” says Yves Spinelli, who cofounded the company with Dwyer Kilcollin in 2010 in their East Los Angeles garage, making their signature Galaxy rings.
While the flagship boutique in New York, which opened on Feb. 5, is a traditional storefront, Spinelli Kilcollin‘s Los Angeles location (opening Feb. 18) is designed more as an art museum that has jewelry for sale. The L.A. store will feature community spaces and rotating artwork by local artists, Kilcollin says.
Located at 91 Crosby St. in SoHo, the 1,500-square-foot New York store has a 750-square-feet sales floor. The mezzanine, with modern furnishings and revolving art displays, will host VIP styling sessions and other private services for clients, along with art gallery-style events that highlight Spinelli Kilcollin’s collaborations.
Spinelli and Kilcollin say they planned the NYC flagship slowly and methodically, but client reaction pushed their timeline forward.
“We started with a vision to grow through a virtual store and travel for one-on-one appointments. From there, we expanded our website to provide a more comprehensive client experience and even introduced virtual meetings via Zoom,” Spinelli says. “As our business grew, we established private showrooms in NYC and L.A., but NYC quickly became a standout market.”
Kilcollin adds: “We had a private showroom on the third floor in SoHo with a somewhat unconventional entrance. Despite this, we decided to list it on Google Maps and open the space to walk-ins. Within two weeks, it became clear we were in over our heads.
“The volume was overwhelming. On weekends, there would be 14-plus private appointments alongside 80-90 walk-ins,” she says. “That’s when we realized it wasn’t just time—it was long overdue—to open a dedicated storefront.”
Both inside and outside, the new boutique’s look stays true to both Spinelli and Kilcollin as artists. Its design merges concepts and influences from Kilcollin’s career as a sculptor with a futuristic vision of clean lines and sleek metals, he says.
“It’s meant to stand apart while still functioning as a retail store,” Kilcollin explains. “We embraced an unconventional use of materials and forms with a heavy emphasis on aluminum.”
The floor plan creates a nonconventional flow, allowing clients to wander while exploring the Spinelli Kilcollin galaxy of jewels. The cases have arc-like bases made of luminescent recycled plastic that support angular aluminum and glass displays.
Flooring also is noteworthy, crafted from all-aluminum tiles set at different angles. It is inspired by a similar design in Spinelli and Kilcollin’s home, and is meant to give the store an organic flow that counters its rectangular footprint.
High walls feature two of Kilcollin largest sculptures ever, for which she drew inspiration from her past pieces. Working with the brand’s project manager, artist Tom Wixo, Kilcollin created 12-by-8-foot relief sculptures that have giant versions of rings from Spinelli Kilcollin collections embedded within semi-abstract undulating terrain.
These sculptures are painted white, the same color as the walls. As a result, they are prominent yet completely blend in.
“We are excited to create a space that embodies the spirit of our brand,” Kilcollin says. “Since the beginning, we have grown our brand in collaboration with our customers through the bespoke designs they create and through the opportunity for our jewelry to play a small part in the stories of connection they build.”
Top: Spinelli Kilcollin has opened its first brick-and-mortar store, in New York City. (Photos courtesy of Spinelli Kilcollin)