Dune Studios

L: Right now, we’re here at Dune Studios’ new location at 55 Water prepping for our Spring Summer ‘17 fashion show. As far as we’re concerned, this is the most epic studio in New York City. Dune is actually way more than just a studio to us, though - they’re true partners of ours. Anytime you’re in here you’ll see that they’ve got huge corporate clients - everyone from Bloomingdale’s to Neiman are shooting today - but they don’t lose sight of giving young brands opportunities to grow. As it pertains to Rochambeau, they’ve always provided us with studio space, equipment for photo shoots - without their support , we wouldn’t exist.

J: We really became family when Dune took a bunch of space at 121 Varick Street, which is essentially home base for both of our companies. We met the owner in the hallway while he was moving in - best energy on Earth - and like Laurence just said, he’s built a massive business but has always remained humble and continues to take care of the little guys. Whether it’s because he liked our aesthetic or saw something in our hustle, he’s done us so many favors since we first linked up with him. So we try and repay that every chance we get.

Hauser & Wirth

L: Hauser & Wirth is arguably the best gallery in New York City, and, more recently, LA. The thing that makes Hauser unique is that, although they have the most incredible, endless roster of artists (everyone from Paul McCarthy to Rashid Johnson) and their spaces are so large scale, they never forget to keep their eye on what’s happening with the younger generation.

We have a great friend named Yuta over at Hauser - I’ve had the fortune of watching him go from employee to his current position as co-director. What they’ve allowed Yuta to do is take their 69th street townhouse or the back room of their 19th street space and curate shows for and by younger artists. By trusting their team’s vision and empowering them to take risks, Hauser elevates itself above the conversations other galleries and institutions are having. It’s a really smart, inspiring way of doing business - young curators accrue a bunch of experience while leaning on Hauser’s reputation and network just as Hauser benefits from housing these cutting edge points of view.

Balthazar

L: Balthazar is the best restaurant in New York City. No contest. If someone tries to argue that, they just don’t know New York City restaurants well enough. They’re part of the incredible lineage of establishments throughout New York like The Odeon, Lucky Strike, Schiller’s - all of the McNally properties lead up to the mecca that is Balthazar.

In a city where restaurants turn over on a weekly basis, Balthazar is as close to a permanent institution as you can find. Of course, the most important thing here is the relationship you have with the bar staff. While a table is covetable, a seat at the bar almost means more. Our guy Willis is the person we always look to for the best dirty martini in Manhattan - he’ll always set us up regardless of how overridden the place is with tourists or if it’s holiday season. Take care of your bar staff - that’s one of the most important relationships you’ll ever have in New York.

J: Balthazar’s a rare constant. Obviously, we both drink a lot, so knowing that there’s a dependable dirty martini somewhere is crucial. When you’ve lived here as long as we have, you see all the hype pass. When you’re younger, you hit all the new spots, but at a certain point you realize there’s a distinction between quality and trends. I’ve always felt at home at Balthazar because it’s so consistent - you’ll never have a bad meal (whether it’s breakfast, lunch, or dinner), a bad experience with a waiter...everything is permanently locked at the highest level. Like Laurence said, it’s one of those places that reminds you to take care of the people who take care of you.

L: Actually, the most important thing about Balthazar is that you might run into Pam Anderson.

Why is it important to support independent businesses?

J: This city defines Do or Die - there is simply no way that you can make it here without having a strong network of partners, friends, and supporters you can depend on. So it’s essential that you keep your word and look out for the people who help you. Pushing independent businesses forward evolves culture. There are enough massive companies out there that eat off our communities’ plates - without supporting each other, we’d completely fall prey to that.

L:Yeah, I don’t buy into all the bitching and criticisms about, “oh, New York is dying. New York is changing.” New York is always going to be the center of the world. And a big part of why that’s true is because of the independent businesses in our city. As proprietors of a handful of businesses ourselves, we know how important it is to create a sense of camaraderie with fellow entrepreneurs and loyalty amongst our customers. Relationships matter more than anything in distinguishing independent businesses from large-scale, corporate experiences. Knowing that you’re always welcome somewhere, having a first name relationship with owners of a place you frequent - that literally generates community and culture. And New York can only be as strong as we want both of those forces to be.