Object Lessons

When Moss closed its doors in 2012, the SoHo design mecca left a void in New York’s aestheticlandscape. Now a former Moss acolyte isattempting to fill it—albeit using a verydifferent approach. Founded by Juan GarciaMosqueda, who assisted Murray Moss for a year and a half, Chamber—a new boutique in Chelsea—offers a highly curated selection oflimited-edition objects. But rather than act as aone-man vetting committee, Mosqueda, 26, plans to hand over the aesthetic keys to the shopevery two years to someone new. “I felt it wasmore interesting to involve various perspectiveson collecting,” he says. “If it was only my vision, I’d probably get bored after a couple of years.”

As a student at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Mosqueda was obsessedwith Droog and with Dutch design in general,so he asked Studio Job to put together thedebut collection—60 percent of which hasbeen specially commissioned for Chamber. Thefamed Dutch duo compiled a roster of mostly Netherlands-based talents, from stars likeMaarten Baas and newcomers like Dirk VanderKooij, whom Mosqueda approached to create objects of all kinds. The Amsterdam studioFormafantasma, for example, has contributedRaw, an oil-and-vinegar set made from naturalhorn and glass by an artisan in Vienna.Mosqueda believes the boutique will be rightat home in the neighborhood, where artcollectors prowl the gallery scene. “Chelsea hasa slower pace than SoHo,” he says. “People there tend to focus more on the pieces and take the time to learn about them. The stories behind each object are what matters to me—and sharing those stories.”

Video by Martin Rietti/LANDIA.