Award-winning experimental jewelry designer Nak Armstrong has embellished Austin with his crown jewel — his first flagship store — now open on South Congress Avenue.
The new store, which was three years in the making, is located at 1011 S. Congress Ave. at the Music Lane development, next to SoHo House. It will showcase the designer’s eponymous collection, along with his newly released line, Nakard.
Armstrong first launched the brand in 2011 after spending years as creative director for his previous company, Anthony Nak.
With his new flagship store, Nak Armstrong Fine Jewelry, Armstrong longed to make the space feel at home in Austin, so he brought on local artists and interior designers in order to achieve a boutique that feels “like a beautiful residence you wouldn’t want to leave.”
The debut of the Austin boutique marks a significant move in the 10-year-old Nak Armstrong brand’s growth, and enables the designer to further expand his collection while also being able to realize his artistic vision in a physical space of his own.
“Our clients have been experiencing the brand through the lens of Bergdorf Goodman, Barneys, and other luxury retailers, but we wanted to provide our customers the opportunity to experience the full breadth of the collection in a space that is a visual articulation of the brand,” Armstrong says, noting that Austin has become a “dynamic luxury market.”
The new store will also provide space for periodic designer meet-and-greets, new collection launches, and collaborative events with local arts groups.
Key to the charm of the boutique is its Milan-inspired décor and brilliance in its echoing of the designer’s unique jewelry style. Austin-based Studio A Group and interior designer Ann Tucker worked with Armstrong to create a space that “evokes the spirit of the treasures contained within.”
The resulting boutique — which Tucker calls a dream collaboration — is an alluring space bedecked in a spectacular display of opulence that’s somehow also approachable. Highlights include a 10-foot-tall freestanding upholstered jewel box, a hand-cut mosaic floor, and custom-crafted jewelry cases. Walnut and velvet lavish the space at every turn.
“Having my flagship allows me the opportunity to engage directly with my clients in a space where every color, every surface mirrors the jewelry itself. Learning which pieces resonate with them and sharing my inspiration are some of the best aspects of my job.”
Nak Armstrong Fine Jewelry is open Tuesday through Saturday 11 am-6 pm.
The store highlights pieces from the designer's collection, including his new Nakard line.
