New York - January 30, 2009

Highbrow Raising

Partners & Spade Design Agency Opens

Can’t escape product placement. May as well embrace it.

And admire the curious goods and inspirations of Partners & Spade. The design studio is at your service with aviary construction and upkeep, fake fireplace installation (with trompe l’oeil fire), and trophy engraving to boost confidences.

Their Great Jones space is outfitted with all the things you never knew you needed: gilded motorcycle helmets, vintage smut, East German therapy toys, defunct Lehman Brothers schwag (coffee mugs, baseball caps).

We’re personally impressed by the HMS Booze Cruise, a model ship (look closely for telling details). Others may want to inquire about promoting themselves on the indoor billboard.

Blatant product integration or meta-referential gag?

Try calling a spade a spade.

Partners & Spade, 40 Great Jones Street, between Bowery and Lafayette Street (646-861-2827 or partnersandspade.com). Open Saturdays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sundays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Photo: Nico Arrelano / Courtesy of Partners & Spade