New Beatrice alert! New Beatrice alert! According to Eater, the already legendary Parisian nightclub Le Baron is coming to New York, and there's nothing you can do about it. The uber-exclusive celebrity playground barely fits a hundred people (most of whom are rail-thin), and you can expect its New York outpost to be similarly cramped. The space it's occupying is miniscule.
Le Baron owners Andre and Lionel (because last names just aren't 'it' enough) are transforming a karaoke bar in Lower Manhattan (32 Mulberry St. to be exact), and infusing it with their sense of old-world bohemia. By doing so, they will presumable attract new-world bohemians. This means leather banquettes, early 20th Century black and white nude photography, a grand piano, and a password-protected door. Okay, so we just described the current Le Baron, but there's no reason to think they'll mess with an equation that has attracted everyone from Bjork to at least one Olsen Twin.
But even with its celebrity cache, Andre has always maintained that he isn't concerned with money and the people who have it. In a Paper profile last year, they detailed his distaste with all things flashy. "His door people, often painter pals, routinely reject models and moguls, while welcoming scruffy artists who pay for their drinks with art," it said. It also said his next project was reopening the Beatrice with a more "mature" look, something that obviously didn't happen.
Le Baron has already flirted with New York nightlife. You'll recall that during last year's Fall Fashion Week, Andre turned upstairs at The Bowery Hotel into a pop-up Le Baron. (Also a graffiti artist, Andre designed the bottle for Belvedere IX, which celebrated its launch at the location all week long.) It was a huge hit and probably helped to convince Andre that New York was ready to be incorporated into his global brand (there's already a Le Baron in Tokyo). Le Baron will be a sensation with New York's downtown set, and a new bestower of status with people who like to express themselves through the clubs they're seen at.
Sorry Mike, it was fun while it lasted.



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