United Colors of Benetton Brings “Art of Knit” to BP Garage on Crosby

The vacant garage adjacent to the BP station on East Houston is trading up. Temporarily, at least. For the last couple weeks, a group of youngsters was seen decking out the former mechanic shop into a some sort of pop-up shop. Today, we have a better idea of its identity. United Colors of Benetton. You heard right.

No doubt timed to coincide with Fashion Week festivities, the Italian brand is cashing in on downtown vibes at 135 Crosby Street. That much is evident just by looking at the facade, now cloaked in a layer of “street art.” Behind the garage doors, however, is Benetton’s “Art of Knit” pop-up gallery retail concept which celebrates just that. Three months of “knit, color, and creativity.”

Here you will find a world of knit, color and creativity—the definitive story of the Benetton brand. The converted garage space is a vivid mix of retail, gallery and craft workshop knitted together by the creative minds of You Nguyen, the Creative Director and FABRICA, Benetton Group’s Communication Research Center.

The United Colors of Benetton outpost marks the first tenant since the space was gutted last February. CBRE, which reps the property, really wants a permanent, high-end retail shop in the space. It’s probably stilling holding out hope for that lucrative $27,500 in monthly rent. There’s a sucker born every minute…

Source: United Colors of Benetton

“Art of Knit” opens tomorrow and runs through December 31. Looks like someone’s been paying attention to the yarn-bombing movement.