Cuyana Debuts Its First New York Pop-Up Shop 'With Love'

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• Cuyana founders Karla Gallardo and Shipla Shah

If the frenzy of holiday shopping has you picking up this and that willy-nilly just to check people off your list, then Cuyana wants to be your reminder to slow down and think about what your gifts mean. Today marks the debut of the San Francisco-based e-commerce site's first-ever New York pop-up shop in Soho, and it's centered around the true intentions of gift-giving, from a monogramming station for a personal touch to an area for writing cards—which gives the shop its name: "To New York, With Love."

Cuyana (pronounced kwee-anna) was founded in 2011 with the intention of directing women toward quality product that'll last for seasons, rather than scooping up several fast-fashion pieces that could fall apart in months. Founders Shilpa Shah and Karla Gallardo source material based on where it's best produced—Italian leather, Scottish cashmere—and design everything in-house. What that leads to is a range of handbags, small leather goods, sweaters, scarves, and coverups available in a variety of customizable colors and suitable to a wide range styling.

"Our philosophy is 'fewer, better things,'" Gallardo told Racked. "Customers can consume a lot [with fast fashion] so that their closets look full, but they're actually empty ... There's a need for women to find their go-to products that they can go back to over and over again. That's what we're capitalizing on." In other words, products that women love, hence the brand name: Cuyana translates to "to love" in Quechua.

That attention to detail in apparel and accessories has carried over to the design of the pop-up—though it's only open for five days, nothing here feels temporary. Scandinavian details like light wood flooring and white fur draped over chairs and benches compliment the holiday touches of twinkling lights and pine, pine everywhere.

"It's about celebrating intention," Shah adds of the pop-up's gift-giving lean, from the Rifle Paper Co. cards to the wall of packaging filled with orange boxes. "Gift with intention. Show people why you're gifting. And if you're not going to gift with intention, it's better to not gift at all."

The shop runs through December 14th at 311 West Broadway and is open from 11am to 9pm daily. For more information about the store—plus a list of special events—check out the link below.

· Cuyana New York [Official Site]
· Cuyana Builds Brand Around the Less is More Approach [Racked SF]
· 34 Holiday Pop-Ups to Shop in New York City This Season [Racked NY]