Les Wexner, wise guy, retail visionary, philanthropist, household name and, heck, was famous for some pretty darn nifty architecture, too, through his many noted homes. As the mastermind behind L Brands, which includes the iconic Victoria’s Secret, Wexner has reshaped not just the retail landscape, but the physical spaces surrounding him.
Background of Les Wexner
Les Wexner’s career is one of audacious entrepreneurship and locally significant wealth creation, particularly in New Albany, Ohio. Beginning with a single clothing store, he forged a retail empire that later included the world-famous Victoria’s Secret. Wexner’s influence sprawls well beyond commerce and has been integral in spinning New Albany into a robust residential and business community. And his deep knowledge of architecture and design is reflected not just in his business plan, but also in his personal acquisitions of major properties, which he has painstakingly returned to original glory or completely redesigned to fit his vision.
You may also read (alexia echevarrias dream home)
History of 9 East 71st Street
Built for Herbert N. Straus, an heir to the Macy’s fortune, the mansion at 9 East 71st Street is an architectural gem with a colorful history. Constructed with a French limestone façade, the house includes ornate carvings and plentiful European antiques that were brought in. Construction was abruptly halted by the 1931 stock market crash and Straus’s premature death. The mansion transformed over the years, most recently serving as a care facility and being controversially expanded to seven stories before being noticed by Les Wexner.
Acquisition and Renovation by Wexner
Les Wexner bought the townhouse in the late 1980s, with the intention of restoring it as a private residence. He engaged the architect Thierry Despont and the interior designer John Stefanidis to realize the dream. The ambitious renovation took two years, and craftsmen from all over the world contributed to it. Wexner’s personal art collection — Picasso and other works, along with exquisite Russian antiques — were included in this renovated masterpiece. The house also has some quirky design touches, such as an entrance hall lined with framed eyeballs.
HArchitectural and Design Elements
The style of the house as a whole can be described as French Renaissance in terms with notes of the Beaux Arts movement. The home has custom-built doors and fireplaces that evoke those in Russian palaces. The layout features expansive entertaining spaces at the front and more intimate, quieter rooms at the rear. Included are 18th-century French oak parquet de Versailles flooring and Robert Adam–inspired ceilings. Each room has a tale to tell, including the living room, which mixes cheeky stenciling with opulent shimmering pink silk taffeta draperies, and library enveloped in silk with a French mahogany bookcase.
The Wexner Estate in New Albany, Ohio
Another stamp of Wexner’s architectural inclination is his estate in New Albany, Ohio. This property comes with Georgian-style McMansions and embodies a refined design aesthetic that is also very much influenced by Wexner’s vision for the area. This estate serves as one of the most pioneering enclaves of architecture ever conceived in Ohio, designed both in terms of its unique structure as well as the lengthy landscaping that surrounds its local scenery, which perpetuates the topography and geology of the area.
Wexner Center for the Arts
Peter Eisenman’s Wexner Center for the Arts at The Ohio State University. Challenging architectural norms, its deconstructivist design sports a dramatic 540-foot long “scaffolding” structure. The center’s design dna embodies a complex and contradictory philosophy that echoes the dynamism of contemporary art it enables.
Conclusion
Les Wexner’s homes are not just residences; they are an alchemy of historical deference and contemporary aesthetic invention in the uncanny likeness of a taste and a cultural legacy. Wexner’s house, in particular, has come to represent his wealth, influence and fierce commitment to the arts and architecture. Wexner has secured his legacy through these institutions, one not only in the business world but the architectural record.
You may also read (jeff hardy house)
