Hasbeens & Willbees, Forever
Hasbeens & Willbees is an auction house and collaboration platform founded by Kai Kuhne and John Mollett. Kuhne was a founding member of the fashion group Asfour. The team had shows all over the world and generated worldwide press through their innovative designs and unique community based lifestyle. Kuhne went on to launch his own signature brand, Kai Kuhne, where he continued to impress and collaborate with the most elite clientele and magazines. John Mollett was a fine arts director at the Jan Krugier Gallery. He represented the most exclusive art on the market, including the largest estate of Picasso. A portion of the legendary collection is to be auctioned at Christies.
HASBEENS & WILLBEES is an AUCTION platform that marches to the beat of a different drum.
Located at the intersection of the creative and the commercial, HBWB blurs the lines of art, design, architecture and fashion to arrive at a vision that is decidedly NOW.
HASBEENS & WILLBEES was founded by John Mollett and Kai Kühne.
Kai was a fashion designer who could have been found swinging from a chandelier at a party after glitter bombing important fashion editors at one of his shows. During that time, he created pieces of clothing that are now hanging in important museums and in the collections of some of the world's coolest women.
Around this time, John's stomping grounds was on the Upper East Side at the the Geneva based, Jan Krugier Gallery. The Gallery specialized in Modern Masters and represented the largest estate of Picasso outside of the Muse Picasso in Paris.
When a fashion line made way for a new era of production, and a dealer who was the last of a breed went on to a better place...the idea for an auction house was born.
HBWB knows no limit of venue and will produce projects in different locations.
Hasbeens & Willbees Brings the Finer Things to Upstate New York
Hasbeens & Willbees, the much talked about Catskills restaurant on the serious come-up, is set for another creative burst with the launch of a series of auction events, showcasing the owners’ most treasured findings from overlooked corners of the world.
A Unique Restaurant and Antique Dealer Based in the Andes
Hasbeens & Willbees, the much talked about Catskills pop-up restaurant on the serious come-up, is set for another creative burst with the launch of a series of auction events, showcasing the owners’ most treasured findings from overlooked corners of the world.
Kai Kuhne, former independent fashion designer and leading member of the design group AsFour, and John Mollett, former fine arts representative at the Jan Krugier Gallery, recently partnered to open the Hasbeens & Willbees restaurant in Andes, NY. “Wanting to keep connected to our careers and the worlds we love, we’ve incorporated our experiences and knowledge into a fresh new concept,” said Kuhne, “representing the new luxury and a fair market for the finer things in life.”
The new Hasbeens and Willbees concept embraces a lifestyle of luxury that cherishes the art, design, furniture and fashion of the past, while showcasing the genius and beautiful products of today.
As a preview for their auction house to open in New York City in the Spring of 2014, the Hasbeens & Willbees soft launch will take place at their Catskills restaurant. This new avenue is about giving some of the old freaks a place to shine, and provide a venue of exposure for a younger generation. It references old furniture and art, as well as showcasing wonderful new products. The Hasbeens & Willbees private label soap and olive oil will also be available in the store.
Kuhne and Mollet have been around the world selecting and amassing items for the auction house that is opening in the Spring of next year. “The shopping has been a blast! But now it’s time to get selling and develop a track record so that we can get some great consignments as well,” says Mollet. “We’ve decided to first do a little preview maquette of the auction concept up at our restaurant in the Catskills to get the ball rolling. For the auction we plan to have a few days of preview dinners where guests are surrounded by the auction items, while using the culinary objects on the table during their meal.”
While the auction items will be the focus of the events, the cuisine at Hasbeens & Willbees is something quite special in itself; simple yet refined. Each dish is inspired by inherited recipes from Mollet’s grandmother from New England, thus bringing something fresh and unique to the region. Their crab cake, for example, rivals that to be found anywhere in the state, filled with Jumbo Lump crab freshly picked from the Maryland fish markets and overnighted to the kitchen. Hasbeens & Willbees is an inspiring example of how farm-to-table doesn't have to be rustic.
The main auction event is sure to be active and filled with lively characters. The events will highlight guest chefs, projection screens, topless game show-style girls, a tuxedo-clad auctioneer, live performances, and an early Westwood style fashion show. It’s set to be a Friday night not to be missed.
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