"We keep finding all these different meanings of the word when we talk to people."

Whatever the word means exactly, Decollage, which opened last week in New York's West Village, is a showroom, store, public relations service and art gallery all in one.

The six-story townhouse accommodates exclusive labels in fashion and art such as Zac Posen, Vintage by Virginia Bates, Alice Roi, Miller Harris, Gracie NYC, Cozmo Jenks and Peter Som.

"We wanted a special place, a kind of atelier, to showcase beautiful things where we would not be hampered by corporate culture," Forester's partner, Heather Rich, explained to FWD.

"We had both been working in PR [Forester headed up PR at Diane Von Furstenberg, and Rich did Jill Stuart's PR] and knew we wanted to do something on our own."

Each floor of the house has a different theme and is filled with clothing, shoes, purses, jewelry, candles, resort wear -- the list is endless. "The idea was to have each area work like a living magazine editorial filled with creative talent," said Forester.

Decollage's concept is to invite the designers involved to work on the space themselves.

"Alice Roi sent us these crazy dolls and some '70s soft-porn paintings, and she will also put couture pieces in here," Rich explained, adding, "This is a forum for designers to house one of a kind pieces, designs that deserve some special attention or that have no place in a store."

As well as beautiful clothing, there are fur stoles with hand-stenciled designs, wallpaper by Gracie NYC, a strippers' pole and piano for impromptu music and dancing, and in the kitchen there are cooking sauces and books by Jean-Georges Vongerichten.

Leah and Heather plan to host semi-private events at Decollage so that others can enjoy the space as much as they do.

"We want to have dinner parties, have makeup artists there so people can shop, have a bite to eat and then have their makeup done. The whole experience," said Forester, "will be small and intimate and very girly."