Is The New: Opening Ceremony and Carrie Bradshaw

Mar 13, 2008 @ 1:13pm

"As a destination for fashion insiders and the people who wish to dress like them, this may be the most influential place in retail at the moment," wrote Eric Wilson of Opening Ceremony in The New York Times this morning.

Really?

We think it's more like this: Opening Ceremony has only become well known, outside the fashion clique, by making brands like Topshop and Target accessible to New Yorkers.

But as far as directly influencing the fashion industry, and even the retail industry, our immediate thought was, "What about Barneys?" Isn't Barneys the store powerful enough to propel unknown kids to style icon status, like Proenza? Isn't Barneys to blame for the national influx of "Goyard" stamped canvas bags? How many stores can claim a Creative Director with an internationally recognized face, like Simon Doonan?

Even if you don't agree that Barneys is the "most influential store" out there, it seems like quite a stretch to bestow the honor upon Opening Ceremony - a store that is apparently now taking notes from Target with their new celebrity clothing line.

While we usually love most of their clothes, nothing about the store appears revolutionary - not to mention that our readers repeatedly express their disappointment with Opening Ceremony in our comments section.

"Most Influential" is a pretty hefty title; on which store would you bestow the label?

posted by guest

Mar 13, 2008 1:41PM

Bergdorf for menswear. Former director Michael Bastian is a genius. The Sartorialist LOVES his stuff. Womenswear is a bit harder though. It's definitely not Neimans or Saks; too department store.

posted by guest

Mar 13, 2008 1:56PM

For the record, Opening Ceremony carries WAY more than topshop. It carries smaller brands, up and coming designers, japanese brands, etc. It's a place where you'll see agyness, editors, michael stipe, a few misshapes, and other influentials shopping for peices that stand out.

posted by Lauren

Mar 13, 2008 2:17PM

Opening Ceremony is great -- no one is denying that. It has been since it opened.

However, it is not revolutionary. It's an edgier version of Steven Alan. What's more, the house line is too expensive. Chloe Sevigny shoes are $500. The short-sleeved swing coat went from $400 to $600 in one year. Thank god I got mine at the sample sale.

It's a great store and I shop there all the time. But I agree with you lovely ladies -- Barney's is the tops when it comes to influence.

posted by Rockmantica

Mar 13, 2008 2:40PM

I think someone's been drinking a little too much HATER-ADE.

It's just someone's opinion. Everything is an opinion. That was mean. Like going off.

posted by guest

Mar 13, 2008 3:19PM

I feel like Opening Ceremony is kinda stale. They do carry some interesting designers- but I am not into how often their inhouse label is copying the clothes they hang beside. I think Jeffrey is more directional.

posted by guest

Mar 13, 2008 3:20PM

The house line is borderline too precious sometimes, but my biggest gripe is how they arrive at these prices when over half of their stuff is made in China and costs $2. And that goes double for the Chloe S. line. The quality is sub-par Joyce Leslie.

posted by SOF

Mar 13, 2008 3:48PM

the most influential place in retail at the moment is www.fashionista.com

posted by guest

Mar 13, 2008 4:28PM

opening ceremony is influential don't be fooled, many smaller boutiques follow directly in their footsteps all across the country, but most influential...hardly. couple things, opening ceremony used to be fantastic at their seasonal buys but over the last year or so ( the time period where they have been thrust into the spotlight) have declined incredibly. OC also does not have the buying power to be the most influential that would have to go to barneys most likely. barney's is also the place that small brands really get broken into scene and blow up (like said go yard bags). OC is a great boutique but they are no longer at the forefront they rest too heavily on their laurels. OC does however have an absolutely incredible PR team.

posted by guest

Mar 13, 2008 4:34PM

I like ( not love) Opening Ceremony. I would ( Love) if they had more reasonable prices.

posted by guest

Mar 13, 2008 4:56PM

Does anyone else think that this site has lost the clever panache and unpretentious aesthetic that made it so refreshing and popular since Britt took over? Whats with all the criticism and negativity? Thats what the other 99% of fashion publications are for...

posted by guest

Mar 13, 2008 5:20PM

I think youve missed the point. I don't think Opening Ceremony is for girls like you... I mean the kind of girl who would work at fashionista.com. It exists as an antidote to people like you.

posted by Jac

Mar 13, 2008 5:28PM

I think it was alittle more pretentious with Faran, honestly. Nothing wrong with that, it IS fashion, but give her a little more time at the helm--i think shes doing fine.

posted by guest

Mar 13, 2008 5:49PM

I am sometimes so disappointed in the commenters on this site. It's so clear that a lot of you don't actually read the stories the whole way through. She actually says right in there that she likes the clothes but that it's just not "revolutionary". nothing mean about that.

posted by britt

Mar 13, 2008 5:49PM

1. up until a couple of weeks ago, i just freelanced for fashionista. i'm now the assistant editor under natalie - who is the associate editor. so i'm not in charge - but thank you, i'm flattered. 2. i think i made it clear that i love opening ceremony - i shop there quite often. i just happen to disagree with eric wilson on this particular point. disagreement does not equal negativity. 3. if the store does indeed exist as an antidote toward people like me - it's not working very well since i both shop there AND work at fashionista.

posted by guest

Mar 13, 2008 5:53PM

Jeffreys, Barneys, IF Boutique, Linda Dresner- Most directional in this city for me- in that order.

posted by etoilee8

Mar 13, 2008 8:35PM

I love Opening Ceremony but if they're the most influential store, I'm a tad bit worried. I mean they're great, there are some beautiful pieces. . . but I have just as much fun raiding Barneys Coop too. It all depends on what you're in the market for. My biggest pet peeve with Opening Ceremony is that everything is guarenteed to be listed at a 10-20% mark up to any other store that carries the same item (I learned that the hard way). I go there and peek and often buy elsewhere. They certainly won't miss my measley pennies.

posted by spendthrift

Mar 13, 2008 10:40PM

In terms of places where people in the fashion industry go to get inspiration - opening ceremony wins hands down. Barney's is so 2002. Plus, it is so crammed with Theory, DVF and Marc Jacobs you can hardly find any "new" direction.

posted by fashionursta

Mar 13, 2008 11:32PM

Once Opening Ceremony went more mainstream, it started to lose its edge. I think that is just the way things go. The more exclusive and unique= the more it is wanted. I think that is just human and fashionista nature. We all want to have the fresh and unexpected. Jeffreys was edgy at first, but Nordstrom now owns the store and made Jeffrey their creative director (he must have made a fortune in that deal) and now the store is not the same as it was in its beginnings. Barneys also is not what it used to be since the Dubaian company took over (and that I got from a friend who works there) But I still love it and go there often, as I do Opening Ceremony. The store that used to be the most influential was Steven Alan. He took a lot of chances with the brands that he carried, but I think that he is going off in another direction, with his own lines. I love IF and Linda Dresner- they have not lost their edge at all- but their prices are another story.

posted by guest

Mar 14, 2008 1:12AM

to say that Bergdorf Goodman Men's is the most influential / revolutionary is quite laughable. I have shopped there (with my personal shopper) for over 6 years and i have seen it evolve from a store full of diverse, main stream designers to its now cookie cutter, obvious fashion sense. yes, they do carry many varied main stream designers from many "different" artistic aesthetics but the actual pieces they buy and carry are all identical - clothes that a man who has no fashion sense but knows the name "bergdorf" goes to to be told what to wear. upper east side wasp anyone?

my top picks: atelier, if, kirna zabete, and ofcourse the dependable barneys (you go brit!)

posted by debutanteclothing

Mar 14, 2008 9:29AM

It's kind of difficult to wrap your head around a store being influential. Shouldn't people be influential? Stores, department or otherwise, carry what is already a developing trend around the world.

posted by guest

Mar 14, 2008 9:44AM

so ny-centric! collette?????

posted by guest

Mar 15, 2008 5:34PM

Anything that becomes popular (like OC has in recent years) starts to lose it's edge because everyone knows about it! Julie Gilhart is one of the most influential buyers out there, but she still has to keep shareholders happy. Barney's is so corporate, even though they do have amazing creative directors. And why are we all pretending that NYC is the most influential? Where do you think Americans get their ideas from? OC if full of swedish and japanese designers, so it's a little silly to be so U.S. - centric.