Hot on the heels of its latest New York boutique opening, Rag & Bone will launch e-commerce in the not-so-distant future, according to sources close to the company.
CFDA Award-winning duo David Neville and Marcus Waingwright are the latest in a string of contemporary designers to launch their own e-boutiques, and we think it’s the right choice–it’s good for both the consumer and the company.
Read more »It cannot be denied that the fashion world is one of fleeting passions–remember those boots you loved so dearly last year but wouldn’t dream of wearing this season? Or those “statement jeans” that now live a quiet, mournful existence at the back of your closet? Fashion is a business of come-and-go. But what about when you’re longing for something with a bit more, well, longevity?
This is the reasoning behind Selfridge’s “Forever Shop,” set to open its doors later this month. The British retailer’s Wonder Room Concept Store will be completely renovated to embody a sort of timelessness that exists beneath fashion fads. The room will be curated by the department store’s creative director Alannah Weston, Elle Decoration Editor-In-Chief Michelle Ogundehin, and British designer Sir Paul Smith.
Read more »The first ever store dedicated entirely to Giambattista Valli ready-to-wear, leather, furs and accessories–including shoes, bags and jewelry–will open this autumn on rue Boissy d’Anglas in Paris.
Valli, who opened his fashion house in 2005, has garnered a fast following amongst the lady-like set by creating modernized fit-and-flare dresses for everyone from Plum Sykes and Diane Kruger.
It makes sense for Valli to expand beyond wholesale at this moment. Already stocked at over 220 stores in 40 countries across the globe, the designer’s Fall 2010 collection saw a 30% increase in sales from Fall 2009, while Resort 2011 sales have jumped by 24% from last year.
It’s not easy to create a luxury fashion house from scratch these days, but Valli has done it. We look forward to visiting the new space in Paris this fall.
Read more »PARIS–From train tickets to couture goods, the French are all about swap sales these days. But how about an entire boutique exchange?
Yesterday, Colette tried its first shop swap with London art boutique and communication intelligentsia Kessels Kramer, aka KK Outlet.
The concept goes as such: Sarah Lerfel of Colette and Danielle Pender of KK Outlet each hop to the other side of the channel, bringing along a crème de la crème selection for their new audience. (The terms “pop-up” and “swap” seem equally viral these days, so why not combine the two?)
Yesterday, on the chic rue Saint-Honoré, KK Outlet revealed hipster art books, limited editions, art works by Erik Kessels, but also collaborative products such as “divided loyalty” scarves, and more.
Read more »LONDON–We all know the economic downturn has been tough on fashion—the past year alone has seen brands like Lyell, Phi, Tracy Feith and Abaete close in the wake of funding difficulties.
But there are bright spots as well, and we’ve found one in Chelmsford, England, where a group of staffers from the recently closed Faith shoe store are reopening as an independent shop.
Even sweeter: the new incarnation of Faith… is Hope!
That’s right. The employees laid off when Faith closed earlier this year are reinventing themselves as the retail entrepreneurs behind Hope Footwear Ltd.
Read more »Following in the footsteps of competitors like Yves Saint Laurent and Gucci, Prada will launch an online boutique for US customers.
The store is set to open this Thursday, July 1, debuting just as the privately-owned company revealed that it’s thinking about scheduling an initial public offering in 2012.
(Some background: This is probably the seventh or eighth time over the last 15 years that Prada has toyed with selling shares on the Milan Stock Market, so it’s most certainly not a definite thing.)
Much like the rest of Prada’s online efforts, the site is well-designed, user-friendly, and perfectly on-brand.
Read more »Forever 21′s new Times Square flagship opens today, and we got a sneak peak inside last night.
First impression: The store is ENORMOUS. There are four very brightly-lit floors chock full of fast fashion totaling 91,257 square feet of retail space. That makes Forever 21‘s Times Square location the largest single brand apparel store in Manhattan. To drive the point home, there is, no joke, a real life taxicab on the bottom floor. (For you intrepid New Yorkers looking to participate in the store’s opening day festivities, or snag one of the 1,000 gift certificates valued up to $210, the store is located at 1540 Broadway.)
Read more »Uniqlo teamed up with Los Angeles-based label Velvet for their latest collaboration, which hit the racks today. They follow, most recently, partnerships with Jil Sander and Costello Tagliapietra.
Designers Jenny Graham and Toni Spencer brought their breezy California cool down to Uniqlo prices–slouchy soft cotton tanks, tees, and dresses in muted hues range from just $15.50-$19.50 (Velvet tees usually go for around $70). We stopped by to check out the 14-piece line and predict that the cotton mini-dress with shoulder cut-outs and the henley tunic dress (both $19.50) will go like hot cakes.
The surprising best seller of the day?
Read more »Like.com has made a business of creating holistic ways to shop online. The founding site let’s you shop for very, very specific items. Couturious allows users to play stylist for the day. And Weardrobe makes buying your favorite pieces from street style photos possible.
The San Francisco-based start-up’s latest venture, WhatToWear.com, is a Q&A forum where readers ask style questions and professional stylists–as well as other readers–answer them.
Read more »PARIS–Despite being a French brand, Marithé + François Girbaud seems to do better abroad than in its own country. Over the past decade, its image has become increasingly associated with hip-hop culture, a style rather disconnected to Longchamp-wearing Parisiennes. Indeed, the brand’s tailored baggy pants had long fallen into oblivion in its home town.
In an effort to flirt with its country of origin, the label recently used the launch of its new boutique as a simultaneous promotion of local young artists.
Read more »I’m in Chicago this week and that means a lot of visits with family and friends….and a trip or two to the mall. Confession: I sometimes like shopping in malls. Don’t get me wrong. Nothing beats New York for pure shopping adrenaline and magic. But New York shopping takes planning and stamina. A trip to the mall can be spontaneous.
Mall shopping naturally has its disadvantages. The variety of stores is disappointing–how many Gaps and Victoria’s Secrets does any community need?
The exponential increase in e-commerce and availability of previously hard-to-find brands may eventually bring the death of the mall. For example, I just bought Pamela Love earrings and a Bodkin dress on sale from Bona Drag online. I could never walk into a mall and find these treasures.
However, malls offer some comforting advantages:
Read more »It seems that Angelenos really, truly covet French fashion.
Right on the heels of Paul & Joe’s West Hollywood outpost, Vanessa Bruno will open her first US boutique in Los Angeles on July 26.
The designer, whose soft, sexy clothes are favored by Lou Doillon types, will set up shop at 8448 Melrose Avenue, right near Marc Jacobs, A.P.C, Diane Von Furstenberg and our favorite L.A. boutique, Creatures of Comfort.
The soft launch at the end of July will bring the designer to L.A. for the first time ever. There will be a grand opening at the end of October, post Fashion Month.
Read more »
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