The Shophound

THIS WEEK ONLINE: Alberta Ferretti, Carlos Falchi, Calvin Klein, Edun, Shoshanna, Trovata, Diesel, Pucci, La Perla, Michael Kors, Tumi, Clae, Brioni

Here is your weekly sampling of some of the brands you can expect to find on the bigger online Flash Sale Sites this week. You should click over to the sites themselves for a full schedule of events, and be sure to check for the correct start time for each sale. Happy clicking!

GILT GROUPE

Alberta Ferretti, Philip Stein Watches, Shoshanna, Trovata, Stila, Gifts for Guys, Kendra Scott Jewelry, Kate Spade —join HERE

GILT MAN

A. Testoni, Calvin Klein Collection, Surface To Air, Leatherman, PRPS, Saucony, Clae, Patrik Ervell, John Varvatos ★ USA, Adidas Y-3, Edun, Brioni/Borreli/Belvest/Lorenzini —join HERE

GILT HOME

Emilio Pucci Home, Zwilling J.A.Henckels, D.L. & Co., Knipschildt Chocolatier/Cocoa Chocolates/Hampton Popcorn, HarperCollins Cookbooks —join HERE

RUE LA LA

Diesel Black Gold, Carlos Falchi, Dansko, Calvin Klein, Glam Rock, La Perla, Casadei, Michael Kors Home, Jhane Barnes, Elie Tahari, L.A.M.B. —join HERE

IDEELI

ADAM, L.A.M.B. Accessories, Tahari A.S.L., Tarina Tarantino, Fila, Wink, Furla—join HERE

ONE KINGS LANE

Chamart Limoges, William Arthur Stationery, Davek Umbrellas, Kenneth James Wallpaper, Julian Mejia Table Linens, Bailey Street, Sofiacashmere, Chic Canvas, Saint Parfum —join HERE

HAUTE LOOK

Invicta, Premier Men's Collection by DecadesTwo.1, T-Tech by Tumi, C&C California, Thomas Wylde, Gola, NYLA, A.B.S., Matiko  —join HERE

SPONSORED POST: Revlon CustomEyes & Glam.com

EXPANSION ALERT REDUX: James Perse SoHo Pop-Up To Become Permanent

We didn't realize at the time that the James Perse store that took over Operations' old corner at Broome and Mercer Streets late last year was actually just a pop-up store for the Holidays. Much like the Fiorentini + Baker boutique a few doors away, the store will become a permanent location come this Spring (and we're sure you can all agree that Spring can't come soon enough). No opening date has been set, but the blacked out windows tell us that it's coming soon. Safe bets are on sometime during Fashion Week, but we will do our best to keep you posted.

James Perse to Take Over Soho's Operations Corner (Racked)
Previously:
Expansion Alert: James Perse Replicates In SoHo
Pop-Up Preview: Fiorentini + Baker Gives A Holiday Tease This Weekend

WHOLESALE EXPANSION: Nordstrom Joins Forces With Brooks Brothers To Attract A Younger (?) Customer

It's not a total surprise that Brooks Brothers would choose Nordstrom to launch a wholesale initiative for fall 2011. After all, the Seattle based store with 115 full-line locations is quietly the most important high-end men's apparel retailer in the country. Its luxurious but middle-of-the-road men's fashion image dovetails perfectly with Brooks Brother's uber-classicism, so it's something of a surprise to hear that a younger, more contemporary customer is being targeted by both companies.

Brooks Brothers has been courting a fashion customer for a while with its exclusive Thom Browne designed Black Fleece label, and a renewed sophistication in its main lines with slim fitting dress shirts and more fitted suits, but this has mainly been seen as complementary to its signature dartless sack suits and billowing oxford button-down collar shirts, and as a way to broaden rather than redirect the brand's appeal. According to Paulette Garafolo, Brooks Brothers’ president of international, wholesale and manufacturing, Nordstrom will be buying the brand in a more sporty, "collegiate" way with narrow ties and slimmer suits. “This will help us reach a new audience,” she tells WWD's Mensweek, “one that is probably 10 years younger than our core customer.” For now, there will be no separate Brooks Brothers shop-in-shops, and the brand will be merchandised by classification, as Nordstrom does with nearly all of its men's vendors. The label, which is not an exclusive collection to the department store, will be launched at select doors in Seattle, Chicago, Dallas and Tyson’s Corner, VA, with special events in 10 stores. In addition to menswear, Nordstrom is also picking up Brooks Brothers' new Fleece children's line designed by Nikki Kule.

We can't imagine Brooks Brothers' label not selling well at Nordstrom, though we wonder if the store's typically conservative men's customers won't be expecting the iconic store's typical look. If (and probably when) this works out, however, expect to see the Brooks Brothers label in a lot more stores everywhere.

Brooks Brothers to Wholesale to Nordstrom by Jean E. Palmieri (WWD/Mensweek)

LATEST ARRIVALS: Adidas & Diesel Have A Sneaker Party

Sneaker fans are a resilient bunch, and that's why last night's Thundersnow (yes, that's actually what it's called) kept few people away from Deisel's and Adidas' launch party for its new collaboration at the Lexington Avenue Diesel store. Or maybe it was the free beer, but anyway, DJ Blaqstarr made up for any lack of attendance by playing loud, loud music.

We had to wonder for a minute why Diesel, which has had a well developed sneaker collection for years, would need to collaborate with another sneaker brand, but then we remembered that they had made a denim line for Adidas Originals in the past, so perhaps one brand was returning the favor for another with these five, limited edition, mash-up styles. Skepticism aside, we found these white studded Stan Smiths kind of groovy, but then The Shophound is a sucker for a pair of Stan Smiths. The collection features a mix of logos and trademarks from both brands whose  vaguely retro sensibilities harmonize surprisingly well.

They are available right now, so if you are obsessed with denim and/or sneakers than strap on your snowshoes and get to a Diesel store A.S.A.P.

Diesel X Adidas (Official Site)

After the jump, a look at all the styles courtesy of Diesel
Click for a larger view in a new window

MYSTERY REVEALED: Flatiron Pop-Up Belongs To Macy's

Last week The Shophound wondered exactly who belongs to the pop-up shop coming to Fifth Avenue and 20th Street on February 10th (above), and today's WWD graciously answered for us. It's Macy's.

Macy's?

One could be forgiven for wondering why a giant department store chain with 800 units and its own biggest-store-in-the-world flagship only 14 blocks away would need to make any sort of pop-up store, but it turns out to be part of the launch for a new proprietary women's label called Bar III (pictured right). The new brand is meant to anchor an expansion of Macy's contemporary Impulse department and hopefully further burnish the chain's fashion image among young, fashion conscious female customers. The name Bar III is meant to evoke nightlife (for women who go to three bars in an evening?) and attract customers who have eyes for Scoop, Intermix and Barneys Co-op, but a slightly more conservative budget.

url=_retail_news_macy_s_acts_on_impulse_3451313_page_1_decorator_zero_confirm_true;

login=n;

kw=;

true

Macy's spokespeople are cagey about the prospects of the pop-up becoming permanent and spawning a specialty chain of its own. Macy's last foray into the smaller chain store business was about 20 years ago and gave us Aeropostale, which was eventually sold off, and Charter Club which was closed and converted into a wide ranging private label brand for the department store. Of course, that was when Macy's was a much smaller independent chain. Now that it is an 800 pound gorilla it can pretty much do anything it wants. Of course, we'll have to wait until February 10th to see what kind of potential Bar III really has.

Macy's Plots Push in Contemporary With Exclusives by David Moin (WWD)
Previously:
Pop-Up Mystery: What's Coming To 20th & Fifth On February 10th?

COLLABORATION ANTICIPATION: +J Has A Snowy But Subdued Launch For Spring At UNIQLO

The good news is that the days of waiting on the street for the new +J collection designed by Jil Sander for UNIQLO appear to be over. Perhaps it was because of our umpteenth snowstorm of the season, but we sauntered into SoHo's UNIQLO flagship just before 11 AM this morning without the slightest wait or queue situation inside or outside the store.In fact, probably owing to the snow, the store was unusually quiet. It doesn't appear that the they opened early for the launch, and as you can see from the image above, the line for the fitting room was nearly nonexistent. Shopping was happily free of grabbing and pushing. The shoppers who were there were enthusiastically loading their arms with merchandise as usual, but the extra-attentive task was quick to make sure everyone who needed one got a mesh shopping basket along with a +J look book. IN fact, the staff throughout the store was looking unusually fresh-faced and solicitous this morning, probably due at least in part to the presence of what appeared to be at least a few executive visitors from the home office in Japan who were walking the store with a critical eye as merchandise was moved and rearranged.

The lack of promotion this, the brand's fourth, season probably means that the line is no longer being treated as a special limited event, but part of the regular merchandise mix at UNIQLO. As far as we could tell, VIP pre-shopping was either highly limited or done away with altogether, and rather than creating a one-day H&M style opening each season, new merchandise will presumably, now arrive periodically throughout the season as it would in any other store. That is good for shoppers, who will be spared lines and early openings and will be able to shop the collection closer to the season. That means that, for example, the men's white sportcoat and shorts ensemble will be on its way to the store later this season, because, really, who needs to try and buy that during a January snowstorm?

As for the collection, it is as appealing as always. That multi-pocketed jacket in the advertisements looks just as fabulous in person and in three other colors, and Ms. Sander has given her new fans more of what they have come to expect and love from the label. For some of the men's collection, it appears that while the size range has not been expended, at least some of the sizing has been eased up a bit —ether that or we The Shophound is shrinking which would be a totally different issue altogether. The disappointment is, as we noted earlier, that the prices are up across the board this season. That is another inevitability, but the label still offers exceptional quality for the price, so you shouldn't be discouraged. Eventually, the store will fill up with crowds as it always does when the snow stops, so +J fans should pull on their snow boots and hurry out for a rare chance to shop the new line with minimal distraction and commotion.

UNIQLO +J (Official Site)
Previously:
MORE UNIQLO PREVIEW: Isabeli Fontana Suits Up For +J Spring 2011 In Store January 26th

THIS WEEK ONLINE RAF SIMONS On Gilt Groupe Today + FINAL SALE For Men Tomorrow

We love to give everyone a heads up what's available at the Flash Sale sites every week, but Gilt Groupe was unusually stingy with their preview info. What a delightful surprise to find an awesome Raf Simons sale today including apparel, shoes and accessories at great prices! That's the main collection, not the diffusion Raf by Raf Simons label. Raf fans should act fast. Even better, tomorrow, there will be a big FINAL SALE for men's clothing and accessories with discounts up to 90% off. If you missed out on a ticket for this weekend's big Gilt Groupe Warehouse Sale (sold out now, sorry), then this will be the next best thing. If you aren't already a member (and we really can't see how that would be possible if you are reading this) then click HERE posthaste!

BIG BOX WATCH: Home Goods Hangs Its Banner On Columbus Avenue

We heard last Summer that Home Goods was coming to the Columbus Square retail development (we hesitate to call it a strip mall, but with TJ Maxx, Modell's and Michael's...). It will be the final component of TJX Companies' recent initiative to entrench its big box chains in Manhattan. At the time, the store was projected to open during the first quarter of this year, but the space is still pretty raw looking, and the company has only just put up its "Coming Soon" banner. We can't tell when it's going to open, but they have a a little over 26,000 square feet to finish, so we'll be surprised if it's done before the end of March.

What we do know is that the store will be at 795 Columbus Avenue, somewhere between where 98^th and 99^th Streets would cross, directly across the street from TJ Maxx, its sister store. This will be New York City's second branch of the Home Goods, after the one on Staten Island (which we don't totally count —no offense to S.I.ers). For those who are unfamiliar, it is essentially, just like Marshalls or TJ Maxx without all the clothes and accessories. That means it can be either a cavalcade of fantastic kitchenware, bedding and home furnishings bargains, or a giant collection of sad, picked-over off-price merch depending on which day you hit it. You may think that Manhattan has already got more than its fair share of big-box stores, but The Shophound has had some awfully good luck at TJ Maxx's home department, so we're guessing that whenever Home Goods opens, it will be drawing even more shoppers to the upper reaches of Columbus Avenue.

COLLABORATION ANTICIPATION: Sophie Theallet & Giles Deacon Bring Designers Back To Nine West

A few years ago, Nine West embarked on an ambitious Designer Collaboration program with Thakoon, Sophia Kokosalaki and Vivienne Westwood that eventually led on to... nothing much. Aside from last year's line with singer Joss Stone, they have mostly stuck to their own labels since, but they're giving it another shot this year with capsule collections from rising star Sophie Theallet and the latest Ungaro designer Giles Deacon. First up is Theallet, whose well-priced espadrille-based collection of shoes and bags (pictured above) will arrive on May 1st in the welcome price range of $79 to $109. Deacon's line will appear for Fall 2011.

The program is to be called "Shoelaborations" and will reportedly also include collaborations with artists and musicians as well. The best part of the deal for shoppers, however is that unlike the chain's collaborations of a few years ago, the price points will remain in line with Nine West's regular offerings. While some of us may be suffering from designer collaboration fatigue, this could be one that breaks through the torrent of co-op collections.

Nine West Launches New Designer Collabs (WWD/Footwear News)