The Shophound

OPEN ALL NIGHTMARE: Heavy Rains Flood Apple Fifth Avenue

Apple customers got an early morning shower inside the busy 24-hour flagship store on Fifth Avenue. The New York Post reports that a few leaks from the iconic glass cube entrance quickly turned into a deluge near the famous entrance and spiral staircase sometime before 8 AM this morning when torrential rainstorms hit Manhattan. Apparently, the cube's reconstruction in 2011 left the store with some residual drainage problems that chose this morning to manifest themselves. Apple employees scrambled to move tables and cover vulnerable demonstration computer equipment, but did not evacuate customers or close the store, thus maintaining the store's 24-hour schedule. By 10 AM, the water was mostly cleaned up but there was lingering damage to the ceiling, and a store manager was doubtlessly on the phone to Apple Headquarters in Cupertino, California to arrange for some major repairs to avoid another impromptu shower the next time a thunderstorm hits.

Leak sends water pouring into Apple Store on Fifth Avenue (NYPost via AppleInsider)

THIS WEEK'S MARKETING STUNT: A Look At Target's Dollhouse In Grand Central Terminal

We have to apologize for not discovering this earlier, but the fine folks at Target, who are usually pretty good about keeping The Shophound informed, neglected to let us know that they had built a giant dollhouse in Grand Central Terminal's Vanderbilt Hall. It's certainly not the sort of thing one sees there every day, and unfortunately, it's now gone, having only been erected for this past Monday and Tuesday. At 1,540 square feet, it's probably bigger than your apartment, and more furnished, since it was built to promote Target's new Threshold line of home furnishings and contains around a thousand pieces of merchandise. Select items were tagged with QR codes to allow visitors to purchase them immediately through the Target smartphone app, and the "bathroom" was buzzing at midday yesterday with free makeovers, while those with more time to kill could relax in a wi-fi enabled garden "Lounge" on the other side of the historic hall.

Though this is not the first time that Target has used Vanderbilt Hall as a promotional venue (there was a hologram fashion show there a few years back), the retailer is a sponsor of Grand Central Terminal's Centennial celebration, which probably helped secure the space for the promotional event —but only briefly. After a mere two days, the dollhouse is being dismantled. We don't even know if it will be reassembled in other landmark locations, or if this was a blink-and-you'll-miss-it one-shot deal, but it gave the half a million people who pass through Grand Central every day an interesting diversion while they waited for their trains.

All Dolled Up: Life-Sized Dollhouse Debuts at New York’s Grand Central Terminal (A Bullseye View/Target Blog)
Check out our gallery below to see what you might have missed.

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FLAGSHIP FANFARE: Valentino Joins Fifth Avenue Next Year

After a spate of rumors, It has been confirmed that Valentino will take over the four levels of space that once held the much loved Japanese department store Takashimaya at 693 Fifth Avenue between 54th and 55th Streets. In the three years since the space lost its initial tenant, there has been much speculation about who might move in, and building owner Thor Equities has announced plans to demolish part of the lavish façade in favor of an incongruous slab of steel and glass. At one point, temporary tenant Forever 21 threatened to move in permanently, but with Valentino, Thor has landed a name that is more in keeping with the building's upscale history as well as with its neighboring retailers like Bottega Veneta and The St Regis Hotel.

Originally constructed as a 3-floor jewel box of a department store with a popular basement tea room, the 20,000 square foot store will now represent the Valentino brand's continued success since the retirement of its namesake designer and some contentious changes of ownership that has left the Roman Alta Moda house in the hands of an investment group controlled by the Royal Family of Quatar. Though work is still being completed on Valentino's long-under-construction Madison Avenue boutique (set to finally debut next month), this new store will be a more high profile flagship, joining big Brand Palaces on Fifth Avenue from other, mostly Italian designers like Giorgio Armani, Gucci, Prada and the recently arrived Dolce & Gabbana. Like those labels, Valentino will now be represented on both relatively nearby shopping streets, which now seems to be a requirement to achieve a certain level of luxury megabrand status. “In fashion today, everybody has a very loud voice and we need to use the same approach. It means we have to increase in terms of visibility, in the distribution of Valentino, and the Fifth Avenue store is one of the best things we can do because it’s such an iconic location,” Valentino CEO Stefano Sassi tells WWD.

The building's façade is still set to be replaced, but instead of high-tech glass, it will be fitted with a different, less elaborate, but still elegant stone storefront (sketch pictured above) designed by British architect David Chipperfield who will also redesign the interior spaces to fit the brand's store concept. Expect a splashy debut for the new Valentino flagship sometime next year.

Valentino Thinks Big for Fifth Avenue Store (WWD)

SNEAK PEEK: Peering Inside Saint Laurent's Greene Street Store

Don't we love it when careless construction crews leave the door open?
Over the weekend, The Shophound got an impromptu look inside the upcoming Saint Laurent boutique on Greene Street in SoHo —just by chance. It was only last week that the company actually confirmed the location by papering the windows with the terse message, "Opening, Saint Laurent, Greene Street" with no specific date, but a photo of the white marble that is becoming a signature of the new Hedi Slimane-designed boutique concept. From what we could see inside through the open doorway, it looks like the store could easily make the May opening that was suggested recently. White marble shelves are already in place, which means that they are in the fixturing stage, so furniture and stock can't be far behind. The signage is even on the front doors already.

Presumably, once this store opens, the main Saint Laurent boutique on 57th Street will close for its own revamping so the city's outlets for the label will be consistent. If you can't wait for an in-person look at the concept, Bergdorf Goodman's in-store Saint Laurent boutiques in both the men's and women's stores are finished and open, so you can go appraise the white marble, black leather and chrome for yourself.

Previously:
Continuing Saga: SoHo's Saint Laurent To Open In May?

SAMPLE CIRCUIT: Manolo vs. Choo + Lots Of Handbags

Continuing the sample sale extravaganza that is the month of May, we have two always anticipated shoe sales from Manolo Blahnik and Jimmy Choo that are expected to have women lined up for hours between them.

—But that's not all. There are handbags aplenty this week with Nancy Gonzalez holding a sale for her coveted exotic skin bags and accessories starting Monday along with Rebecca Minkoff's seasonal sale that is always a madhouse. Adding to that is popular status brand MCM also holding a sale this week.

—But there's more! Staff USA's sale in Chelsea will draw breathless fans of Dsquared² and Maison Martin Margiela. Kleinfeld's One-Afternoon-Only Warehouse Sale will bring determined Brides-to-be, so stay out of their way, and then on Friday the Comme des Garçons archives sale will bring out the avant-garde bargain hunters, so it might be worth going just to check out the style waiting in line. Check the sidebar SALE ROLL at left for all the details.

Next week: Dueling Theory sales! *

*Now it's Theory vs. Theyskens Theory vs. Theory Men's

THIS WEEK ONLINE: Low Luv by Erin Wasson, Valentino, Paul & Joe, Giorgio Armani, Saint Laurent, Casadei, Thom Browne, Ann Demeulemeester, Balenciaga, TOD's

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

Paul & Joe Sister, French Connection, Koral Denim, A.L.C., Jewelry by Kevia, Tom Ford Sunglasses, Philip B/Thairapy, I. Miller by Delman, Cut25/L'Agence, Kimberly Ovitz, White + Warren, Candela, Emporio Armani, Marco Bicego, Bric's,  Simon Spurr, Giorgio Armani, Levi's Made & Crafted, Corneliani, Carlos Campos, Berge Belts, Clapham, Del Toro, JACHS, Tommy Hilfiger, Melissa & Doug, Anaïs & I, Llum for Girls, Ben Sherman for Boys, Modloft Furniture, Solé Bikes, Donna Karan Home —join HERE

RUE LA LA

7 For All Mankind, Gottex, The World of Armani, Frette, The World of Saint Laurent, Safavieh, Nicole Miller, Elaine Turner, Eyebobs, Vince, Calvin Klein, Barse, Fore! Golf, All-Clad, SPANX, Casadei, Herve Chapelier —join HERE

BELLE & CLIVE

Colette Nicolai Fine Jewelry, Akribos Watches, Jimmy Choo, Charles David, David Aubrey Jewelry, Carmen Marc Valvo Swim, Arm Candy Jewelry, Swiss Legend, Prada, Fendi, Cynthia Rowley, Holstein Housewares, Armani, Denim Dude, Chloé, Sayami, Red Haute, A. Testoni, Howe, Salvatore Ferragamo, TOD's, Vilebrequin, Original Penguin —join HERE

HAUTE LOOK

Converse, Fendi Timepieces, Giorgio Armani, Big Star Jeans, Parke & Ronen, Black Halo, Saont Grace, Pixi & Pop, Vince Camuto, Electric Yoga, Erica Anenberg, Envy, Bernardo, Zanerobe, James Jeans, Lafayette 148, Enzo Angiolini, Hobo Handbags, Missoni, Cut25, Temptu Makeup, Circulon, Nourison Rugs, Nina, Amrita Singh, American Apparel, Swiss Legend, Robert Graham, Just Cavalli, 2(X)IST, Donald J. Pliner, Adrienne Vittadini, Low Luv by Erin Wasson —join HERE

MY HABIT

Thom Browne, Movado, Ann Demeulemeester, Balenciaga Sunglasses, Just a Cheap Shirt, XMI Sportshirts, Ben Sherman, Jewelry by Belargo, Dana Davis, Radiance Pearl, Swedish Hasbeens, James Jeans, Mierco Fine Linens, Remington Lamps, Ike Behar, Freeze 24-7, Walter Handbags, Andanines —join HERE

VENTE PRIVEE

Valentino Men's, Pentax Cameras, Cesare Paciotti, Effy Jewelr, Lierac, Luigi Bormioli —join HERE

MAXIMUM MARKETING OVERLOAD:: Your Complete List Of Retail Marketing Tie-Ins For The Great Gatsby

As we have mentioned, Baz Luhrmann's 3-D extravaganza adaptation of The Great Gatsby which opens a week from today, is being marketed as aggressively as a superhero franchise, if not more so. How successful the director and Warner Brothers will be at making a Summer movie tentpole out of an F. Scott Fitzgerald classic with no possibility of a sequel —one that has already been filmed at least four times before— remains to be seen, but they seem to be pulling out all the stops to reach a fashion-minded audience. In fact, here in New York, it almost feels like anyone with functioning senses is being clobbered with a barrage of Gatsby promotion and related merchandise as if it will irresistibly compel them to buy a ticket next weekend to the movie. If you have been hooked, here are all the stores to visit that participating in Gatsby promotion, or if you are already sick to death of hearing about it, think of them as stores to avoid for the next month.

BROOKS BROTHERS: We mentioned this a couple of weeks ago. Brooks Brothers worked with Gatsby's costume designer Catherine Martin to produce hundreds of costumes for the film's male characters from leads to background actors. The store's Madison Avenue flagship has been completely Gatsby-ized along with nearly all the windows (pictured above) featuring displays of costumes from the film and promotional placards placed throughout the store. A special Gatsby-inspired capsule menswear collection featuring pastel linen suits and vintage-style formalwear has reportedly been selling well.

TIFFANY & CO.: Tiffany also assisted in costuming Gatsby. Perhaps you noticed the humongous blue Tiffany gift box constructed over Rockeffeller Plaza's ice rink last month for the store's lavish "Blue Book Ball" gala ostensibly celebrating its catalog and  launching its "Jazz Age Glamour" diamond, platinum and pearl jewelry collection tied to the film. We haven't seen Tiffany launch a product line with that kind of fanfare since, well, ever, so it's safe to assume that Warner Bros. footed the bill for that one to promote Gatsby. The collection is being displayed in Tiffany's windows, and, in what seems like another first, the store's iconic 1940 facade has been festooned in Art-Deco scroll pattened decals in an attempt to retro-ize it a few decades.

PRADA: Designer Miuccia Prada also contributed costumes for the movie, several of which are currently being displayed in the luxury brand's SoHo Epicenter Plagship, the site of yet another recent gala party promoting the movie. What's on the Prada homepage right now? A film still of Gatsby stars Carey Mulligan and Leonardo di Caprio.

FOGAL: You'll see Gatsby in the windows at Fogal's stores and since it also provided hosiery for the film, it gets the rights to produce, you guessed it, a special collection of 20s-style hosiery featuring seams and deco-patterns.

THE PLAZA HOTEL: The hotel figures in the movie and hosted yet another recent party for the movie, its New York premiere. The hotel's website has been taken over by the movie, and features an "F. Scott Fitzgerald" Suite for anyone who wants a total immersion experience. In addition, there are Gatsby themed dishes created for the Plaza's restaurants and Food Halls

MOET & CHANDON: You will see the champagne's product placement in the film as well as amongst the other retail tie-in display for even more cross-cross-promotion. For example, Brooks Brothers' Gatsby mannequins are posed next to pyramids of the brand's bottles.

MAC: Among the quieter of the movie's promotional partners, we haven't seen as much in-store promotion from MAC, but it provided makeup support for the film and has been promoting Gatsby makeovers in the press over the past weeks

So there you have it all. Just try and avoid this movie while you are shopping this week, and we aren't even counting the relentless marketing of the movie's totally period inappropriate soundtrack album. Don't worry. It'll be over in a few weeks, so you can be ready for the marketing onslaughts from The Wolverine and Man of Steel.

Previously:
Today In Movie Cross-Promotions: Brooks Brothers Joins The Gatsby Blitz

GLAM NETWORK SPONSORED POST: Summer Fun Style from HSN

COMING SOON: Bonobos Takes It to The Street In SoHo

Men in need of pants will soon be getting a big break in SoHo when Bonobos, the 6-year old men's sportswear company opens its first street level shop at 25 Crosby Street. Of course, there is no shortage of available pants, but Bonobos has swiftly built a strong internet business based on expertly cut trousers for gentlemen without ever opening an actual store. They are one of the big e-commerce success stories of recent years, not unlike eyewear brand Warby Parker which also just opened its first public store a few blocks away. This will not actually be Bonobos' first boutique, exactly, since it won't be a traditional store with any merchandise at all —yet. Called a "guide shop" the space will provide try-on samples of the brand's collection which customers will be able to order and have sent to their homes, much like a similar, appointment-only service currently available in the company's Chelsea showroom. Another Guide Shop is set to open in Bethesda MD later this year, with more likely to follow. How long the company will be able to go without opening a full service retail store remains a question given its fast growth. It has gotten big enough to hire up-and-coming menswear designer Ian Velardi as creative director, so you can expect a more refined fashion edge in the offerings which have grown to include sportswear, tailored suits and accessories. For now, appointments are recommended when the Guide Shop opens later this month, joining other menswear shops like Saturday's Surf and Carson Street Clothiers on what is becoming a much busier strip of Crosby Street.

Bonobos picks quiet Crosby St. for new store (Crain's)

SUPER SALE ALERT: The Comme des Garçons Archive Sale To Return Next Friday

A couple of years ago, Japanese megabrand Comme des Garçons held a rare sample sale extravaganza featuring merchandise from every line the brand makes (which is quite a few) spanning several years worth of of back stock. It was thought to be a once-in-a-lifetime kind of warehouse clearing event, so nobody really knew when or if it would ever be repeated. According to our friends at RACKED, it turns out that, in the typically whimsical fashion of designer Rei Kawakubo, the sale will return on Friday, May 10 for four days (see our SALE ROLL sidebar for details). Again, it will cover all the CdG labels with merchandise from the past seven or eight years at up to 70% off the original retail prices. It will also surely be the source of some very long lines along West 30th Street next weekend. Racked suggests getting up early —really early— if you have any interest in getting inside at a decent hour.

While we can all reliably expect sales avery season from a whole host of designers, we really have no idea when Kawakubo is intending to stage this event again, if ever. so Comme des Garçons should save up and set their alarms. Here's something to whet their appetites while they are waiting for the brand's Dover Street Market superstore to open across town later this year.

Comme des Garçons' Epic Archival Sale Is Coming Back! (Racked NY)