Year-End Favorites—Most & Least Part II

FAVORITE PROMOTIONAL EVENT

It's hard to beat a live mini-concert by adorable multiple Grammy Nominee Duffy topping off a cocktail party thrown by Escada and nightlife doyenne Amy Sacco to celebrate a new Escada shop in shop at Saks.
Let's forget that it happened on the eve of possibly the fastest economic downturn in anyone's memory. We just want to remember the catchy tunes.
We also don't want to forget the delightful discovery of Ralph Lauren's smartly styled fleet of the handsomest pedicab drivers we have ever seen.

JUICIEST SCANDAL

It was juicy but disturbing. Take a Russian dairy mogul with a teenage daughter harboring Hilton-like aspirations (and we mean Paris, not Conrad) and you get a fly by night teen retail adventure that ended in tears and anger for the employees who couldn't beat a hasty retreat back to Moscow when it all went to hell. Good riddance, Kira Plastinina!

SADDEST DEPARTURES

Too many stores have closed recently, but the most disappointing was the unforeseen shuttering of Té Casan, the innovative SoHo shoe retailer offering exclusive collections by up and coming designers as well as Natalie Portman's vegan footwear collection. This was a store that everyone loved, but it just didn't become profitable enough before the economy sucker punched it.
Linda Dresner's decision to leave New York and consolidate her efforts at her original Birmingham, Michigan store was also a great disappointment. Saks' decision to give away the store with early markdowns proved too much for the widely respected independent retailer to bear (or compete with). It's happening all over. Influential Los Angeles shopkeeper Tracey Ross has announced that she is closing up shop as well.

LEAST WELCOME RETAILING TRENDS

The apparent proliferation of premium denim, no, sorry, "Denim Based Lifestyle Brand" boutiques. They are just offering up more of what department stores are already clogged with anyway. Seven For All Mankind, True Religion and soon to open Rock & Republic have long since slipped from appealing to banal brands, but they seem unstoppable. Of course, we are exempting Jean Shop and Earnest Sewn from this pronouncement. You two we love. Don't change a thing.

FASTEST EXPANSION

Rag & Bone opened its first boutique on Christopher Street this fall, and a mere two months later doubled its space when a great location suddenly became available two doors down the street, splitting its stores into separate men's and women's shops.

FAVORITE RUNWAY SHOWS

The previously mentioned Marc Jacobs and John Bartlett shows top our list, but you can add Ports 1961's dreamy presentation featuring kooky hats and a surprise live concert from the Cowboy Junkies. And we can't forget to include hanging out in the VIP lounge after Rubin Singer's elegant Spring show.

MOST ANTICIPATED UPCOMING STORE

Well there are two stores that were supposed to be open by now.
Obviously there was no way Topshop could have made their incredibly ambitious October opening date, but we hear they are right on track for Spring '09. We are expecting a huge party.
Ports 1961 has been coming soon for-ever. Please tell us they are opening up early next year.