FLAGSHIP FANFARE: Escada Moves To Madison —For Now While Dolce & Gabbana Will Definitely Come To Fifth Avenue

We thought it was a little gossipy during a slow news week last July when WWD breathlessly reported that Dolce & Gabbana would be taking over the Escada Boutique on Fifth Avenue without a confirmation from any of the concerned parties. Naturally, they were right, and this week, Escada will be moving to Valentino's old digs on Madison Avenue for a while while its permanent home around the corner on East 55th Street is readied.

So far, Dolce & Gabbana has remained silent on the topic, and while it has been confirmed to The Shophound by an involved party that the moves are happening, we still don't know for sure if the brand will be moving its recently expanded Madison Avenue flagship, or simply joining the ranks of Giorgio Armani, Michael Kors, Gucci, Cartier and Prada in maintaining substantial stores on both Madison and Fifth Avenues. We tend to think it is the latter, since they will soon be merging their lower priced D&G collection into their main label, and would be able to present a broader selection on Fifth while reserving its most exclusive range for Madison Avenue.

As for Escada, we have known for a good year and a half or so that the store would be moving at some point because its lease had been reacquired by its landlord. Having undergone changes in ownership and creative direction over the past few years, the brand will now be able to make a fresh start without the crushing overhead of a whopping Fifth Avenue rent.

Previously:
Escada's Flagship Is On The Move ...Or Maybe On The Way Out (2.9.2010)
Dolce & Gabbana Headed To Fifth Avenue? (7.14.2011)