EAST-WEST CONNECTION: Alternative Ditches The Beach For SoHo

A couple of years ago, as The Shophound was strolling Abbot Kinney in Venice, California, we mused that it would be impossible for Alternative to replicate the ever so specific beach shack vibe of it's hometown flagship store in a place like New York City, and this  month we discovered that they, smartly, didn't bother to attempt such a feat. The new Alternative boutique on Lafayette Street in a space that once hosted Diesel's skater-focused 55DSL brand, instead takes on its own residential, site specific ambiance. This time it's a SoHo loft, but not the white-walled, single rack minimalist version that has become something of a retail cliché south of Houston Street. This is more like the kind of loft someone might live in, dotted with houseplants and featuring exposed brick walls, dark wood floors and even a skylight for just a hint of California airiness. On the racks are the t-shirts and impossibly soft knitted sportswear that has made the brand so popular including in organic cotton line and a collaboration with socially conscious brand Apolis. Of course, Alternative has its own socially conscious mission, sourcing most if its product from sustainable textile resources in Peru, but they don't hit you over the head with it, instead letting the cozy sportswear speak for itself.  Do you need another t-shirt? Probably not, but you might have a hard time convincing yourself of that while you are in the store.

Alternative 281 Lafayette St between Prince & Houston Streets, SoHo